New Helmar series--highly unusual--your thoughts?

Republicaninmass · #1 08-06-2018, 09:00 AM

Portuguese cork, isn't all cork from Portugal? I have quite a few items imported from far off China!

I cant see it being a piece of art, and using the name of an old badeball related company just doesn't sit well with me. Probably better than Banty Red, which is just a completely made up company to sell baseball cards, but it doesn't tick any boxes of reasons, or items I collect. I cant see them holding any value, which is a secondary reason I collect. Then again a card can have 30 different 1/1 parallels and people will buy them up.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #2 08-06-2018, 09:10 AM

I kinda like them, I just wish they'd dial back on the hype. They're very nice fantasy pieces.

sirraffles · #3 11-28-2018, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Portuguese cork, isn't all cork from Portugal? I have quite a few items imported from far off China!

I cant see it being a piece of art, and using the name of an old badeball related company just doesn't sit well with me. Probably better than Banty Red, which is just a completely made up company to sell baseball cards, but it doesn't tick any boxes of reasons, or items I collect. I cant see them holding any value, which is a secondary reason I collect. Then again a card can have 30 different 1/1 parallels and people will buy them up.

Actually cork grows in a number of different places but the best cork is from Portugal. I looked at samples from three different countries before deciding on Portuguese cork. The North African cork seemed to crumble too easily for my taste; I worried that over time it would become too brittle. French cork, at least the samples that I examined, had an odd hue.

As for the name "Helmar", it is perfect for my purposes. There are those that would complain no matter which name had been chosen, even if this seems beyond silly to me.

Importantly, Helmar does not even try to appeal to everyone because that would mean trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator. We'd have to lower the quality and ignore the discernment that we've become known for. I'll take collectors that are knowledgeable about art and history every time. We love everyone but it is interesting that our customers skew to occupations such as authors, attorneys, business owners, professors, doctors, etc.

Lastly, no one can know the future value of any collectible. I do know that when I am done we will have a body of work that will be comprehensive, of high quality, intrinsically interesting, and all the while enjoying relative scarcity. The body of work will also have the advantages of being unique for its time--we march to our own drummer. Do those that invest against the group-think do best in the end? You bet. The best part, though, is that collecting Helmar is a fun pastime. God bless. Charles

RedsFan1941 · #4 11-28-2018, 12:31 PM

God bless you too

bigfanNY · #5 11-28-2018, 12:52 PM

I have been impressed with the "Helmar issues" The problem I have with them is...I still walk around flea markets here on the East coast, and once in awhile I see someone selling one of these items. Always a similar story "I don't know anything about Sports items I sell Antique ( Whatever) I picked this up in an estate..large lot etc. Ty Cobb Cy Young Shoeless Joe is good though and I only want $100 $250..$300 etc..
I just politely say that this item was made in the past couple years not vintage. And I walk on.I know with smart phone folks can figure this stuff out pretty quick but not everybody has one.

sirraffles · #6 11-28-2018, 01:55 PM

If they are Helmar Ty Cobbs, etc., they are asking in the right price range.

Charles

RedsFan1941 · #7 11-28-2018, 02:18 PM

would you mind including your full name in your posts. like the rules say?

sirraffles · #8 11-28-2018, 04:11 PM

Charles Mandel.

bigfanNY · #9 11-29-2018, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirraffles

If they are Helmar Ty Cobbs, etc., they are asking in the right price range.

Charles

Charles:
instead of responding to my post and the fact that you know that the items you produce are used to decieve. You come back and say that "if They are Helmar Ty cobbs they are in the right price range". Well you know that statement is a lie. A quick search on Ebay brings up a couple Helmar Ty Cobb Stamps selling for $13.
Which brings up another subject Helmar did issue a series of "art Stamps" So not only are you using a name that is associated with turn if the century baseball cards you issue Stamps that can more easily fool a novice.
You point to the Doctors, Accountants and lawyers who purchase some of these items to make nice displays. And families of players who do the same. I am sure that they do appreciate the items for the images they portray. But why not clearly date these items to reduce the chance that they will cause harm. None of the folks who buy these items for the images is going to care if they are labeled responsibility.
So my point is you knowingly produce items that you know can and have been used in the past to cause harm to people. On top of that you come here and Lie. So no matter how you spin it you make a living producing items used to defraud individuals. You could easily reduce that chance but have chosen not to.

pokerplyr80 · #10 11-29-2018, 11:41 AM

I'd consider buying a reprint of an actual vintage card before one of these. And that would only be to temporarily fill a hole in a set until I bought the real card. I don't get the appeal of a modern card made to look vintage and artificially aged. And I wouldn't do business with someone who comes here and posts with the attitude shown in this thread. It reminds me of the thread for the candiman auction.

sirraffles · #11 11-29-2018, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

Charles:
instead of responding to my post and the fact that you know that the items you produce are used to decieve. You come back and say that "if They are Helmar Ty cobbs they are in the right price range". Well you know that statement is a lie. A quick search on Ebay brings up a couple Helmar Ty Cobb Stamps selling for $13.

So my point is you knowingly produce items that you know can and have been used in the past to cause harm to people. On top of that you come here and Lie. So no matter how you spin it you make a living producing items used to defraud individuals. You could easily reduce that chance but have chosen not to.

If you could detail one lie that I've said I would be grateful for the opportunity to clarify. You are just looking for a fight and that is pointless. The great irony, to me at least, is that I made the Art Stamp series in response to criticisms from this board saying that my cards were selling for "too much money". I thought that making a series that was less expensive would be welcomed but now it seems the lower prices on that series are being used as evidence that I am somehow a liar. If you were non-biased you would have mentioned that the average price on, for example, my Ty Cobb Imperial Cabinet #66 is $188.42 and the other Imperial Cobbs are somewhat lower but average at least $125. The high prices range from $331 to $405 for that series. Twenty copies of the Helmar E145 sold for an average price of $125 each. The average price for my Helmar-L3 Cobb #133 (retired for some time now) was $200.98 and #2 (similarly retired) was $221.42. And so on and on. A Helmar-T206 Cobb (mounted) sold July 31 for $472. If you see one of these cards the next time you are at your flea market I think that you should snap them up. Charles Mandel

Republicaninmass · #12 11-28-2018, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirraffles

As for the name "Helmar", it is perfect for my purposes. There are those that would complain no matter which name had been chosen, even if this seems beyond silly
God bless. Charles

Sure you picked it out.of the air

Politely I'd say

Go bless yourself, Isee what you've tried to do. Its thinly veiled

sirraffles · #13 11-28-2018, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Republicaninmass

Sure you picked it out.of the air

Politely I'd say

Go bless yourself, Isee what you've tried to do. Its thinly veiled

You forgot to sign your full name. I am doubtful that you see much.

bnorth · #14 11-28-2018, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirraffles

You forgot to sign your full name. I am doubtful that you see much.

If you look his name is in every post he makes. It is located under his ID.

I stand by my opinion in post #6. Beautiful cards but because of the very confusing name I will avoid them.

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