Broders, Dan Even and the Helmar Rabbit Hole

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by tpeichel

Love them or hate them, "Broders" have made an impact on the industry. It seems like the same arguments that were bandied about during the 1990s over unlicensed issues have resurfaced with the advent of "custom" cards like the Helmars. I spent quite a while reading through several threads discussing the new Helmars on these boards. Very interesting. I did a search on eBay for them, and as a novice, I really had no idea what was new and what was old. My two cents is they should be dated to easily identify what they are, especially because they are aged to make them look vintage. Beautiful cards though, I see why collectors like them.

Helmar's original business model was arguably created on a false pretense, false product, and a business model that was apt to deceive on the secondary market using a known name to collectors that passed a light google testing by a buyer. There simply is not another well known ACEO creator I know of using a company brand that has a period released catalogued issue from the era they were representing at creation.

It has improved over time as to the clarity somewhat that these are modern replicas, but they need dating as do all these products to eliminate the shadow they cast in my personal opinion. The artificial distressing without these being original art pieces is questionable. The example shown with hand numbering would be acceptable to my art collector tendencies as a print of what some may consider an art piece. I like the clarity that this is not a faked issue that the numbering provides.

People can certainly collect what they want and makes them happy, I only worry about the new collector or eBay buyer looking for a gift for a collector. I have seen these falsely represented on the secondary market many times.

I have since become less militant in my stance than shown in this chain when these first popped up at outlandish sales prices. However, the facts disclosed are true to my knowledge and I am pleased they have seemed to have moved on from the representation as a brewery. For that I give them credit.

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=142510

As for your website, i do enjoy the information provided and think you have a good thing going. Keep it up!

I do not personally consider Broder an issue that should not be catalogued. I do not visit a show to this day that does not have Broder examples. For the 80's LCS visitors on the board, I would be very surprised if they do not remember these being on display for sale in their local shop, usually at a dollar each. These had a wide distribution. The same would go for ESCO and they certainly were not small batch.

I think those issues are apples to oranges compared to the eBay "art card" or ACEO cards. Those should never be catalogued as random limited fantasy pieces, nor would it be possible.

- Justin

(Full name above, yet tweaked for google search privacy, for those that do not understand why that is done, )