Quote:
Originally Posted by HolyGrail
As one of many, many good friends of Joe, I very much liked the tenor of this thread until the hyperbole part. I have bought and sold a lot through Joe. As the son of a Man Man ad executive and copy writer for 50 years, I can tell you he's a superstar copy writer.
He takes the time to write detailed descriptions and give vivid context. I sure read the descriptions before I bid because the photos don't show all the creases or surface wear. But Joe does down to the last wrinkle. Above all, he celebrates the piece because he is a passionate collector himself. His enthusiasm is contagious. And he's a great story teller.
Some of the smaller, regional auction houses give you a sentence or two. If it was your item in the auction, wouldn't you prefer Joe going to bat for you?
|
The word "hyperbole" might be divisive because it's often equated with dishonesty. I read the descriptions as more tongue-in-cheek in some respects, and I think they're effective as a form of innocent, fun hyperbole.
For example, there's a listing for a marked W502 Gehrig. Instead of simply stating "pen mark on reverse," the description is:
"The card's grade is qualified to acknowledge a long-ago collector's helpful notation ("W-502") in ink on the reverse."
That one got a laugh out of me, as I just dealt with SGC screwing up the designation of a W502 card not once but twice... even after I told them exactly what the card was on the submission form and in multiple e-mails.
When an auction house highlights a card's obvious flaws and puts a rosy spin on them, it's the best of both worlds: full disclosure with some disarming humor that turns the blemish into part of the story. At the end of the day, it's good for the consignors. It'll bring in more bidders than it turns away.
10-06-2024, 06:42 AM
Similar Threads
Threaded Mode