What do you think of this Heritage offering?

[RichardSimon]

Double banning,,, ouch, does that include 20 lashes?? .

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by RichardSimon

Double banning,,, ouch, does that include 20 lashes?? .

maybe stoning by baseball, they got a couple now they aren't doing anything with.

[dgo71]

I'm sorry if this is off topic, but I've never really participated in auctions from the larger houses and I am wondering, point blank, who can you trust? I know Coaches Corner is downright laughable (how they are allowed to even continue operating is beyond me) and I see many auctions reviews in SCD for Heritage, Kevin Savage, etc. In fact I just read an article on this '27 Yanks ball and the story was it was part of Earle Combs' personal collection and there was some provenance with it to that effect. However, if something like this Yanks ball is questioned by people whose opinions I trust immensely, it makes me wonder what type of work the auction houses are doing to prevent themselves from selling forgeries. Are there any auction houses that are unquestionably trustworthy?

[mighty bombjack]

Originally Posted by dgo71

I'm sorry if this is off topic, but I've never really participated in auctions from the larger houses and I am wondering, point blank, who can you trust? I know Coaches Corner is downright laughable (how they are allowed to even continue operating is beyond me) and I see many auctions reviews in SCD for Heritage, Kevin Savage, etc. In fact I just read an article on this '27 Yanks ball and the story was it was part of Earle Combs' personal collection and there was some provenance with it to that effect. However, if something like this Yanks ball is questioned by people whose opinions I trust immensely, it makes me wonder what type of work the auction houses are doing to prevent themselves from selling forgeries. Are there any auction houses that are unquestionably trustworthy?

The argument often made here, which is a right and righteous one, is that these third party authenticators are letting auction houses do less and less in terms of determining authenticity on their own. TPAs are here to stay, but a respectable house should be willing and able to give its own opinion first and foremost. Leland's is one house that gets love around here for doing their own work and not relying on others. Heritage clearly wants big dollar items to push, and a TPA cert let's them do exactly that without worrying about the item itself. That is, until someone points out that an item is demonstrably fake (the proof for which is not very often available).

[travrosty]

Originally Posted by dgo71

I'm sorry if this is off topic, but I've never really participated in auctions from the larger houses and I am wondering, point blank, who can you trust? I know Coaches Corner is downright laughable (how they are allowed to even continue operating is beyond me) and I see many auctions reviews in SCD for Heritage, Kevin Savage, etc. In fact I just read an article on this '27 Yanks ball and the story was it was part of Earle Combs' personal collection and there was some provenance with it to that effect. However, if something like this Yanks ball is questioned by people whose opinions I trust immensely, it makes me wonder what type of work the auction houses are doing to prevent themselves from selling forgeries. Are there any auction houses that are unquestionably trustworthy?

All mainstream legitimate auction houses want to offer good product. if it comes with a TPA cert, you have to look at who certed it and their qualifications, as well as get second and third opinions from others that you trust in the hobby. I believe Heritage should do all they can to date these baseballs and pull out the bad weeds BEFORE they ever get to the TPA.

It's up to each auction house to do some due diligence. for some that due diligence is relying entirely on the TPA's. sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. No auction house is immune, but some seem to be in the spotlight more than others and maybe they had a hand in their own demise in that regard by not being careful enough and not getting more opinions.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by dgo71

I'm sorry if this is off topic, but I've never really participated in auctions from the larger houses and I am wondering, point blank, who can you trust? I know Coaches Corner is downright laughable (how they are allowed to even continue operating is beyond me) and I see many auctions reviews in SCD for Heritage, Kevin Savage, etc. In fact I just read an article on this '27 Yanks ball and the story was it was part of Earle Combs' personal collection and there was some provenance with it to that effect. However, if something like this Yanks ball is questioned by people whose opinions I trust immensely, it makes me wonder what type of work the auction houses are doing to prevent themselves from selling forgeries. Are there any auction houses that are unquestionably trustworthy?

Derek,
FWIW, you just mentioned an extremely trustworthy, long-time dealer in this hobby, Kevin Savage. That being said, Kevin's forte is not high end game used memorabilia.

[dgo71]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

Derek,
FWIW, you just mentioned an extremely trustworthy, long-time dealer in this hobby, Kevin Savage. That being said, Kevin's forte is not high end game used memorabilia.

I just re-read my post and I see how that was confusing, but I was not trying to lump Savage, nor Heritage for that matter, in with Coaches Corner. I was only trying to state that I see a lot of auction adverts in SCD and when something as notable as this '27 Yanks ball was called into question, it made me wonder how reputable any one of the houses really is. Sorry for the confusion, no offense intended towards Savage or anyone else. I have never dealt with auction houses, so I'm trying to find out from the people here who have expertise in the matter, who are good ones to deal with. Thanks for the info!

[shelly]

David, I did not say the your opinion or Jim's is not useful. I was saying I appreciated what Scott brought to the table. If you have a problem with that I really do not care.
I never saw where Jim said the Gehrig was good. I know that both you and Chris like it. I do not. Now who is really going to tell us who is right and who is wrong. I think that the ball is bad. You and Chris thinks it just fine. Now who is right and who is wrong? We can go back and forth and nothing is going to be solved. I have gone over six months not fighting with you and it stops here.

[mark evans]

What this thread shows me is that the vintage autograph hobby is fraught with peril. When the country's best experts can't agree on an item as popular as a '27 Yankees baseball, what chance do we grundoons have?

[David Atkatz]

Originally Posted by shelly

David, I did not say the your opinion or Jim's is not useful. I was saying I appreciated what Scott brought to the table. If you have a problem with that I really do not care.
I never saw where Jim said the Gehrig was good. I know that both you and Chris like it. I do not. Now who is really going to tell us who is right and who is wrong. I think that the ball is bad. You and Chris thinks it just fine. Now who is right and who is wrong? We can go back and forth and nothing is going to be solved. I have gone over six months not fighting with you and it stops here.

I respect Scott's opinion, Shelly, but not because I think he's an "outsider," with very little experience. Unlike you, I don't believe Scott brings that to the table. (If I felt that that was what one had to offer, I would not hold that opinion in very high esteem at all.)

I'm not sure what Jim thinks. From his Brother Ray comment, I suppose he thinks the ball is bad. But I believe his opinion is one of the most valued, not the least.

Again, unlike you, I don't weight one's opinion by whether it coincides with my own, or not.