Today’s Auction House Scene

[wonkaticket]

With the recent poster fun thread and taking some time to reflect this evening on the hobby as I look over my collection and scan some new goodies. I couldn’t help but wonder do we get what we deserve?

We are filled with a hobby of folks who seem to be hell bent on trying every angle to make a buck from fraud, creative games and write ups to straight shill bidding. Yet a lot of us seem to come back for more abuse. I know, I know cards trumps all. Hell I’m guilty myself of swallowing that gag reflex and placing bids with folks I wouldn’t give cab fare to our let watch my sandwich while I went to take a leak.

For me though a start has to begin somewhere. For many years there was no clear line to start but that’s begun to change IMO. The FBI has taken great strides to begin to try and clean up this mess for us. Many collectors have begun to get involved as well to do what they can to help.

Also were starting to see some good folks enter the fray among the sharks and wolves to set up little safe havens of just straight good old honest auctions. Brian Dwyer kicked it off with Sterling, Lee picked up the ball and ran with it very well. Our own Al Crisafulli fired up Love of the Game. Both of these guys have no nonsense write ups great images and well laid out auctions for a myriad of collectors taste.

So in 2014 maybe we as collectors perhaps should start to look to others to consign/bid with you know try a new flavor vs. stomaching the bad taste that is many of these guys. Are all the big boys bad no not at all. I’m also sure everyone has a problem with somebody that’s a given. But we as collectors should begin to take note of the ones who continue their shenanigans, and begin to turn our business to those looking to get back to basics. I know wishful thinking!

It may very well be back to the scumbags and conmen in 2014. But hey it’s that time of year where optimism begins to blossom so why not think about it.

For me how hard can this business be, you don’t need games and tactics. Just some decent stuff a few good scans, honest write ups and commitment to your customers.

If the person you’re thinking of doing business with doesn’t have that philosophy you may want think again before you start sending checks.

Feel free to tear the above apart now.

Cheers,

John

[barrysloate]

Hey John- The only way to stop these guys is to refuse to do business with them. But nobody will agree to do that so long as the auction house has something they need. That's the nature of the beast, and the auction houses know it.

[edhans]

Well stated, John. Here's to the continued success of the "little" auction houses like Lee's, Al's, and Leon and Scott's.

[calvindog]

The only thing that can stop these fraudsters is indictments. A guy like Josh Evans who knows full well what has gone on with Mastro et al about to go to jail cannot be dissuaded from committing fraud in his own auction.

[Exhibitman]

That was a very nice piece John.

I think the focus has to be on consignors. If the crooked AHs don't get the items we won't be tempted to bid with them. I am selling off a lot over the next few years (college approaches) and I am sending things only to auctioneers I respect: Sterling, LOTG, B&L and I would not hesitate to deal with Hakes or Heritage either. I have started ebay consignments as well with davidbvintage. I might not make as much with an honest AH in the short term as with a crook but at least I can sleep at night.

[wolf441]

Originally Posted by wonkaticket

Also were starting to see some good folks enter the fray among the sharks and wolves to set up little safe havens of just straight good old honest auctions. Brian Dwyer kicked it off with Sterling, Lee picked up the ball and ran with it very well. Our own Al Crisafulli fired up Love of the Game. Both of these guys have no nonsense write ups great images and well laid out auctions for a myriad of collectors taste.


Cheers,

John

+1, I couldn't agree more. I love the job that Lee does with Sterling and that Al does with LOTG. I'd also single out Leon & Co for B&L's offerings as well as Joe's Vintage Sports Cards bi-weekly auctions. There are also quite a few nice, honest, sometimes hilarious folks on the B/S/T pages here on Net54. I know it's tougher for the collectors looking for big ticket items, but for a small time collector like me, there are a bunch of good places to choose from. So, it's certainly not all doom & gloom. If it was, I don't think most of us would stick around despite it being about the cards. A large part of the fun is the interaction with sellers and in learning new facts on a daily basis here on the board!

Happy holidays everyone and best of luck with your 2014 collecting endeavors!!

Steve

[MVSNYC]

Nice post John. As you & others above have mentioned, it falls to us as consignors. Over the years, i've consigned to almost every single AH, most have been good experiences, but over the last year & a half i've consigned to every single one of Al's auctions (including his upcoming one), he's as solid as it gets. I've also consigned w/ B&L, great experience there as well.

