REA - Memorabilia

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Posted By: Mark

Did anyone else find REA to be very light on the memorabilia side this year? I know they keep out-doing themselves with regard to Cards, but it seems like memorabilia offerings have really dwindled over the past 2 years. It seems that much of the higher-end memorabilia is now mired in peoples' collections, with not many new pieces hitting the marketplace.

After a year's worth of anticipation, I am a bit disappointed. There are definitely a few items I'll go after, but can count them on the fingers of one hand. Sure wish I could go back in time 3 - 4 years, to get a second crack at what I missed!

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Posted By: Mark

In any case, they have several great things that are going to cost me plenty if I get them.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

If you include items like cabinet photos, uniforms, and bats as "memorabilia" then I'd say it's not all that light....however it's not as exciting on the memorabilia side as it has been in the past. It could also be that we're starting to see most of what's available (dreadful to think, but are we topping out on memorabilia?) and we're not seeing anything that's new to us so we don't get as excited.... ie recycled stuff from other auction houses like the Deacon White stuff. Now that stuff was quite exciting when it first appeared in Hunt's, and I'd still love to have it, but did you gloss right over it while scrolling through the auction because you already have seen it before?

I honestly think there is nothing cooler in this auction than the Cracker Jack sign - which I consider to be memorabilia - if I were a gozillionaire it would be mine. Yes it would.

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Posted By: Brock G.

I was pretty disapointed at the selection of memorabilia. No trophies, figurals, and I think only one pennant. If you're not into cards, auto's, and game-used then there just isn't a lot for you. Not saying there isn't some nice memorabilai available (this lot w/ the 19th C. belt is a personal favorite-http://bid.robertedwardauctions.com/bidplace.aspx?itemid=12545 ) but you would think that with just one annual auction it would be flowing with memorabilia.

Last month's killer Hunt Auction with page after page of great memorabilia really got me thinking that, with the economy the way it is, lots of collectors would of been unloading some nice stuff in forthcoming auctions. Looks like the card guys came out in full force while the memorabilia collectors are clinging to their stuff.

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Posted By: Matt Hart

Its another great sale, but I was a little disappointed as well. There's only 1 or 2 lots that interest me. The Cracker Jack Sign is amazing and I'm sure the price will be strong on it.
Matt

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Posted By: Phil Garry

I was very disappointed to see only one quality Negro League piece in the whole auction (panorama photo w/Rube Foster, Pop Lloyd & Pete Hill).

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Posted By: Greg Theberge

I for one am delighted with this year's auction. There's not one thing in there that I'm interested in, which is real important since there's hardly anything in the collecting budget right now.

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Posted By: Al Simeone

Mark,
Yes I to feel a great disappointment that the memorabilia end of the auction is WAY down. When the auction came on line I went thru the lots and came away with a great deal of sadness that there wasnt alot that I was going to be bidding on. Like its been said a great auction for cards but I believe Rob needs to do more for the memorabilia end.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

I did notice the lack of pinbacks in this auction. Rob usually has some real stunners in that area.

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Posted By: Al Simeone

Dan,
My thoughts exactly!!

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Posted By: Clint

I thought it was a little shy on the memorabilia side too. Lots of great cards and photos though. The only things I'd be interested in I can't afford. Looks like I'll probably sit this one out.

Clint

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Only one item I "need" in this auction and it's in a lot.

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Posted By: barrysloate

There is clearly a different look to this auction. But it all boils down to what people consign.

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Posted By: sporteq

Pretty disappointing .. i have some interest in
a few items, not much though. I thought with financial
state of the country .. there would be an influx of
consignments. anyhow, good luck to everyone!!

al

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Posted By: Pat

I too was a little dissapointed in the quantity and freshness of the memorabilia section. Though it seems to be a trend for all the major auctions. With the exception of the great group of fresh and early programs Lelands had in their November auction, the pickings have been a little slim. I don't attribute any of it necessarily to the auction houses but I too would think more and more stuff that was collected in the 1970s and 1980s would be making its way to auction as collectors reach a point when they begin to want to divest of their collections.

The cards seem to be really coming out along with great autograph items but memorabilia has slowed down a bit.

Oh to go back to the days of a mid-1990s Slater auction catalog full primarily of memorabilia with items ranging in value from $10 to $10,000.

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Posted By: Rob D.

About three years ago I started to get the feeling that the amount of quality memorabilia, aka "display pieces", offered in most major auctions was on a steep decline. My collecting interest -- Cleveland Indians memorabilia from the 1950s and earlier -- is somewhat specialized but nowhere near as much as many folks on this board. But like many of you, when you're searching for certain items, you can't help but take note of the market in general.

Anyway, the conclusion I came to is that, for the most part, collectors of memorabilia are more likely to keep items for longer periods of time than are card collectors. This is a generalization and certainly not meant to be an indictment against card collectors, but I think we see less "flipping" of quality pieces of memorabilia than we do high-dollar cards.

For whatever reason, I simply won't entertain the notion of trading or selling most of my Indians memorabilia, but as much as I like my rarer Lajoie cards, each one would be available for a price. Part of my mindset, I guess, is that I think there will be more chances to reacquire a card, but that's not always the case with tougher pieces of memorabilia.

Of course, markets are cyclical, and we might very well see a glut of nice memorabilia pieces hit the market soon. But I really do think that when a top-notch piece enters a collection, it's likely to stay there for a long time. One reason for this might be that memorabilia often becomes part of a collector's environment -- rooms decidated to a theme, something that's tougher (though not impossible) to do with a card collection.

Whatever the reason for it, like many have posted here, I was disappointed with the memorabilia offerings in REA.