Should a TPG run its own auctions?

[thecatspajamas]

The problem is, no matter how ethically you conduct things in reality (keeping the departments separated, left hand doesn't know what the right hand has graded, etc), the perception will always be that there is a conflict of interest. If the possibility exists for collusion between the two sides of the business, the general assumption among cynical collectors will be that there is collusion, and it's only a matter of time until someone finds an auction listing that seems to back up their assumption, even if in reality there was no actual collusion.

TPG's in particular, much more than dealers, auction houses, or other industry participants, live and die by their reputation and general perception of their competence and impartiality. To risk that perception by playing both sides of the fence seems to me to be a risky endeavor that could result in failure in both areas.