In building a world class baseball memorabilia collection, we have worked closely with more than 35 auction houses in the United States and Europe.

Whilst nearly every auctioneer secures rare and wonderful pieces, one organization stands out heads above the others

That is Robert Edward Auctions.

We first dealt with Rob Lifson in 1975 when we purchased our first Four Base Hit and first Just So. These items still grace our collection today.

Having partnered with REA as a consigner, and also as a customer no other firm comes close.

Here is our list of the top ten items one should consider in selecting an auction house"

1. Integrity- do they accurately and fairly represent the items they have?
Do they have systems in place to avoid shill billing?

2. Cash- do they have sufficient funds to pay consignors quickly and to provide collectors with a down payment?

3. Transparency- do we know for certain that the auction house doesn't own
the piece?

4. Knowledge- is the auction house able to research and accurately describe the item?

5. Quality of writing and photography in catalog

6. Distribution and Marketing-Is the catalog sent to the top collectors across the US and around the world? Does the auction house invest in promoting the auction to new markets as well as to long-established collectors?

7. Web Site- is it well organized, easy to navigate and easy for bidders to use

8. Customer Service- is the auction house staff able to answer questions
accurately and quickly

9. Quality of material- if you are buying or selling a rare item, is said item
a lone wolf or part of a quality offering

10. Reputation- if one is going to buy or sell world class items, does the auction house have an impeccable reputation for integrity, industry knowledge and financial strength.

That is our check list--- only one auction house, REA, meets all our criteria. Albeit, we have made purchases from 18 different auctions (not Ebay) in the past 24 months.


Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

bdorskind@dorskindgroup.com