Mastro Auctions Mastro's Stuff?

[brian1961]

I share the feelings of those who said that they are saddened by the news that Bill Mastro is selling his collection. That is life. Happens to all of us, sooner or later. I guess the empathy stems from my own strong feelings for the items I have worked hard to collect and thoroughly enjoy. As a collector, it is hard to say "good-bye". Since Bill is only in his mid-late 50s, I would imagine it is tough. However, our feelings can change for the items we own. That has sure happened to me. But all of them at once? No way.

My first recollection of Mr. Mastro was watching him drop any and all bidders for items he wanted at the huge 1972 Midwest Sports Convention in Troy, Michigan. The auctioneer would start the bidding for most of the items, all considered very choice today, at a dollar or two. The bidding would hit three bucks, then Bill would loudly call out "TEN", in a defiant and powerful East Coast dialect. Further bidding ceased. No one wanted any part of trying to go head-to-head with him. Lionel Carter commented about that auction, "Bill is quite a showman". I agreed. I found it quite comical and entertaining. Then again, I was at my first adult show and not bidding against him. Of course, no one was forced to stop bidding. Bill did not threaten anyone, or put a gun to someone's head and suggest they cease bidding. He just blew them away with convincing bids, and like Keller and Keller, he meant business.

Most of my dealings with Bill were very positive. Some of the finest pieces in my collection I will point with pride that I got them from Bill Mastro. As I understand it, for a time he was one of the key consignors of choice items to Alan Rosen's quarterly SCD auctions. He bought collections and sold them. Sometimes he kept an item or two that particularly struck his fancy. His taste was impeccable. From his consultant position at Sotheby's for the auction of the Copeland Collection in 1991, the rest is history. I should think that any of the items on that list in the Legendary article will draw several very serious combatants and receive sufficient bids to garner a befitting price. They're certainly all genuine. If I wanted something on that list, I would be a chump to avoid it. Legendary will give the pieces a deluxe treatment in the catalog. Hopefully, they will do the same with mine. Usually they get it right and do it justice.

Whatever the outcome of the proceedings, I feel very tired and depressed about the matter and what it has done to our hobby, and the way the general public thinks about it. When wrong is done, yes, it should be exposed and dealt with. Hopefully, you or I will never step out of line. Just think, the five Girl Scout leaders that embezzled five grand from the yearly cookie sales got caught. It happened in Florida, and made the front page in my local South Bend Tribune. The guy in charge of the South Bend crime-watchers reward fund turned himself in to the police station, having confessed to embezzling 100 grand. So, watch your own step; it may be "A LULU".

Be that as it may, some of you sit there and beat your breasts with dozens of denouncements. Are you really that happy that he might just really "get it!" Then what if most all the prospective new collectors and dare I say investors decide, "oh brother, this hobby is all just a bunch of crooks. Better choose something else to enjoy."


Furthermore, let us say for the sake of the discussion that shill bidding indeed took place. What if the interpretation of that finding by John Q. Public, including all well-heeled newer collectors is that ALL OF OUR CARDS AND MEMORABILIA IS NOW WAY OVERPRICED BECAUSE THE FBI FOUND SHILL BIDDING? Every current value becomes suspect as people throw the 'ol baby out with the bathwater. You could put on a brave face and say, "I collected these because I loved them so much. I do not care what they are worth." Yeah, sure. No one, and I mean no one, wants their 500-dollar item to become a 150-dollar item in two weeks. If the value of your prized item dropped by over half, you will not be able to look at it with the same enjoyment again. In the end, I hope the findings are nowhere near as bad as some of you proclaim. If so, we will all have to help pick up the pieces.

Oh yeah, I suppose I better mention the whole reason I stuck my nose in this thread. Go to the Robert Edward Auction website, click on "LINKS", then go to the listing for the New York Daily News "I-Team Blog". From there scroll down to the article Michael O'Keefe penned on September 1, 2010 entitled, "Tumult continues in memorabilia world". Read it very carefully and scrutinize the quotes. One observation I had is that there was none of the usual parting shots from Mr. O'Keefe. Somehow, I would not be surprised if by reading it, a few of you will place a bar of soap in your mouth, and even delete a few comments.

It is still a free country, kinda, sorta. Perhaps Leon could enlighten us as to the extent that we are free to rip someone up one side and down the other.

Hopefully, your spare hour of reading this long harangue was worthwhile.

Hang in there. Respectfully, Brian Powell