[Leon]

Thanks for the thread John...And thanks for the kind words about B and L, guys. Unfortunately some of the cards we all scurry for can only be found in some auctions that we might not otherwise frequent. It is next to impossible, if not impossible, to get addicts to not bid. I am guilty as charged too. If I saw a D351 or D355, Snowden could have it and I would be bargaining with him .

Scott B and I do appreciate the support we have gotten from the collecting community and the board. We sent a good batch of cards to SGC yesterday which will appear in our next auction. (coming in later Feb)

[tbob]

Originally Posted by Leon

Thanks for the thread John...And thanks for the kind words about B and L, guys. Unfortunately some of the cards we all scurry for can only be found in some auctions that we might not otherwise frequent. It is next to impossible, if not impossible, to get addicts to not bid. I am guilty as charged too. If I saw a D351 or D355, Snowden could have it and I would be bargaining with him .

Scott B and I do appreciate the support we have gotten from the collecting community and the board. We sent a good batch of cards to SGC yesterday which will appear in our next auction. (coming in later Feb)

+1. Sometimes you have to dance with the devil to get the cards you need which are only available in auctions you would prefer to avoid.
I'll echo the sentiments about B&L, solid service and a nice selection of cards. I'm glad someone added Joe's auctions, along with Lee's and Al's to the list of good auctions and good people to deal with.

[atx840]

Nice thread John. I've only consigned to B&L and LOTG and try to bid with AHs who run with integrity....unfortunately sometimes the card & want factor trump the conscience.

As a board if we consign to the short list of reputable AHs and provide quality items, bidders will notice, hammer prices will go up, leading to more consignments and auction by auction they will chip away the business from the fraudsters.

[drcy]

Just remember, you can't spend in Hell what you overcharged on shipping. Or at least the nachos you can purchase there are really bad-- over dry and salty and too many beans.

[familytoad]

Hell equals salty nachos...Wise words to live by David...very wise indeed.

[Runscott]

.....

[GregMitch34]

Leon, I wouldn't put down Snowden, he might leak all of the shill bids from the past three years at any moment.

[jcmtiger]

I really would like some real facts for each Auction House that is being blasted. Not personal bias, but facts. I have consigned to a couple of Auction houses and was happy with both. I know there are 1 or 2 posters who hate 1 or 2 auction houses. Please post the truths, not just your personal bias for the auction house. Please do not bring Mastro into the conversation although I have consigned to them in the past, maybe before their problems.

joe

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by familytoad

Hell equals salty nachos...Wise words to live by David...very wise indeed.

And beans. Lots of beans in hell sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Tom C

[bobbyw8469]

Does anyone still bid or deal with American Memorabilia?? Didn't they have a major problem with not paying consignors at all? It amazes me that someone could even get consignments at all after doing people like that!

[drcy]

I don't even know if AM is still around today, but after their troubles they didn't directly auction stuff on their sight. It was a bit like eBay in that major dealers posted and sold their stuff on the site and you bought from those dealers. Maybe that's for the better because by one point I heard AM had troubles paying what they owe their consignors.

[Jeffrompa]

I never thought about these Auction House problems and shilling very much until recently ( mostly because of the News and reading in here ) My family operated a Mail Postcard auction for over 30 years and I never suspected any kind of wrong doing but is always possible. The auctions were always blind auctions in which the sellers did not know what lots were theirs but it is possible they bid them up always from the description . Takes me back in time for sure .

[Ease]

Originally Posted by Jeffrompa

I never thought about these Auction House problems and shilling very much until recently ( mostly because of the News and reading in here ) My family operated a Mail Postcard auction for over 30 years and I never suspected any kind of wrong doing but is always possible. The auctions were always blind auctions in which the sellers did not know what lots were theirs but it is possible they bid them up always from the description . Takes me back in time for sure .

Wow 30 years in postcards, I bet you saw some cool ones over the years, baseball and otherwise! What are some of the most interesting interesting ones you've ever seen? Sorry OT a bit...

[Jeffrompa]

We owned and sold all of the best . We sold 1 million postcards in 1990 . Lots of Rose's , RPPC's , Wolverine Press , Deitsch ( most likely some one of a kind cards also ) everything really . Sad to say I was not into the hobby back then and the cards were not of interest to me . Thats a big regret now .