Old Letter from Charles Bray

[Archive]

Posted By: Jim F

Found this on another forum. Though a few people would get a chuckle out of it.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jim F

Sorry, only posted half

[Archive]

Posted By: Paul

I will gladly do the same for any board member. Send me your collections for examination, and I'll make you an offer. And I'll pay $10 for any T206 Plank, regardless of condition.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Great letter, and I believe I've seen it before. Anyone want to take a guess as to the year. When would a Wagner be worth $25 and a Plank $10? Perhaps the 1950's? Or earlier?

[Archive]

Posted By: dennis

any guess on the year of that letter?

[Archive]

Posted By: Scott Mosley

I've seen a copy of that letter before as well.

I might be way off but I seem to remember a date of 1953-54.

At least that would be my guess...

Scott

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Early 50's seems reasonable. In those days you could buy a common player or a Ty Cobb for the same price; sellers usually made no distinction.

[Archive]

Posted By: JimB

That letter was included in a lot from Mastro a few years ago that also included the mentioned Wagner with a Piedmont back. I believe there are only two confirmed Piedmont backed Wagners, that one and the PSA 8 million dollar one. I read that there was another one advertised for sale in the Trader Speaks many years ago, but the whereabouts is unknown and its authenticity is not confirmed.
JimB

[Archive]

Posted By: mike rothstein

Hi
I'm new to this forum but have been at CU for almost 2 years. I collect memorabilia and cards from all years.
From the vintage side, I have been working on a T3 set since 1992.

I posted that thread about the letter I found. There has been so much controversy over the T206 Wagner PSA 8 that I have been doing some research and found this letter on a web.
That letter has an envelope dated 1958.

What I found impressive was his 25$ appraisal of the card and would pay 10$ for the Plank and all the rest are commons! Wow!

Thanx
mike

edit: not sure how to do this here - the envelope


Sorry to keep editing: but also of interest in the letter was the fact that Mr. Bray explicitly states NOT to mix Honus with the "other" Wagner in the set. Well, someone had a bad day at PSA and put this on the flip of the "other" Wagner.
This was up on ebay, I want to say, early in the year? It raised a few eyebrows!



Last time, promise: in case someone had not seen this pic - here is a photo of Mr. Bray with some pretty impressive friends!



This is emblematic of the type of stuff I enjoy reading about and searching for - I think it only enhances the collecting experience IMO.

[Archive]

Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Fantastic piece of history -

[Archive]

Posted By: dennis

stone193 glad to see you post here! great stuff.

[Archive]

Posted By: steve k

Thanks again Mike for posting it and thanks to Jim for reposting it - interesting item. Mike had posted the date over at CU so there was no guess, but I would have also guessed before 1958 based on the $25 offer. Perhaps and it seems as though good old Mr. Bray as do MANY baseball card dealers, probably tried to buy these cards much cheaper than what they were really worth at at a wholesale level at that time - LOL.

[Archive]

Posted By: joe brennan

Good to see you over here Stone. Welcome

Moral Values " What would you do if no one was looking? Only you would know" Instilled in me by James W. Brennan Sr.

[Archive]

Posted By: mike rothstein

Steve
Astute point about Bray trying to "establish" a value for the Wagner that favored his needs.

Bray was one of the first people to place adds in Burdick's bulletin back in the late 30s. This prompted Burdick to come up with a "standard" similar to what SCD or any pub uses today with respect to advertisers - I thought it was simple and to the point:

1. “Be honest – it is the foundation of everything including collecting.
2. Be prompt – make full returns in 10 days, or less if possible.
3. Be fair – in a swap be sure you have enough of the right material – and remember in any real deal – both sides must be satisfied.”

The pic I posted shows the entire group that put out the first baseball catalog in the 50s.

mike