Lot withdrawn from Mastro auction

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

I received the following e-mail about a Babe Ruth card on which I'd placed a bid being withdrawn today. The thing I find interesting is the card was graded by SGC, so I wonder what details Mastro wasn't able to confirm? And there's a mention of authenticity, so does that mean the holder was tampered with but not noticed until the last day of the auction? I sent an e-mail but didn't receive a reply. To be clear: I'm not implying any wrongdoing by Mastro; I just find it curious. Here's the e-mail and below it a link to the lot:

Lot Number 1386, 1933 R319 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth - SGC 40 VG 3, has been
withdrawn due to our inability to absolutely confirm some of the details
originally include in the item's description in the catalog. If we are able to
confirm authenticity beyond a doubt, we may re-offer the item in another
catalog. We appreciate your bidding and hope that you will find other items that
peak your interest.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank You

Mastro Auctions Inc

1933 R319 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth - SGC 40 VG 3

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Posted By: Matt

That's VERY concerning...

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Posted By: Peter Calderon

There is nothing wrong with the Babe Ruth card in question. It is 100% real as SGC would have definitely caught any problem. This was my error. The single Ruth card offered in lot #1386 was not supposed to be sold as a single card, it was supposed to be included in lot #1024. Yes, lot #'s 1024 and 1386 are from the same consignor. We were alerted to the error today and I ended lot #1386. The Ruth card that WAS lot #1386 is now included in lot #1024 and an image of that same Ruth card has been added to our web site.

The email Rob received is the standard email we send when an autographed item is withdrawn. Why it was sent in this instance, I don't know. We will figure that out tomorrow but it shouldn't have been sent. Sorry for the confusion.

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Posted By: Matt

If I am the seller, I am very ticked off! Theoretically Lot 1024 should go for a lot more then it will since it now has a huge card in it and no one knows about it. What would have been the big deal if they were sold as separate lots?

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Thanks for the explanation. Peter, though I'm sure some will be sorry to read that this simply was an honest cataloging/bookkeeping mistake -- just as others will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief.

(By the way, the word bookkeeper is the only one in the English language with three consecutive double letters. No charge for that tidbit.)

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I am with Matt on this one....what would have been the harm in letting them stay as separate lots? Have you notified all the bidders of the Ruth that it is now a part of lot 1024?

I wonder what kind of pull the consigner has here in this instance...a guy I know consigned his whole collection of Husker memorabilia to Mastro and he was unhappy with how they lotted it up and tried to get Mastro to stop them and they refused.

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Posted By: Brian

Seems like the email should have mentioned where the Ruth ended up. Instead it implies the Ruth is a questionable or even a bad card.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Matt,

If I read Peter correctly, the Ruth was listed in the larger lot originally. In effect, the card was offered twice: once by itself and again in the large lot.

That's how I read it, at least.

If not, I agree with you.

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Posted By: Matt

Rob I don't see where you read that in Peter - he said:

"The single Ruth card offered in lot #1386 was not supposed to be sold as a single card, it was supposed to be included in lot #1024."

To me that means that is was not included in 1024 originally. If it was, then certainly the only option was to end the other listing, although bidders should have been notified of the issue.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Doesn't Peter say that a picture of the card was just now added to lot 1024? What is shown in the catalog...I'm at work so I don't have mine handy.

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Posted By: Matt

the Ruth is not shown as part of 1024 in the catalog.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Take a look at lot 1024 (the lot that has the Ruth card included with it).

1930s Vintage Collection (114)

There's nothing that says the description of the lot has been modified (as of 9:30 p.m. Eastern), so I find it hard to believe that Mastro (or any auction house) would add a Ruth card to a lot at this late stage of an auction. Even though the image has been added, I think the Ruth originally was listed as part of the group.

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Posted By: Matt

I can't accept a proof from a web page that they control!

Peter can just come on and clarify what happened...

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Posted By: Rand Brotman

I was a bidder on both lots, i noticed from day 1 that lot # 1024 included an sgc 40 Ruth. i also noticed the card on its own. my gut feeling told me the card may have been double listed, mainly due to the lack of scans on lot 1024. i was hoping to snag the lot under the radar. Mastro caught it in time and now has added scans and alerted everyone. With the thousands of cards they handle, its an honest mistake.

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Posted By: Matt

Rand thanks for clarifying - it makes Peter's move much more reasonable, although he should have sent an email to those bidding on the Ruth letting them know where to find it.

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Posted By: Peter Calderon

The Ruth card offered in lot #1024 and the Ruth card in lot #1386 refer to THE SAME CARD. There is only ONE Ruth card. How could we let both lots continue to run as is? Also, I have talked to the consignor about my error. He is fine with the way we handled this situation.

As for that particular email, it shouldn't have been sent. It is generated automatically. I did send another email notice to everyone who bid on lot #1386 about what happened and where that Ruth card is being auctioned.


I'd like to add Rob is correct. The mention of the Ruth card in lot #1024 was always there, as there was no modification, the original description was left as is.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Well, Matt, I guess no one's really asking you to accept proof. I simply was pointing out why it seemed Mastro didn't add the Ruth to a lot with a few hours of the auction closing, thereby costing itself and a consignor money.

Set aside the conspiracy theory for a moment and ask yourself what they would gain.

Then again, nevermind.

Edited to add: Mastro did send an e-mail telling those who bid on the single Ruth card that it is actually part of the larger lot.

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Posted By: Brian

<<With the thousands of cards they handle, its an honest mistake.>>

And probably costly honest mistake for the seller.

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Posted By: Matt

Rob - if I was proposing a conspiracy theory then they would indeed need to have gained something, but I wasn't so there's no need to answer that one. Sometimes, some people, do silly things that cost others money. It happens. It turns out this isn't one of those cases.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

I can't accept a proof from a web page that they control!

I guess I misinterpreted the tone of the above post. My mistake.

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Posted By: Mark Evans

Great trivia question, Rob. I've passed it along to my brother (Rod) who has written several books comprising similar brain-teasers (e.g., longest one-syllable word: strengths). Mark

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

That bit of trivia was mentioned in the script of the 1976 TV mini-series Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers. I was 13 years old when I heard it and never forgot it. That probably was a sign that I was destined to someday become a copy editor.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Rob,

then you will love the fact that stewardesses is the longest word to type with one hand (unless you hunt and peck)

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

I promise to give due credit when I pass along that gem.

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Posted By: barrysloate

If I may offer Mastro some good PR, I left a ceiling bid of around $5600+ on one of my lots before I went to bed, and won it for $3879, four increments below my max. For those who are terrified about leaving ceilings, it worked out just fine. And I got a great deal.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Hooray for Mastro for not shilling Barry on one of his lots!

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Posted By: Scott S

I assume you also know that "typewriter" is the longest word using only the top row of keys.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Only if you don't count "quoteroperoptery" as word, you mean.