Hunt Pickups (Clemente or otherwise...)

[perezfan]

Anyone here win anything? Prices seemed very strong all the way through.

I'll post my lone pickup when I return home. What an incredible auction... Hoping to see lots of winnings from our Forum!

[CW]

Unfortunately I did not win anything.

If anyone picked up Roberto's old '72 Charger, props to you and I call shotgun. Sold for $90K.

One of the coolest and most historical items in the auction was Roberto's WS MVP award. Even though it's not the most visually appealing piece, I think I would still get goosebumps if I had the chance to hold it.

[keithsky]

I agree prices were really up there. I was looking at a couple Nellie Fox game used items that were past what I was going to pay and that was 2 weeks ago when the auction was just starting with the internet bidding. And they sold for crazy high prices in the end.

[hcv123]

This was the event of a lifetime for me - Diehard Clemente collector for almost 30 years. I played and prayed to hit the lottery prior to the auction, but alas it was not to be. Oh to have had a shot at one of those world series rings or the 1960 World Series Uniform. I was in front of my computer from 12-just past 6 following every lot. I was on the phone trying to win my piece of the collection for many. While I agree most of the prices were strong, there were plenty of items that sold within or slightly below the estimates - of course the lots I really hoped to win blew the estimates away (including the gold medal presented to Clemente by the governor of Puerto Rico (underbidder), a twice signed motor vehicle document from 1954 (underbidder) and a presentation sterling vase given to Clemente by his fellow players in honor of his 3000th hit (not even close). I must have been underbidder on at least 12-21 lots. When the dust settled I won a few:

July 25 1970 Roberto Clemente Night resolution from the Puerto Rican House of Representatives
1965 copy of his contract
Winter league lot including programs with Clemente photo content
group of magazines including a couple from Puerto Rico
Man of the year Presentation platter and program
1954 Learners permit see images

Happy to have been able to participate. A few of the lots (and there were quite a few) that blew me away were:

1) 1967 Silver bat - $420,000+BP - highest price in the auction - still shaking my head - could someone explain a rationale that makes this more valuable than either world series ring, the 1960 world series uniform or the 1964 silver bat (260k+BP)
2) 1960 World series press pin - $5,000!!
3) Clemente used shower shoes - $1600

[hcv123]

These are some that I fought hard for that I let get away!

[ooo-ribay]

I'm sorry.....$1600 is too much for shower shoes.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

I'm sorry.....$1600 is too much for shower shoes.

How do we know they weren't Vera's? Auction rep on the phone with me said she thought they were ladies style!!

[btcarfagno]

Clemente is my idol. That said, prices were really high on the items I was interested in. Maybe I will catch one back at auction and have a better chance.

My consignment went for freakish money. In a good way. So that was nice.

Tom C

[Forever Young]

I feel fortunate to pick this up. I found it very compelling as we all know where his flight was headed "the day... the great one died".

"Description: Roberto Clemente original Puerto Rico Winter League photograph with handwritten inscription c.1970s. Original sepia tone 3 1/2"x6" image picturing Clemente in Puerto Rico Winter League jersey granting an interview at a stadium in Chinandega, Nicaragua. Reverse of the photo features a period ink inscription which is written by Clemente (in Spanish), "For a photo made in Chinandega, Nicaragua" along with unidentified name. Includes auction LOA from JSA (handwriting) and letter of provenance from the Clemente family: EX"

[71buc]

I think I won this. I have not received any confirmation notice or invoice but....I can't stand Hunt's website and this live auction was a challenge for me. I bid I saw my bid flicker and then it sold for what I bid. At least I think it was my bid.

[Snapolit1]

No idea auction was on and I spend hours a week trolling for new auctions. Good for you guys they don't advertise on Net 54 or anything.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

No idea auction was on and I spend hours a week trolling for new auctions. Good for you guys they don't advertise on Net 54 or anything.

