Congrats to Love of the Game and a brief reflection on auction houses

[mrvster]

and LOTG....

I finally had the pleasure to meet Al at Valley Forge show....He had such a positive attitude it was re-freshing..an honor to finally have met such a respected hobbyist/businessman...a great guy all around.....guys like Al keep the hobby fun and make me believe in people.....I haven't been bidding/ winning much lately, but follow all the auctions closely....Al's a top notch guy and his AH is really amongst the best.....



I really can't say enough positive about Al and Love of The Game Auctions and I'm sure I'm not alone....

Al is already a hobby Icon

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by mrvster

and LOTG....

I finally had the pleasure to meet Al at Valley Forge show....He had such a positive attitude it was re-freshing..an honor to finally have met such a respected hobbyist/businessman...a great guy all around.....guys like Al keep the hobby fun and make me believe in people.....I haven't been bidding/ winning much lately, but follow all the auctions closely....Al's a top notch guy and his AH is really amongst the best.....



I really can't say enough positive about Al and Love of The Game Auctions and I'm sure I'm not alone....

Al is already a hobby Icon

+1000

Al is honest and fair. A true hobby gentleman that we should all support. He runs an auction house like it's supposed to be run.

jeff

[jbsports33]

Jeff,

I should have been more specific to the smaller companies that had been listed in the post; I appreciate the way they have done business. We all have been around long enough, well at least most of us to know what’s right and wrong in this hobby and it clearly takes looking at the fine print and trust. This has been a great topic to discuss because I see it first hand at shows, there is a big difference with who you do business with. This post is giving credit – so this would be a positive post, unlike many I have seen in the past that discuss auctions.

Jimmy

“So here's a shout-out to Love of the Game, Sterling, Brockelman and Luckey, BST Auctions”

And yes there are some larger companies that should be include in that trust

[drcy]

My story is I earlier had helped out Al with with authenticating some photos in some past auctions and decided to consign two group lots of autographs to a previous auction. We didn't say anything about consignment fee, but I assumed I would be charged the usual rate. When I got my check, nothing was taken out of it. At the National I told him in person that I had ben half surprised a consignment fee hadn't taken out, in part because the lots were fairly small. He was taken aback and said "I'd never do that unless we'd specifically agreed on a percentage beforehand." He's also said I'd helped him out before. The funny thing is I would have been fine without being charged a fee and felt a little guilty not being charged one, as it is a service.

The story was about the type of guy Al was, and I only added the part about earlier helping out with photos so people don't start clammering for "their free fees." I think people should be willing to pay for a service and know auction houses margins are much slimmer that chatboard posters who don't know claim.

And, to not leave anyone out, I met Leon, Scott B. and Lee B. (Sterling Auctions) at the National and they're were all good guys. And Lee definitely sounds like a Minnesotan. I remarked to Scott that I'd followed his auctions since way back and he seems to know everything about everything-- an expert ephemera generalist.

And I'm sure I've left someone out.

Oh my God, I left out Jesus. My mom is going to kill me.

"I like David. He's comes across as a very religious man."
"You realize he's joking, don't you?"
"He is?"
"I think so, I'm not sure. It's always hard to tell with David."
"Let's ask him."
"Don't bother, he'd be the last to give you an answer."
"Well, whatever he is, he's clearly not an evangelist. I think."

For the record, I am an evangelist. I just choose not to talk about it.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by drcy

For the record, I am an evangelist. I just choose not to talk about it.

I literally LOL-ed on this one. Along the lines of... "I'm not an actor, but I play one on TV."

[drcy]

The only reason someone would want to know what I am is because they want to know whether or not they should be offended by my posts.

"I think I'm offended, but I'm not sure."

[MVSNYC]

Al can see in 3D with just one eye.

Al's favorite book is a movie.

Al can win at arm wrestling with his hands tied behind his back.

Al can put a belt around his waist without using his hands.

Al can pull a hat out of a rabbit.

[sox1903wschamp]

Nice post from the OP, Tim. I agree with it.