Leland Giants Postcard- Hake Auction
 

We are long-time collectors of Negro League Memorabilia as well as collectors of rare, player-endorsed post cards (in top condition)

We are thrilled at the opportunity to bid in the Hakes Auction but have been stunned by the prices that several items realized.

Most Notably- The Lelands Giants Post Card. It was estimated at $400-700.
With a 10 minute warning in place the post card is over $21,000

Wonder who the buyer is and why this post card realized 30x its estimate.

Welcome your comments.

Link: http://www.hakes.com/item.asp?Auction=201&ItemNo=91909


Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List
bdorskind@dorskindgroup.com

Rube Foster's grandson bidding? :D

There are several reasons for the 30x estimate price. First, the estimate was stupid low for that lot. I'm sure you don't plan your bidding strategy around auction company estimates. Neither do I or anyone else that knows what they're bidding on.

Also, what an image! Outstanding photo clarity is a huge factor in the current price. There are some great Negro League items in the auction that aren't selling for much due to poor image quality. But the most obvious reason is that is has HOFers Pete Hill and Rube Foster. All Pete Hill items are tough, and Foster is still a player, not just a manager.

I know who the bidders are and they know what they're doing. They realize what a great piece it is.

-Ryan

great items
 

Although these items are completely out of my financial realm, I have to say it's a pleasure to see these rare gems that will soon be in a great collection.
Good luck to all the bidders!

Ryan,

Just a suggestion. If you want us to listen to anything you have to say, it would help your case if you started every single post by telling us how long you've been collecting this category, how important your collection is, and, maybe, which Ivy League school you had "tenure" at! (I know. A preposition is a bad word to end a sentence with!)

Until you do so, we have no idea whether or not your points are germane to the discussion.

Thanks!

Yes Ryan,
The most shocking part of the auction to me was that the postcard reached it's value despite Hake's best efforts to hide it's true worth.
The write up was some drivel they cut and pasted from a website about the Leland Giants.
Nowhere in the write up did they mention that Pete Hill was pictured in the postcard! Unbelievable. Congrats to the lucky winner!

The price was higher than I would have thought but it is not very often you see fresh items anymore that take your breath away, and this is one of those. I woud rather have this than any RARE PSA 7+ card that has sold for similar levels.

Rhys

Bruce - as I recall, you yourself recently bid 8x the auction estimate on a negro league postcard of Oscar Charleston and, even at that, weren't even the underbidder. 8x makes sense to you but 30x doesn't?

Why would Hake's try to hide its true value? They are primarily a pop-culture memorabilia house that often times sells baseball items, but it's been my experience with them through the years that they know very little about baseball and a whole lot about pinbacks and vintage toys. I'd be shocked if anyone that works at Hake's had ever heard the name Pete Hill.

Uh Dan, It was a facetious remark
i.e. I wasn't trying to imply that Hakes purposely was trying to keep the price down

For the record, neither of the two bidders I knew of wound up winning it. So there were at least 3 serious bidders. Unless Doug Allen consigned/won it, of course.

-Ryan

Your subtlety was too subtle for me....add in the recent shenanigans surrounding many auction houses today and it caused my knee to jerk. Hake's is one of the good guys.

Next time use smiley's. :)

Ryan, you should be careful making such a satirical accusation -- after all, you could be sued for libel. Of course, truth is a defense which means you couldn't lose.

Edited to add :) :) so as not to run afoul of the new trade organization. Fancy stationary scares me.

Jeff,

You must be on to something. I think Walter Tomala has called me like 37 times since I made that post.

-Ryan

Yeah, all between 2:00 and 2:43 a.m.

Did he call your brother a retard too?

You really have to search wide and far to find a pencil-necked comptroller who is willing to go the extra yard when it comes to debt collection. I mean, who would have thought that Bill Mastro would have a comptroller who uses threats and abusive language in an attempt to get what he wants? I'm sure the orphans aren't spoken to like that.

Just the widows...

I'm soooo ticked off that I didn't know about this auction! Never heard of it before. The price that surprises me is the LOW $$$ amount that the 1926 St. Louis Stars postcard sold for. Three - count 'em - THREE "impossible" HOFers: Mule Suttles, Willie Wells, and Cool Papa Bell! All on probably, their earliest card! And the final price: Just over $1600! Hell, I'da gone at least double that!!! maybe more... Someone out there wanna make a tidy lil profit?

I missed the Hake auction too. I've bought things from them before, both at auction and for sale items. You think they would have added me to their email list.

A number of items went very cheap.

Max

Oops! Guess I just showed my hand, huh? :confused:

Ken - there was another one of the same PC that sold on eBay a few months back for even less then that if I recall correctly.

Yeah, and I know who got that one. (A fellow board member). Just haven't been paying very close attention lately. My bad...