Scrap Book soaking disaster

[chipperhank44]

Regardless of what a consignor tells an auction house, does anyone really expect the AH to opine on whether cards can be safely removed from a scrapbook?

Asking an auction house to look into the future, determine what a purchaser will do with their cards, and predict the outcome.....not really in the AH's scope IMO.

[drcy]

If asked, as a seller I'd say "Do what you want to the album pages, they're yours, but don't come back to me for a refund if it doesn't work out. I sold them as cards glued to album pages."

Would I disclose if I was sure they couldn't be removed without damaging the cards? Yes. But, as I said in earlier post, I'm no soaking or glue solvent expert and, unless they were laminated to the pages, I wouldn't be knowledgeable enough on that subject to know they couldn't be removed. I would also be selling with the assumption that some, and perhaps all, bidders intend to keep the album pages as are. I don't sell an old family photo album or Victorian scrap book with the assumption that the buyer is going to take it apart. In fact, I know that many collectors desire the intact albums and would consider removing the pages, photos or scraps akin to cutting out pages of a Spalding album or book. The very decision to remove items from album pages is not only not the seller's responsibility, it is not universal. The idea that any buyer who gets an album or page of cards is going to try to remove the cards is not true-- and, thus, the seller having responsibility for buyers who try to is a stretch. I'm talking about a seller who is just selling an album as an album or a page of cards as a page of cards, not one who promotes the cards as easily removable and resalable as singles.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by chipperhank44

Regardless of what a consignor tells an auction house, does anyone really expect the AH to opine on whether cards can be safely removed from a scrapbook?

Asking an auction house to look into the future, determine what a purchaser will do with their cards, and predict the outcome.....not really in the AH's scope IMO.

If the AH thought they could be safely removed;i.e-the consignor told them that he had soaked a few off successfully, I guarantee you the AH would put that in their description.

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by Runscott

If the AH thought they could be safely removed;i.e-the consignor told them that he had soaked a few off successfully, I guarantee you the AH would put that in their description.

+1. I agree not in the AHs scope to opinion on whether cards can be soaked off – BUT People in this hobby act with deception by omission, far too often. Include what fits your objective and omit what doesn’t. In most cases they have perfectly plausible deniability - such as having any inkling if a card would soak off or not.

[drcy]

I would say an AH is not responsible to know whether or not items are removable-- and some would say it would be unethical for an auction house to be testing if items are soakable and trying to remove cards from albums--, but, if they know for a fact the cards are not removable, they should disclose that.

I remember years back an auctioneer was auctioning a glass ashtray that had a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle and a couple of pins glued to the bottom (you viewed Mickey's face through the ashtray). The seller clearly noted that there he was certain there was no way to remove the card and pins and that the winner were purchasing a permanently sealed single item.

[EvilKing00]

Ugh thats too bad but u do have some nice fronts.

2 chicken-fried cards thats funny though

[chaddurbin]

i doubt the OP would've bought the lot if he saw the n54 f/s thread, and probably wouldn't have sent in to DT to try his chemical sorcery.

[brewing]

Sorry about this Scott. All I can offer is my condolences and a drink of your choice.

[Runscott]

As an aside, glue back in that era was either water-soluble or not, but even the water-soluble stuff is sometimes so difficult to remove that it isn't worth it (perhaps there was something more than water in some mixtures).

But the non-water soluble glue is impossible - I've never seen cards come off cleanly when removed by collectors. Kudos to Scott for his innovative attempts - I'm guessing one of his remote ancestors collected the data to teach us about various poisonous plants, having fortunately reproduced earlier.

[mybuddyinc]

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

2 chicken-fried cards thats funny though

Thanks, glad someone got it !!! *

Really posted out of frustration and need for pity. And I thank all for condolences. Especially Mr. Moses: I have read many of his posts on the non-sport side, and find his writing style so insightful, innovated, and unique, it verges on an art form.

To all who have contacted me about cards, still do not know what I am going to do with them. I believe I have replied to all, if not I apologize.

* Surprised no one bit on the Vroom building comment. I doubt it's still there, but it used to be a locked wing for the criminally insane.

[1880nonsports]

(Mom is that you?)