Posted By:
Ryan ChristoffCorey,
I believe that Dave Kohler looked into the legal aspects of this before he decided to screw me and decided that he (they) were sufficiently covered. That still doesn't make it right.
You're arguments have been solely based on the legal side of things, which I think speaks to a larger issue that the "hobby" is experiencing right now. Auction houses will get away with whatever they can, whether it's ethical or not, as long as their legal team can find a loophole to make it legal. I realize that business is business and that's just the way things work in this world. That doesn't make it right to treat people like that.
We have never done business together, but I can promise you that I would NEVER treat someone like that, even if it were legal to do so.
By your logic, assuming they have done nothing illegal (whether or not I agree with you on that) are you saying they have done nothing wrong? It sounds like that's what you're saying, but I don't want to put words in your mouth.
By the way, in the first post where I show the catalog image and the one I took, that photo I took is of the item IN THE FRAME, UNDER GLASS, exactly as I received it. If you look around the edges you can see where it's been matted. If they took a photo of it in the frame, it should look similar to the pictures I took. Also, I don't have an anti-sepia feature on my camera. The color of the image you see above is what it actually looks like.
By the way, that tear under the word "May" is 2 1/2" long and has had repair work done to it that is visible on the reverse. You don't think a 2 1/2" repaired tear merits being specifically mentioned? I think Jim is right about the tear being less visible when pressed flat, which would mean they did have it out of the frame, whether they took it out or it came that way and was framed later, when they scanned it.
A huge factor in my decision to keep the photo or return it (prior to having that decision made for me) was how I felt about it when I looked at it. Would I see the 1927 Cuban Stars with a young Martin Dihigo towering over his teammates? Or would I see all the extra money I paid for an item that was not at all what I thought I was bidding on? At this point, I look at it and see myself standing there like those old cartoons where the character does something stupid and turns into a lollipop that says "SUCKER" on it.
That's what I get for bidding in an SCP/Sotheby's auction.