Congrats to Love of the Game and a brief reflection on auction houses

[timn1]

Just received my item from the recent LOTG auction, beautifully presented as always. It's been said before around here, but Al does a wonderful job-

I have to admit I was skeptical when I watched all the new smaller auction houses spring up in the last five years. But I have now come to think that these folks have not only filled the void left by Ebay's changes, but they have made the hobby a lot better for all of us.

Collectors now have real options for how to consign their material that they didn't really have when Mastro/Legendary ruled the roost (yes, I know REA and Heritage mitigated many of the issues involved with Mastro, but to me REA and Heritage have always seemed a bit inaccessible to the average consignor). These new houses have created competition that benefits collectors and consignors, elevated the ethical standards of the auction process, and created strong personal bridges between auctioneers and collectors that bigger auction houses just can't maintain.

So here's a shout-out to Love of the Game, Sterling, Brockelman and Luckey, BST Auctions (on the horizon), and ___________ [insert your favorite here] -

Tim

[h2oya311]

Hear hear!! Or is it...here-here!! Hear here?

[Jacker_ Cracks]

Toatally agree with the OP. Especially those 3 mentioned

[Michael Peich]

Tim--I could not agree more with your assessment. To your comments I would add that the sleuthing Al (LOTG) recently performed on the former "Tobacco" Scrapps was a piece of dogged accountability. That kind of interest in the hobby, more importantly, in the products they are auctioning, is what makes the newer auction houses so welcomed. Both Brockelman and Luckey / Sterling have performed similar research, and I know the guys at BST will be first-rate.

I would add JVSC to the list. Joe and Tim do a similarly superior job and fill a necessary niche.

Cheers,
Mike

[gnaz01]

With absolutely NOTHING but respect for all the AH's mentioned (I like all of them), why do you feel REA is inaccessible to the consigner?? I have only ever consigned twice, both times to REA and Rob/Brian have been incredibly awesome and personable to me.

Greg

[RichMcGillicuddy]

Winnings came in about a day or two. Very fast and easy. Great packaging and not crazy shipping costs. Love LOTG.

[chipperhank44]

Couldn't agree more with the OP. Consigned with Heritage early in my vintage collecting days, nothing terrible about the experience just impersonal and corporate. Have consigned with B&L and Small Traditions since then, what a breath of fresh air!! As a consignor, I want to build a relationship with auction houses not be "processed".

[drcy]

It's been a half a millisecond since the auction ended and I haven't gotten my consignment check!!!

Sorry but I laugh at those posters.

Personally, I don't care what customer praise is heaped on them for it, I think shipping out items before they're paid for is a horrible, stupid practice. That's how Mastro Auctions went bankrupt.

But, yes, LOTG had quite the offering this last time. Big time. I've consigned with them twice. As I said to Al, "The proof is in the pudding. If I consign a second time, that means I was satisfied with the first time." Clearly, I'm not one to count the days, but as I recall I got my check fast. If it had come a week or two later, i wouldn't have cared. I had no mental time frame of when it should have come.

[timn1]

I meant no disrespect to REA or Heritage whatsoever - they are top-notch firms and my infrequent dealings with them have been entirely satisfying. Brian Dwyer (REA) and Peter Calderon (Heritage) are friends and great hobby professionals.

I simply meant that those houses are operating on a very big scale. If you want to consign cards worth a few hundred bucks, they are not the ideal choice. Likewise, as a bidder I like being able to bid on lots that aren't going to cost me a month's salary - in that sense the smaller auctions are more accessible to me. And when you are dealing with guys like Al C., Lee Behrens, Scott and Leon, Dave ("Bagger") Schrader, etc., you can do so with confidence and even pleasure.

[jbsports33]

We all need to look out for the little guy(small auctions listed above) in this hobby - time and time again we hear bad news about some of the larger companies

Jimmy

[drcy]

Don't worry, Tim, after reading your second post, REA has erased your name from 'the book.'

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by jbsports33

We all need to look out for the little guy(small auctions listed above) in this hobby - time and time again we hear bad news about some of the larger companies

Jimmy

Big or small it gets down to trust. Who do you trust as a bidder? I understand consigners looking to maximize their return but don't understand bidders who risk losing big bucks by bidding in auctions where: 1) the auction house can bid on their own items, 2) the consigners can bid on their own items, 3) they've been accused and/or prosecuted for shill bidding.

Read the fine print on some of the large auction houses web sites to determine whether they are allowed to bid on their own items or not. Follow the hobby news on who's headed to jail. Decide which people who run auction houses have integrity and allocate your money accordingly. If we all do this, many more consignments will go to reputable auction houses in the future and those with sketchy practices will go away.

jeff

[Jaybird]

You mean like Heritage? Where consignors and employees are allowed to bid on items? It's in the rules and allowed in the state of Texas so no problem there. You shouldn't be worried because it's ok with Texas.

