Knickerbocker Photo (Update)

[SteveS]

OldOriole, I already did. After Scott made his suggestion I went back to my original e-mail to them. I felt that I was pretty clear that I just wanted help with the IDs, but they wrote back saying they are forbidden from doing appraisals or authentications. I attach below what they sent me. I clicked on a link on their website to send it, and the response came from someone in the Reference Service Department. So I did not deal with the person you mentioned before. But I did send another e-mail to them in the same way I did before, and I was very clear about not wanting to know about value or anything, only the IDs. I'll update when I get a response.

Michael, I see a bit of Gabe Kaplan in him. But I don't want to further with this type of thing as it's a serious matter for me.

Scott, first of all, I will stand by my contention that anybody is as qualified as anyone else to judge whether in their opinion two people look alike. No matter how moronic they may be. Second, you have the wrong person. It was Snowman who said that he mowed Chris Cornell's lawn. I am 56 years old. But a young 56, if I may say so myself.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by SteveS

OldOriole, I already did. After Scott made his suggestion I went back to my original e-mail to them. I felt that I was pretty clear that I just wanted help with the IDs, but they wrote back saying they are forbidden from doing appraisals or authentications. I attach below what they sent me. I clicked on a link on their website to send it, and the response came from someone in the Reference Service Department. So I did not deal with the person you mentioned before. But I did send another e-mail to them in the same way I did before, and I was very clear about not wanting to know about value or anything, only the IDs. I'll update when I get a response.

Michael, I see a bit of Gabe Kaplan in him. But I don't want to further with this type of thing as it's a serious matter for me.

Scott, first of all, I will stand by my contention that anybody is as qualified as anyone else to judge whether in their opinion two people look alike. No matter how moronic they may be. Second, you have the wrong person. It was Snowman who said that he mowed Chris Cornell's lawn. I am 56 years old. But a young 56, if I may say so myself.

Anyone can have an opinion, but it's the value of that opinion. There are people who do forensic examinations of photos to determine identity for the courts. Those types of opinions would actually matter as to getting the photo accepted by the hobby as opposed to 100 people at WAWA.

In this day and age we seem to be discounting actual expertise in favor of mass opinion. Just an observation and it has nothing to do with whether or not your photos are legit, but it has a lot to do with whether or not you can convince the hobby at large.

Look at it this way. I own an auction company and we have a number of other guys in this group who do as well. Do you think for one minute that you wouldn't be getting flooded with consignment offers if auction companies thought you had unassailable proof? I can assure you, we all watch these boards and get in touch when something cool comes up. The second you convince the broader population rest assured they will come calling. Rhett runs an amazing auction that basically does nothing but photographs. He'd much rather you be right. I honestly believe we ALL would rather you be right. Again this board has been home to some amazing discoveries that took a ton of group research to bring to fruition. That's a helluva lot more fun than telling someone "no"

I quoted Snowman about the Cornell thing. Can't find it now but I thought he made a claim that he had been collecting for over 50 years. He has edited a number of his posts, so maybe he retracted that statement. Was just a light-hearted

[molenick]

Originally Posted by SteveS

Michael, I see a bit of Gabe Kaplan in him. But I don't want to further with this type of thing as it's a serious matter for me.

Yes, sorry, I get that. Not trying to hijack this into a "separated at birth" thread. But I think it is interesting that people can look at the same thing and have their mind take them to a totally different thing. I see Dabney Coleman you see Gabe Kaplan (which I get as well, but I see less of). And I don't see Chris Cornell at all. Maybe I am seeing something in the expression and not the actual features, maybe I am looking at one particular feature and not another, who knows?

But I do think that people that say they do or don't see similarities are being honest about it (or as honest as they can be without underlying subconscious influences).

[SteveS]

drcy, I guess I'm still confused as to how you can judge the generation of the photo and thickness of its mount with the 100% certainty you've been maintaining without having seen and held it in person? Wouldn't it be more reasonable to say that it appears to be something to you, rather than it is absolutely something? After all, through no fault of your own the color appears to be different to different people. I've posted it next to a gray sample and a cream sample to show the best that I can that it is a shade of cream. Also, I have owned stereoviews from the 1850s-the early-20th century. I posted earlier in this thread a few of my baseball-related ones from the 1860s (Leon posted the same one that he has). Believe me, I know the difference between a thicker mount with rounded corners and the manufacturer's/distributor's info versus a thinner, flat mount with squared corners.

D. Bergin, the word "expert" itself wasn't used derogatorially. It was used facetiously with regard to the people who claimed that the age of the stereoview could not be from before the mid-1870s because of the arched photos. That has been disproven enough times in this thread, and it's just a basic thing that someone calling himself an "expert" should know, that at least in my opinion it discredits everything that comes next. But you won't get any argument from me about the intelligence of the general population.

Scott, I don't know if Snowman said that and edited it later. I said it a couple times in here, and it's true. Up until a certain age, pretty much every extra cent I had went to baseball cards. After that certain age, and with the proliferation of fraud, it took a backseat to other things. Also, the reason I chose this board to post the stereoview is because I knew that it would be the toughest to convince. I'm really not sure that I will ever be able to convince everybody with 100% certainty. In fact, I have absolutely no idea what would be needed to tip that scale. However, I truly believe that by being well prepared and responding to every question and concern without cowering, that I've been able to sway some people to the maybe/plausible category. I do know that many people are loathe to jump into the fray on social media, especially when there's a fear of being ganged up on by people who claim to know everything and attack anyone who disagrees. So I feel that there are a decent number of people who see a resemblance (not necessarily agree that it's absolutely Knickerbockers), but won't say so for fear of being ridiculed by a handful of others.

Michael, I'm totally fine with the people who give their honest opinion either way. It's the ones who state it as fact rather than opinion and look down their noses at anyone who dares to disagree that I just tune out.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

I guess I disagree with the idea that this board is the toughest place to convince people. I have seen a number of cool discoveries here, if the evidence is clear this board will champion your cause pretty quickly. I have not, and will not offer my opinion on your claims, because mine is about as valid as the moron's from WAWA but I really don't see this as a group of skeptics.

Anyway best of luck, I've managed to tiptoe through all of this without pissing anyone off, gonna quit while I'm ahead!

[drcy]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I guess I disagree with the idea that this board is the toughest place to convince people. I have seen a number of cool discoveries here, if the evidence is clear this board will champion your cause pretty quickly. I have not, and will not offer my opinion on your claims, because mine is about as valid as the moron's from WAWA but I really don't see this as a group of skeptics.

Anyway best of luck, I've managed to tiptoe through all of this without pissing anyone off, gonna quit while I'm ahead!

People ask and people say things are authentic regularly on this board (as well saying things are reprints, fakes, etc.): trading cards, photographs, autographs and memorabilia.

[Directly]

Steve never mind I will contact Jacob Pomrenke to see about corresponding with John Thorn, the official historian for MLB or is Mr. Thorn a net54 member-thanks

[SteveS]

drcy, hey I'm throwing you guys a compliment when I say you're tough.

Directly, you can check out the posts above on this page for the answer to that.