Memorabilia in Auctions WEAK

[keithsky]

To many auction houses now and some running daily or weekly now making stuff dry up instead of 2 or 3 auctions a year but the same auction house.

[Al C.risafulli]

Cards are super hot right now.

We've worked really hard to make LOTG a memorabilia auction as much as a card auction, but one thing I can say for sure: memorabilia collectors don't part with their material as frequently as card collectors do, so consignments are more difficult to get. I am incredibly interested in advertising display pieces, game-used items, old scorecards, significant ticket stubs, and large-format items like panoramas and such.

What I find is that card collectors will often work on a project, like a set or something, then finish that set and sell it off to fund another project. Memorabilia collectors often surround themselves with their collections, filling up their bars, hobby rooms, man-caves, etc., with memorabilia that never leaves.

I work pretty hard to keep the memorabilia up in the front of our auctions (the baseball memorabilia section is ahead of the card section in our catalog, though we did start the 'Great Cards' section in the front of this auction), to present large-format items well, to describe them and research them as best I can. Hopefully we'll continue to have a steady flow of great memorabilia items. I do agree, memorabilia seems to be light, but on our end, it's not for lack of trying!

-Al

[ooo-ribay]

It sounds like perezfan could singlehandedly remedy the shortage of quality memorabilia on the open market.

[Snapolit1]

Agree with Al. Cards go in the safe; cool memorabilia goes on the walls. Once it goes up on the wall, prob not coming down.

[RTK]

I agree, just received my spring Lelands catalog and it was pretty lackluster. I didn't bookmark anything that struck my fancy.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Agree with Al. Cards go in the safe; cool memorabilia goes on the walls. Once it goes up on the wall, prob not coming down.

Yeap. I couldn't handle not seeing my large Horner Composite when I walk into my office so it didn't sell in my collection auction. It's still here...

[YazFenway08]

Leon...that is gorgeous. Have never seen that

[mr2686]

Wow, that's really cool Leon!

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Leon

Yeap. I couldn't handle not seeing my large Horner Composite when I walk into my office so it didn't sell in my collection auction. It's still here...

Incredible piece.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Leon

Yeap. I couldn't handle not seeing my large Horner Composite when I walk into my office so it didn't sell in my collection auction. It's still here...

That piece is truly insane. Stunning. Seriously, you could put that an an autographed Goudey Ruth side by side and I pick that piece every time.

Here's my contribution. Purchased from a board member and framed up last year.

[jbsports33]

Yes - no question, lack of items and interest

Still have fun finding what I can!

Jimmy

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Al C.risafulli

Cards are super hot right now.

We've worked really hard to make LOTG a memorabilia auction as much as a card auction, but one thing I can say for sure: memorabilia collectors don't part with their material as frequently as card collectors do, so consignments are more difficult to get. I am incredibly interested in advertising display pieces, game-used items, old scorecards, significant ticket stubs, and large-format items like panoramas and such.

What I find is that card collectors will often work on a project, like a set or something, then finish that set and sell it off to fund another project. Memorabilia collectors often surround themselves with their collections, filling up their bars, hobby rooms, man-caves, etc., with memorabilia that never leaves.

I work pretty hard to keep the memorabilia up in the front of our auctions (the baseball memorabilia section is ahead of the card section in our catalog, though we did start the 'Great Cards' section in the front of this auction), to present large-format items well, to describe them and research them as best I can. Hopefully we'll continue to have a steady flow of great memorabilia items. I do agree, memorabilia seems to be light, but on our end, it's not for lack of trying!

-Al

Great post, I think you described many of us. I have been collecting cards for around 35 years now. They all set in a spare bedroom that I rarely enter. I have also done the different card projects to only sell it when completed. Sometimes I don't even complete them before they bore me.

A great guy and fellow member got me into collecting bats a couple years ago. My bat display is in my living room, my wife is awesome.

I have sold many cards in the last year to support my bat habit. Luckily the cards have greatly increased in price while the bats I collect have only slightly gone up.