Funny you mentioned this - I have never bid in their auctions before - I learned about this one browsing ebay and coming across a lot of 10 Daily juice fan club cards that said they were part of a live auction. Nothing in the description of that lot indicating it was Clemente's personal collection. I looked at a few other ebay lots in a "sellers other items" search - saw additional Clemente items (nothing high caliber) and ended up seeing it was Hunt - went to their website and only when I browsed to the end of the auction lots did I see they had the Clemente family collection. I suppose their reach is far enough that they had a lot of action and some really strong prices, but I wonder how much better it could have been had it been better publicized. I would think the sale of a collection of this significance would have been newsworthy - I saw no articles about it in any major media. Happy for me as competition was fierce enough, but think the family could have done much better!

[btcarfagno]

Never hurts to advertise to your target market.

Perhaps they do feel that their reach is already enogh, and that anyone who doesn't know about their monthly (or especially their live) auctions by this point is likely a small fish and won't amount to much.

While this may be true, if even one or two "big fish" miss out because they didn't know, the impact could be fairly significant.

Tom C

[perezfan]

They've been around forever, and have a huge customer base. Actually, the ebay presence is fairly new and represents an increase in their reach vs. years past. Still could be lots better... the website is horrendous, and the pre-live bidding means very little. The best way to actually win something is to attend live, or request a phone line on auction day.

The photos are terrible too... not sharp and the zoom function stinks. Plus you get limited views of many items. Autographed Balls often have only 1 or two panels pictured. Not enough to place an educated bid, in many cases. Their competition is light years ahead, in terms of visual presentation.

That said, I used Invaluable to place my lone winning bid. It worked well, and you can follow each lot live, as they go off. Pretty cool process, and very entertaining. Here's my pickup... one of my favorite figural trophies in the auction, and an early one (celebrating Clemente's 1961 Batting Title). Was happy to get this for a reasonable price...

https://huntauctions.com/live/imagev...=568&lot_qual=

[slidekellyslide]

I still bid, but haven't won a lot in Hunt's for probably 5 or 6 years now and they still send me every single catalog so I have to think their reach is huge.

[Snapolit1]

The fact that they don't throw Leon a few hundred bucks a month or whatever it costs to be a presence here tells me everything I need to know about their management.

[perezfan]

It would be a nice gesture, and great PR for sure.

But realistically, I wonder what percentage of their business is from net54 members/lurkers.... I'm guessing it's well under 10%.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

The fact that they don't throw Leon a few hundred bucks a month or whatever it costs to be a presence here tells me everything I need to know about their management.

They are certainly antiquated when it comes to their website, but it is difficult to get a good deal on any lot in any of their auctions compared to ten years ago. They must be doing something right.

[Snapolit1]

A complete utter wild azz guess ... but I assume 90%+ of the folks who spend more than 6 figures a year on cards check into this site regularly. You'd be absolutely crazy not to.

Originally Posted by perezfan

It would be a nice gesture, and great PR for sure.

But realistically, I wonder what percentage of their business is from net54 members/lurkers.... I'm guessing it's well under 10%.

[murphusa]

I think for the most part the high end guys don't bother with the site

[RedsFan1941]

Originally Posted by murphusa

I think for the most part the high end guys don't bother with the site

^^^^^ +1

[Leon]

Originally Posted by murphusa

I think for the most part the high end guys don't bother with the site

Yeah, no one on this site spends real money.

[whitey19thcentury]

By far, Hunt is my favorite major auction house. I have been dealing with them, both as a buyer and consignor, for over 20 years, since I was in high school. They have been nothing but professional, in all aspects of their business, with me in those two decades.....From their live auctions in fire halls and hotel banquet rooms to their present-day live auctions at the MLB FanFest, the Super Bowl, and Louisville Slugger.

I live in the Pittsburgh area, so take this with a grain of salt, but the Clemente auction was heavily publicized here. I won a few lots, with my favorite being a lot of ephemera with relation to his HOF induction, including letters from the HOF to his wife.

