How to get ripped off by SCP Auctions & Sotheby's

[Rich Klein]

To this board

I actually miss him

Rich

[sports-rings]

Perhaps this is off topic but maybe it's not.

In the current Leland's auction (you can see the items online as the catalogs have not all been delivered yet) there were three fake rings.

I would like your opinions on this matter.

I am a championship ring collector and have accumulated a large database of rings. This database is a valuable tool in helping to determine if a ring is legit. It's amazing how many fake rings there are out there and now there is a disturbing trend where fake rings have bogus markings inside of the rings with manufacturer's markings to make them look real.

I emailed Leland's about the three rings but I get the feeling they think I am more of a pain in the neck than someone trying to help them and trying to help fellow collectors.

I sent them pictures of three Braves rings and detailed how the three were different than their offering. All they could say was that they would check it out with their "ring expert". Well they did remove the fake ring today.

I alerted them to two Yankee rings that were made by someone who ring collectors know all too well. These two fake rings, with "Balfour" stampings are not real.

I emailed Leland's with pictures showing the differences and Lelands changed the descriptions of both lots from claiming the rings were "exactly what the players received" to an update that says "This is not an exact duplicate. It varies slightly from those that the players received. This ring was made at a later date. "

Please look at my picture and let me know if you feel I am being too picky, or if you feel Lelands is not acting in the best interest of collectors. I would really appreciate the thoughts of others in our hobby. By the way,although Turner's ring is a '55 and Leland's is a '57, the ring molds on the top of the ring are supposed to be 100% identical.

The differrences between Jim Turner's ring and the Leland's ring:

Jim Turner's real ring has three stars below the stones in the hat. All the fakes made lack these stars. Some of the sellers who sell this junk claim Balfour lost the mold and had to recreate the molds. Balfour would never leave something as significant as stars out. Also, notice how big the faux stones are in the Lelands ring. they do not fit in the ring as nicely as the real ring and the stones in the hat are also poorly placed in the Lelands ring.

Look at the shape of both hats. Turner's is much nicer. Notice the "Y" and the stone in the Leland's ring, they are way too close.

Maybe the Lelands ring is kind of close, but should'nt this be classified as a ring copy and not a real Balfour Ring?

[Peter_Spaeth]

I wonder on what basis Leland's pronounced these rings real in the first instance.

[CW]

Very interesting, sports-rings. You present a compelling case. Your post is
worthy of its own thread, in my opinion.

[ullmandds]

Awesome avator...chuck!

[Leon]

Sports-ring's post is totally inappropriate in this thread. Period.

It is not inappropriate on the memorabilia side with it's own thread, which is where it is now, from the original poster. No issue with the topic at all... (imo)

Edited to add, I am not trying to diminish what looks to be a possibility of an issue. Is it a 100% chance that Balfour didn't make the "fake" ring? Have they been contacted to ask the questions, or is this so obvious to experts that it's pointless to ask? I know little about rings...and this should be answered in the thread about it on the memorabilia side

[ruth-gehrig]

What ever came of the original issue here? Legal action?