Who are the 10 most important collectors in hobby history

Hi T Bob

Lionel Carter was Number 5 on our list

Happy Labor Day !

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

[Chris-Counts]

I'm not sure he would qualify as a collector, and from my dealings with him, I'm not even sure he liked cards, but it seems like there has to be a place on the list for Goodwin Goldfaden. Does he qualify as the first card dealer ever?

[wake.up.the.echoes]

.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

In the honorable mention category I would have to add John England. When he sold his collection to Fritsch it took three North American moving vans according to the old SCD story on the sale to move it to Wisconsin.

During a phone visit with Larry he told me that his personal collection more than doubled with the purchase.

After years of buying trips to John I would have never known. He did put me in touch with Wharton-Tigar when I told him I would like to find some old tennis cards back in the late 70s. That was a fun experience!

[philliesphan]

can name three to five people who should be on a list like this, but they want their privacy, and we help them maintain it by not ranking collection competition in threads like these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DzX18o-zsA
(perhaps the inspiration for Bruce's plurality)

Whilst we recognize your point of view on privacy, everyone on our list (s) wrote about the hobby in magazines like The Card Collector or Trader Speaks, and/or often advertised or they were large bidders at major public auctions.

Therefore, there is nothing wrong about naming said people. There are no secrets in this hobby. We have over 2000 articles on sports collecting
and over 500 back copies of baseball memorabilia trade publications
dating back to 1927. Furthermore, at each of early Sotheby's auctions
and early Leland auctions- we tracked the winning floor bidder and recorded his name so we could trace history of the items.

Many of the 30+ major items that we obtained since the 2010 National came from individuals who are not visible at all, but own world class collections.

We hope you see our point. If one spends thousands of hours tracing hobby publications, talking to collectors and dealers and reviewing magazine ads
and auction catalogs,,,one certainly has the right to publish a list.

Given the number of responses from other Board Members, we would say that Philliesphan that you are "out in left field" on this issue.

We await your response.

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List
bdorskind@dorskindgroup.com

[Peter_Spaeth]

i could well be wrong, but I think it would be very difficult given the nature of the hobby to amass a leading collection so far under the radar that it would not be common knowledge at least in general terms.

[scottglevy]

Originally Posted by philliesphan

can name three to five people who should be on a list like this, but they want their privacy, and we help them maintain it by not ranking collection competition in threads like these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DzX18o-zsA
(perhaps the inspiration for Bruce's plurality)

Good point. I can certainly think of at least one or two that have superb collections ... but it's not my place to say.

[FrankWakefield]

A superb collection, by itself, does not make an important collector... a collector's contributions to the hobby is the primary factor. Being a collector is a qualification, but not the end all of the matter. Maybe they contribute information to others, or use an assumed name... that would get them there. But a great collection alone isn't enough.

[Delray Vintage]

I think there are many of us who have very nice collections who remain quiet about it. It is not that we do not want to discuss it, but we do not get pleasure from seeing our sets on registries or care about grading companies' awards. I would guess many quality private collectors are completely unknown on boards. Of course those who have the best wagners or the grade 10 52 mantles are known. I first joined this board recenty but have been collecting high quality pre-war, mostly 19th century for years. I enjoy the board but do not care if PSA knows me.

I do not denigrate the lists here or say those mentioned are publicity seekers but point out that many of us are not in it to top other collectors or get recognition.

[nodgrass]

Delray,

Absolutley a great point. A somewhat related saying "Those who say the least are usually those you should listen most to".

[quinnsryche]

Originally Posted by Delray Vintage

I think there are many of us who have very nice collections who remain quiet about it. It is not that we do not want to discuss it, but we do not get pleasure from seeing our sets on registries or care about grading companies' awards. I would guess many quality private collectors are completely unknown on boards. Of course those who have the best wagners or the grade 10 52 mantles are known. I first joined this board recenty but have been collecting high quality pre-war, mostly 19th century for years. I enjoy the board but do not care if PSA knows me.

I do not denigrate the lists here or say those mentioned are publicity seekers but point out that many of us are not in it to top other collectors or get recognition.

Completely understandable that it's not a contest, but not sharing with the comnmunity seems a bit selfish. 99.9% of board members here (IMO) would love to see stuff they have never seen before. If collectors can't enjoy other's cards, mem., etc. then really what is the point? Why do you think there is a monthly pick up thread? It's so others of the same ilk can see the great items in the hobby. Secretive and cloistered collections only serve their masters and that's just self serving. If you are worried about theft or other concerns, just don't list your name or address. Too many lurkers/takers and not enough givers (info, scans or opinions for that matter). As an example, I asked a question about Old Judges awhile back and got no responses. I think they were reasonable questions but as I have heard, the big collectors don't like to impart info or even show their rarities. Why is that? Seems a tad childish doesn't it? Take it for what it's worth, just my opinion.

[tedzan]

DITTO....to what Frank W said in post #125.


TED Z

[tbob]

Originally Posted by Hot Springs Bathers

In the honorable mention category I would have to add John England. When he sold his collection to Fritsch it took three North American moving vans according to the old SCD story on the sale to move it to Wisconsin.

During a phone visit with Larry he told me that his personal collection more than doubled with the purchase.

After years of buying trips to John I would have never known. He did put me in touch with Wharton-Tigar when I told him I would like to find some old tennis cards back in the late 70s. That was a fun experience!

Yes, old John He was one of my partners when we bought "The Southern Find," the largest discovery of Coupons ever made (I believe). I met John in the early 80's. John owned a card store in Fort Smith, Arkansas located on the second floor of Vivian's Bookstore. At one time his collection was outstanding. He had an unbelievable collection of tobacco and caramel cards and had (arguably) the largest and most complete collection of Zeenuts ever put together, although Mark M. told me it wasn't quite #1. It had to be close. I remember when he began to get disinterested in cards and sold his collection to Larry Fritsch for a huge sum. He still had his store inventory and ran a business for several years but it seemed like his heart wasn't in it and eventually he sold the business. I spoke to him a few years ago and he is completely out of card collecting and his obsession is now jazz records and he has a ton. I always wondered if he regretted selling his marvelous collection. He was a set completist and I bet his collection of cards could have rivaled anyone's.

[Jewish-collector]

Bruce started a similar thread back about 2 years ago.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ial+collectors

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

Bruce started a similar thread back about 2 years ago.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ial+collectors

Actually there was one last year even closer on topic.
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...hlight=wharton

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

Bruce started a similar thread back about 2 years ago.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ial+collectors

Alan,

That wasn't Bruce. That was that damn Archive fellow!

[jeffmohler]

I came from a stamp and coin background prior to getting into baseball cards about five years ago. In those fields there has been a great deal of scholarly research done over the years. To me, the card hobby is just in its infancy compared to stamps and coins. In order for it to mature we need to see more research, books written and hobby associations formed. We should have organizations like the American Stamp Dealers Association, Society of Philatelic Americans, the American Numismatic Association and others. Why we don't have exhibitions of collections, research papers presented and conferences at the National puzzles me.

To address the topic at hand, I would nominate Lew Lipset for his Encyclopedia, Scot Reader and Ted Zanadakis for their ground-breaking work on T206 and the guys that put the Old Judge book together. This is the kind of research that will eventually bring order and growth to the hobby.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by Yankeefan51

Hi T Bob

Lionel Carter was Number 5 on our list

Happy Labor Day !

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

Thanks Bruce, you too. I somehow missed Carter's name, long day at work