I had several items in Monday's auction and they brought strong prices. David Hunt is doing something right in getting the player collections he has gotten and getting tremendous prices in each auction.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by hcv123

This was the event of a lifetime for me - Diehard Clemente collector for almost 30 years. I played and prayed to hit the lottery prior to the auction, but alas it was not to be. Oh to have had a shot at one of those world series rings or the 1960 World Series Uniform. I was in front of my computer from 12-just past 6 following every lot. I was on the phone trying to win my piece of the collection for many. While I agree most of the prices were strong, there were plenty of items that sold within or slightly below the estimates - of course the lots I really hoped to win blew the estimates away (including the gold medal presented to Clemente by the governor of Puerto Rico (underbidder), a twice signed motor vehicle document from 1954 (underbidder) and a presentation sterling vase given to Clemente by his fellow players in honor of his 3000th hit (not even close). I must have been underbidder on at least 12-21 lots. When the dust settled I won a few:

July 25 1970 Roberto Clemente Night resolution from the Puerto Rican House of Representatives
1965 copy of his contract
Winter league lot including programs with Clemente photo content
group of magazines including a couple from Puerto Rico
Man of the year Presentation platter and program
1954 Learners permit see images

Happy to have been able to participate. A few of the lots (and there were quite a few) that blew me away were:

1) 1967 Silver bat - $420,000+BP - highest price in the auction - still shaking my head - could someone explain a rationale that makes this more valuable than either world series ring, the 1960 world series uniform or the 1964 silver bat (260k+BP)
2) 1960 World series press pin - $5,000!!
3) Clemente used shower shoes - $1600

Howard,
Congrats on all of your pickups in this epic Clemente auction.
You snagged a few really nice pieces. Awesome!

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by hcv123

Happy to have been able to participate. A few of the lots (and there were quite a few) that blew me away were:

1) 1967 Silver bat - $420,000+BP - highest price in the auction - still shaking my head - could someone explain a rationale that makes this more valuable than either world series ring, the 1960 world series uniform or the 1964 silver bat (260k+BP)
2) 1960 World series press pin - $5,000!!
3) Clemente used shower shoes - $1600

The Silver Bat situation was truly perplexing. The first one (from 1967) sells for $420K + the Juice. Then the second one (from 1964, and arguably more desirable) sells for $260K + the Juice.

The only scenario that makes a hint of sense is that the Winner of the 1967 Bat was dead-set on winning one of the two. Not knowing what the true market value really is, he was going to outbid everyone at all costs, to ensure that he got one.

Then (with that fellow out of the way) the under-bidder on the 1967 Bat had a far easier run at the 1964 Bat. So I'm guessing the winner of the '64 Bat must have been solely responsible for pushing up the price so high on the first (1967) Bat. I bet he was willing to go lots higher on the lot he won, and was thrilled to get the '64 Bat for the $260K.

Huge bummer for the winner of the 1967 Bat.... as he paid $180,000 more (along with the increased BP). Although, with that kind of cash to spend, perhaps he didn't even feel it.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

Howard,
Congrats on all of your pickups in this epic Clemente auction.
You snagged a few really nice pieces. Awesome!

Thank you. Only took about six hours in front of the computer "watching" it live and another couple on the phone losing a lot

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by perezfan

The Silver Bat situation was truly perplexing. The first one (from 1967) sells for $420K + the Juice. Then the second one (from 1964, and arguably more desirable) sells for $260K + the Juice.

The only scenario that makes a hint of sense is that the Winner of the 1967 Bat was dead-set on winning one of the two. Not knowing what the true market value really is, he was going to outbid everyone at all costs, to ensure that he got one.

Then (with that fellow out of the way) the under-bidder on the 1967 Bat had a far easier run at the 1964 Bat. So I'm guessing the winner of the '64 Bat must have been solely responsible for pushing up the price so high on the first (1967) Bat. I bet he was willing to go lots higher on the lot he won, and was thrilled to get the '64 Bat for the $260K.

Huge bummer for the winner of the 1967 Bat.... as he paid $180,000 more (along with the increased BP). Although, with that kind of cash to spend, perhaps he didn't even feel it.

I agree it is the scenario that makes the most sense - Someone did highlight that 1967 was the year Clemente batted .357 - his career high and could be for that reason considered more desirable than the rest - I seriously question 200k more desirable though.

Haven't seen many other posts of winnings here - anyone else here get a piece of the auction?

[ExileInDC]

I won two items: The letter from Richard Nixon to Clemente naming him to Nixon's all-time team, and a game used bat. The bat wasn't technically part of the Clemente collection and the price (I thought) was very good, perhaps because most Clemente fans were focused on the items provided by the family.