I like this post on many levels
I knew exactly what this postcard was when I saw it a few days ago because this is the second one I have seen
The other one was in beautiful condition and I bought it down in Cuba from a well known (at least down there) collector/dealer
I was down there with the great Luis Munoz, the true dean of Cuban baseball memorabilia
Luis is unique in terms of not just knowing the sport and the stuff, that he has owned most of it, but also because he was the first and started us all in this very unique, mysterious and fascinating field
I have known many of the other followers of this field quite well such as Jeff Eastland and Yuyo Ruiz
But apart from Luis Munoz I respect greatly Ryan Cristoff (who really knows his stuff and was the first to promote it which has been of great benefit
There will never be another Richard Merkin who bought pretty much everything Luis showed him
Richard was one of my closest friends and legitimately a mentor to me
Boy do we all miss Merkin, we were so lucky to have him in our hobby
But I still have the hat he wore on the cover of the Beatles Sgt. Peppers album to remember him by
I sold him the best RPPC of all, the Lelands Giants team postcard with Rube Foster
I remember Luis getting a little crazy when he saw the Cuban stars piece
I knew it was Dihigo but he said he was a rookie right away
He did not specify 1922 or 1923 but he said "first couple of years" as it did not matter
We're not talking robin yount here
Ryan is right on target with his evaluation and the way he approaches it
He is basing it on the look of Dihigo and he is a baby here
Luis evaluated it the exact same way
Kudos to you Ryan
After I bought it I recall Luis wanting to buy it from me but I don't recall if I let him have it or not
Probably yes
I hope so because if not it was taken along with all my other stuff by U.S. Customs on the way back home
That is another story for another time
The cards ultimate demise would have to have been burned along with all the cigars and other things they grab
I had no cigars but they view artifacts like these the same way
A sad but true fact, that is hopefully being changed as we speak
Anyway, I see absolutely nothing nefarious going on here in the bidding
This was a guy who had no idea what he had but it didn't matter because the correct search words were there and ultimately the right people saw it
And I don't believe anyone got "caught" bidding $4000+
They simply wanted it badly and that is what they were willing to pay
Look at what negro league pieces bring sometimes and these are many of the same people collecting Cuban baseball
I have put in some pretty crazy numbers on eBay when I really want something and I don't recall regretting it much in the long term
You can't go to the store and buy Cuban baseball postcards at least not any I know of
Except Richard Merkin walked in off the street to my office and bought that Lelands Giants postcard right off my desk
But that was a different "store" and a different era
Things will never be the same
As for RPPC's being promotional or not, you are looking at it the wrong way
This was merely a format, another choice in choosing what type of photo you got from the photographer
Through the years the have been CDV's, cabinets, mounted, and all different sizes
Real photo postcards were just another choice, another format to use
Interestingly, the Cuban collectors and dealers up until a few years ago didn't even realize the huge premium Americans were willing to pay for postcard backs
Basically I and others would pay the same for blank back photos as for these infinitely more desirable RPPC's
Jackpot
I remember going over an untold number of postcard sized baseball photos saying a little prayer each time I turned them over hoping to see a postcard back
And btw rarely were they ever posted and I do not believe the photographers cartouche was in the bottom right corner
Besides it does not look like it would have been
It's just not fancy enough, doesn't have the look of an more expensive studio piece
And the guy who sold me the Dihigo rookie over the course of the relationship realized this not so secret trade secret eventually but not before I got the Cuban Stars on that fateful balmy Havana afternoon
But it didn't really matter
It could also have been autographed by the team and Fidel and Che and he still would not have fully appreciated it
Interestingly, the one point rarely discussed in this thread is the condition
When I put my meager snipe bid of 888$ the missing corner played a major role for me
But I was wrong
Not because I personally did not like the corner missing but not realizing that others would see past it and rightfully so
Whoever said that it did not matter much (Ryan?) was spot on
In the greatest things where there are no other options it shouldn't matter
And traditionally condition has never played as anywhere near as major a role as in the Cuban material
Cuban stuff is almost never in good condition
The bugs eat those little holes in the paper
The weather is a killer, water damaging almost everything somewhat
And most cubans did not take care of their stuff because of cultural reasons
land
So we feel lucky to have in any condition
It shows great sophistication for collectors to realize all this and not care so much about condition
This thread shows changes and I feel progress in our hobby and maps out the future somewhat for those willing to open their eyes and listen
That makes sense right?
Have a happy holiday everyone and yes my auction is up on the net as we speak
Some great stuff there
Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions about anything
Also catalogues are out soon
Free catalogues to all net54 members as always
Just email me and I'll take care of it
Jevans@optonline.net
Sincerely
Joshua Leland Evans
Chairman
Lelands.com
Since 1969