Sports photography question

[Lordstan]

Originally Posted by billyb

lordStan,
their are some that absolutely will need the authentication, and slabbing.

Billy,
Sorry, but I disagree with this comment. No picture NEEDS authentication and slabbing. Some might sell for more money with a PSA/DNA letter or slab, but none need it.
If you are starting a vintage photography collection, and keeping the pics you're talking about, then, IMHO, sending pics for certs is a waste of money. You can use the extra cash to buy more pics!
If you have high quality photos which you are selling, I would just offer them for sale without any certs. Take good, clear pictures, with well thought out write ups. I think, bad pics and descriptions are a much more significant reason why photos sell for lesser amounts, than having a cert from anyone. If the pics are really high end, I would consider submitting them to an auction like Henry Yee. He will likely get waay more than you will privately with or without the cert.

Good luck either way. Enjoy collecting.

Best,
Mark

[billyb]

Lordstan,
This is actually my cousin's collection, and I have been working with him, as he knows nothing. It was inherited from a great uncle all Ruths. The cousin's father wants to distribute the photos amongst the family, but how do you do that equally and fair when some are valuable than others. They have decided to sell, but father is the last holdout, but they will bring him around to their way of thinking.
The collection may have some unstamped VanOeyens photos, and I am researching and have some positive proof, and these photos are what I was debating about. Slab or not slab.
We have others to check, and we were hoping that collection would come out soon, but this process is taking longer then we thought. We are looking at selling in Spring of 2014, but who knows, could be sooner.
Most of the collection, not much to talk about, special interest photo, golf, fishing, hunting, Japan Tour, etc. but there are some good ones besides those.
I have been on this site before and showed a couple of the photos back in December, and after getting as much information as possible, we are at the point of getting the authentications. About 160 photos is a lot of money in authentications, hope the bulk rate is much lower.
We haven't sold as much as a Coot Veal in our selling history, so this has been very slow. But I have bought some stuff, just was never a seller.