The final straw(s)

[alexanderautographs]

How sad. Much as I hate being tarred as one of those "greedy auctioneers", you need to take a couple of things into consideration:

- Auctions compete fiercely for material! Over the years, competition between auctioneers has caused consignment rates to go down...and forced buyer premiums up. So, you have to factor in that added cost when you bid.
- Expenses are way up. I am amazed that guys like REA can afford to publish and mail such monster catalogs! Never mind labor, rent, shipping. That postcard sent by certified mail costs about six bucks, so there you're being stuck.
- eBay is a den of thieves and cheapskates. Buy at reputable auctions, also invaluable.com and liveauctioneers.com.

Finally, I was privileged to have known Charles Hamilton, dean of autograph auctioneers and authentications. He wrote (paraphrased): "How boring this pursuit would be if not for the occasional fraud and forgery to add spice to the chase!"