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Posted By: runscott

I was just discussing this with a friend - one of things I find really odd about this hobby is that there are so many areas where there IS NOT an expert, but there could be if someone had the interest and inclination to put time into the subject area (but a lot of work might be required). I won't even mention subjects since it might offend some, and that is not my intention. Part of the reason for this, I think, is that this is a hobby and in most cases we don't get paid for our level of expertise; therefore, we become as "expert" in an area as we feel like, then stop.

There are also areas where collectors who participate in this forum know very little, yet buy the items in question, and the time and effort required to be knowledgeable are minimal! Examples include:

1) how to tell if a t206 is fake - this is simple, as has been discussed on this board numerous times, yet I see knowledgeable collectors bid on obvious fakes all the time.

2) how to tell if a Cracker Jack is fake - again, simple, many times even from scans, yet again we bid...

3) for Tom - how to tell the difference between an albumen and a silver gelatin print. If you collect 19th century stuff (like "photos attached to cardboard"), then this is a critical skill and easy to learn. Buy David Rudd's booklets, then refer to the items you already own. But I really think you know more about this than you let on For instance, I'm sure you can tell the difference between a cabinet photo and a cdv. If you can't, send me an email.

Like Tom, I too am reassured that Kevin would check with an expert in vintage photography, just to make sure - I used to run stuff by David constantly (for over a year, and still do), and learned most of what I know about vintage photos from him. I was such an ebay-hound during that time, that I felt it was okay since I was showing him some really cool stuff I had won.

My experiences with Mastro have been extremely positive, but I'm talking more about the fun involved in participating in their auctions, the quality of customer service, and just exchanging communication with Doug Allen, who it's a pleasure to know. My one unpleasant experience involved passing an item by a Mastro expert who was much less than an expert - this surprised, and temporarily disillusioned me. To Mastro's credit, the guy is gone now. Hiring real experts like Derek speaks for itself in terms of Mastro's efforts to keep improving quality.