Other Texas laws that seem completely reasonable:

You may not shoot a Buffalo from a 2nd story window.
You may not milk another man's cow.
You can be legally married if you introduce a person as your husband or wife 3x.

[Runscott]

Jason, Texas is actually a pretty great place. And please don't brag about having had a former body-builder/actor as your state leader. Minnesotans will wrestle you to the ground if you bring that up.

[Jaybird]

My post was really not to bag on Texas or Texans. More about the other topic.

[ethicsprof]

very well said. I agree wholeheartedly and happily.
Prof. Bliss would be quite proud.
all the best '81,
Barry

[mrvster]

and LOTG....

I finally had the pleasure to meet Al at Valley Forge show....He had such a positive attitude it was re-freshing..an honor to finally have met such a respected hobbyist/businessman...a great guy all around.....guys like Al keep the hobby fun and make me believe in people.....I haven't been bidding/ winning much lately, but follow all the auctions closely....Al's a top notch guy and his AH is really amongst the best.....



I really can't say enough positive about Al and Love of The Game Auctions and I'm sure I'm not alone....

Al is already a hobby Icon

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by mrvster

and LOTG....

I finally had the pleasure to meet Al at Valley Forge show....He had such a positive attitude it was re-freshing..an honor to finally have met such a respected hobbyist/businessman...a great guy all around.....guys like Al keep the hobby fun and make me believe in people.....I haven't been bidding/ winning much lately, but follow all the auctions closely....Al's a top notch guy and his AH is really amongst the best.....



I really can't say enough positive about Al and Love of The Game Auctions and I'm sure I'm not alone....

Al is already a hobby Icon

+1000

Al is honest and fair. A true hobby gentleman that we should all support. He runs an auction house like it's supposed to be run.

jeff

[jbsports33]

Jeff,

I should have been more specific to the smaller companies that had been listed in the post; I appreciate the way they have done business. We all have been around long enough, well at least most of us to know what’s right and wrong in this hobby and it clearly takes looking at the fine print and trust. This has been a great topic to discuss because I see it first hand at shows, there is a big difference with who you do business with. This post is giving credit – so this would be a positive post, unlike many I have seen in the past that discuss auctions.

Jimmy

“So here's a shout-out to Love of the Game, Sterling, Brockelman and Luckey, BST Auctions”

And yes there are some larger companies that should be include in that trust

[drcy]

My story is I earlier had helped out Al with with authenticating some photos in some past auctions and decided to consign two group lots of autographs to a previous auction. We didn't say anything about consignment fee, but I assumed I would be charged the usual rate. When I got my check, nothing was taken out of it. At the National I told him in person that I had ben half surprised a consignment fee hadn't taken out, in part because the lots were fairly small. He was taken aback and said "I'd never do that unless we'd specifically agreed on a percentage beforehand." He's also said I'd helped him out before. The funny thing is I would have been fine without being charged a fee and felt a little guilty not being charged one, as it is a service.

The story was about the type of guy Al was, and I only added the part about earlier helping out with photos so people don't start clammering for "their free fees." I think people should be willing to pay for a service and know auction houses margins are much slimmer that chatboard posters who don't know claim.

And, to not leave anyone out, I met Leon, Scott B. and Lee B. (Sterling Auctions) at the National and they're were all good guys. And Lee definitely sounds like a Minnesotan. I remarked to Scott that I'd followed his auctions since way back and he seems to know everything about everything-- an expert ephemera generalist.

And I'm sure I've left someone out.

Oh my God, I left out Jesus. My mom is going to kill me.

"I like David. He's comes across as a very religious man."
"You realize he's joking, don't you?"
"He is?"
"I think so, I'm not sure. It's always hard to tell with David."
"Let's ask him."
"Don't bother, he'd be the last to give you an answer."
"Well, whatever he is, he's clearly not an evangelist. I think."

For the record, I am an evangelist. I just choose not to talk about it.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by drcy

For the record, I am an evangelist. I just choose not to talk about it.

I literally LOL-ed on this one. Along the lines of... "I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV."

[drcy]

The only reason someone would want to know what I am is because they want to know whether or not they should be offended by my posts.

"I think I'm offended, but I'm not sure."

[MVSNYC]

Al can see in 3D with just one eye.

Al's favorite book is a movie.

Al can win at arm wrestling with his hands tied behind his back.

Al can put a belt around his waist without using his hands.

Al can pull a hat out of a rabbit.

[sox1903wschamp]

Nice post from the OP, Tim. I agree with it.

[timn1]

David, you are hilarious-

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by timn1

David, you are hilarious-

+1