My opinion on the matter-- re: type 1, generation 1 debate

[HRBAKER]

...........or we could say that in reality we have no idea when it was printed(except maybe in a rare ocassion) and that it is a beautiful photo/print and I like it so I bid on it.

[Scott Garner]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

...........or we could say that in reality we have no idea when it was printed(except maybe in a rare ocassion) and that it is a beautiful photo/print and I like it so I bid on it.

Right on, brother!! +1

[GrayGhost]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

Right on, brother!! +1

Bingo. this stuff is ridiculous, just enjoy. Yeah, if its a REAL old photo, thats what should count. But, to each his own I guess. Its like one guy only collects Nr mt stuff, etc and has to have the best. I guess it is what makes the hobby what it is, the best in the world. haha.

[David Atkatz]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

There's no such thing as a Type I photo. Just an absurd and unverifiable categorization, invented by the grading companies to bilk people out of even more money.

Ask any photo archivist.

[thekingofclout]

An open question. Would you rather own an "original" Mickey Mantle autograph that he signed at some show in 1993 or one the Mick penned on a GPC with a postal cancellation from 1951?

They're both "original" autographs, but which would you prefer?

[HRBAKER]

Jimmy,
That is an excellent question, obviously the GPC cancelled in 1951. Now if all of these phptos actually had verifiable cancellations on the back from when they were printed that would be nice. I have no doubt as I have said before that some of these photos may have been printed within hours or days of the photo being taken. There is just no objective way to tell and the attempt to quantify/codify it with a tight timeframe (2 years, etc.) IMO is a futile effort designed to benefit sellers and graders. I also have no limit to the amount of faith that I have in people in general to oversell their wares and IMO this helps. Edit to add, I am an active buyer of photos.

[thekingofclout]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

Jimmy,
That is an excellent question, obviously the GPC cancelled in 1951. Now if all of these phptos actually had verifiable cancellations on the back from when they were printed that would be nice. I have no doubt as I have said before that some of these photos may have been printed within hours or days of the photo being taken. There is just no objective way to tell and the attempt to quantify/codify it with a tight timeframe (2 years, etc.) IMO is a futile effort designed to benefit sellers and graders. I also have no limit to the amount of faith that I have in people in general to oversell their wares and IMO this helps. Edit to add, I am an active buyer of photos.

"Now if all of these phptos actually had verifiable cancellations on the back from when they were printed that would be nice."

They do so to speak Jeff. While some photos are dated by a date stamp and many by the date on the slug, many can also accurately be dated due to their stamp. Over a twenty plus year period, Henry Yee had the foresight to create the largest know "fossil file" of stampings from newspapers, syndicates, news services, magazines, free lance photographers, and so on. He has painstakingly cross referenced all known dates to the corresponding stamps. His "fossil file" is tens of thousands strong and is absolutely mind blowing.

He has studied photography from the technical side to the artistic, from the photojournalist to the news room editors, many of whom he has interviewed of the last two plus decades. He actually hung out and I believe worked at some of the papers/syndicates. He has also spent countless hours in the labs as well as in research depts with film manufacturers such as Kodak.

His "dating" methods also include lab testing and cross-referencing the type of paper and photo developing styles used at certain times in history.

We're talking about an obsessed man here and the fruits of his labor are the results we all benefit from today. Also, it should be noted that Marshall & Henry created the "TYPE" system long before they were brought on board at PSA, so it's out of line for anyone to suggest that said system was simply created by the TPG Companies to make more money.

And, all of this is basically just the tip of the iceberg in the amount of blood, sweat & tears that Henry has put into his field of expertise. I'd hate to think where this sector of the hobby would be without his groundbreaking work.

Sincere regards, Jimmy