OT - Auction Catalog Descriptions

[Archive]

Posted By: DD

The verbosity of descriptions of the collective targets of our mania and obsession, regarding items offered by the paragon of esteemed auction emporiums, seems thoroughly unnecessary and complicated. As the hobby of sports memorabilia matures, are we to expect palindromic haikus, and odes to cardboard playthings composed in iambic pentameter? Will competition amongst the auction giants force one to outdo the other, utilizing video re-enactment of memorabilia finds, and DVD's catalogs to all, for the sake of claiming a title of most grandiose catalog, such title surely having to exist to justify why this excess of language is used to begin with.

In laymen's terms, who writes the descriptions for Mastro, and other auction houses, and do they feel it is necessary to compose pages of text when describing a piece of cardboard? Think of the auction catalog printing costs that could be avoided on most of the items offered.

I clicked on John's (wonkaticket) link in the Mastro wins post and could not believe that a description composed of 409 words and 2616 characters (including spaces) is needed to describe a PSA 10 T-206 card?

Outside of items that require explanations and proof of provenance, does anyone read these descriptions in detail at all? Mastro's description of the Old Judge lots in his current auction is concise and gives all the information needed to bid. However, the hockey set uncut sheet lot uses the words magnitude, impart, configuration, luscious, treasures, and cornucopia all in the first paragraph.

I am only stating my opinion, and not b*tching about this, and honestly am writing this only as comic relief to see how many big words I could squeeze into a paragraph. On the other hand, how many of you think these descriptions are pretty silly? Looking back at what I've written, I'd better stop since this is getting too long as well.