major auction houses a lesson to be learned

[tothrk]

The reason the catalogs and descriptions go on forever is to give you something to read as the auction drags out until 5 in the morning.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Jeff there is no way you read that whole description before you got sick. Impossible.

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by tothrk

The reason the catalogs and descriptions go on forever is to give you something to read as the auction drags out until 5 in the morning.

That's nothing!

The last auction I bid in (last month) didn't end until 0720 Central Time!!!!!


Steve

[calvindog]

Jim, if you don't like reading about obvious fraud in our hobby I would suggest averting your eyes. And I'm really sorry if I annoyed you; I'd hate to have funked up your chi. I'll make you a deal though: when the fraud stops, I'll stop.

[E93]

Jeff,
I believe my post was about the bitching about verbose auction catalog write-ups. If on your own self-reflection you found that the comment may have had relevance for the way you make accusations of fraud, so be it. I will leave it to you to figure out your own "chi" on that one - whatever it is you mean by that.
JimB
P.S. I appreciate you trying to push my buttons with the "chi" reference, but FYI, uninformed random remarks that pull any old term from any old Asian religion and display a clear lack of understanding of the traditions, only make you look silly at best.

[calvindog]

Jim, I assumed you were being critical of me because you've routinely blasted me in the most passive-aggressive manner about my daring to discuss Goodwin's ridiculous auction results. When you were critical again here, I assumed it was yet another passive-aggressive attempt to deflect me. I am forever shamed by this error I may have made.

As for chi, I'll have you know that I'm a big Duke basketball fan and Shane Battier once scored 27 points against Maryland -- then his career high. After the game he credited his offensive breakout to the inner strength — or chi — of the Shaolin monks of China. So if Shane Battier can mix sports and chi, so can I.

[Al C.risafulli]

If I consigned something to an auction house - whether it be something really rare like a really difficult type card, or something common like a 1967 Topps set, if I opened the auction catalog and saw a two-sentence description, I would be pissed and probably would never use that auction house again.

I want to know that the auction house has made every possible effort to present my consignment in the best possible light. The more descriptive of the item, the more pictures, the more background, the better.

As a bidder, nobody has to read the descriptions. If you don't like them, by all means, just look at the pictures.

But when I win a Henry Johnson Confectioners Ty Cobb for $400 in an auction because the description simply read "1922 W575-1 Ty Cobb with H. Johnson Confectioners back" and didn't describe the rarity of that particular card, well, if I were the consigner, I'd be out of my mind. And I have a really difficult time finding an example where an item didn't sell because the description was too LONG.

-Al

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Al C.risafulli

But when I win a Henry Johnson Confectioners Ty Cobb for $400 in an auction ...

-Al

Al, that was cold, man, very cold.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Al C.risafulli

As a bidder, nobody has to read the descriptions. If you don't like them, by all means, just look at the pictures.

-Al

Like the men's magazine we claimed to buy for the interviews?

[kylebicking]

Someone really paid $41,000 for these:

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/.../2009/842.html

Who ever bought these deserves a punch in the throat. Seriously... a bunch of late 60s test cards that have no historical value.

Why not spend your money on these:
http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/...n/2009/15.html
or
http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/.../2009/143.html
or
http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/.../2009/186.html

[barrysloate]

Al- I'm not sure I would judge the quality of an auction description by its length. A good write up should include all pertinent information, a detailed description of the condition, as well as a little puffery if it truly is a great item.

I would agree that two sentences is a bit short, but in the past I've been consigned, for example, T205 and T206 commons (generally in mid to high grade). How much can I say about them? Should I just keep rambling on to give the impression that I really do have a lot to say?

I would prefer some lots to have short write ups, while other significant ones to be more comprehensive. It really depends upon the item.

[chiprop]

Jeff- You're like an old man who keeps telling the same story. Eventually everyone will ignore the same post over and over. I would actually be in your corner if you had some solid info other than selling price. The e107 Young in the past has sold for as much as $100k. Last night it sold for a fraction of that. Why? How did REA get such high prices on the 1967 Test Stand-ups when last nights auction provided the consigner a fraction of the price? If something smells fishy, it may be time to change the depends. I hope you take our banter as jest. I think you bring up some interesting closing figures, but until I see something else, I don't think too many people are gonna get behind you. In every auction there are ridiculous prices high and low. Anyone can find them.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by chiprop

Jeff- You're like an old man who keeps telling the same story. Eventually everyone will ignore the same post over and over. I would actually be in your corner if you had some solid info other than selling price. The e107 Young in the past has sold for as much as $100k. Last night it sold for a fraction of that. Why? How did REA get such high prices on the 1967 Test Stand-ups when last nights auction provided the consigner a fraction of the price? If something smells fishy, it may be time to change the depends. I hope you take our banter as jest. I think you bring up some interesting closing figures, but until I see something else, I don't think too many people are gonna get behind you. In every auction there are ridiculous prices high and low. Anyone can find them.

Dan, you're like a shill who's trying desperately to discourage me from continuing to expose the most obvious fraud in our hobby today in order to protect the company to which you consign cards. And no matter how many times I post about it, you keep coming back to tell me I should ignore circumstantial evidence and instead get my hands on Goodwin's bidding records. So when everyone keeps ignoring my posts (you know, like they did with Mastro) then I'll stop posting about it. But that day doesn't seem very close now, does it?

And just for fun:

1962 Topps AL & NL Homer Kings #401:

7/14/09 eBay $247.83
3/19/09 eBay $143.62
3/1/09 eBay $224.50
2/6/09 eBay $190.61
1/20/09 eBay $271.88
11/25/08 eBay $235.99
11/14/08 Goodwin $282.00
9/18/08 eBay $214.38
9/2/08 eBay $214.83
3/11/08 eBay $153.78
3/6/08 Goodwin $192.00
1/17/08 eBay $321.11
12/3/07 eBay $133.81
11/30/07Goodwin $5,011.00
11/29/07 eBay $168.59
6/16/07 eBay $142.29
6/14/07 eBay $83.11
3/14/07 eBay $143.61
3/7/07 eBay $154.05
3/2/07 eBay $355.00
1/17/07 eBay $134.49
10/29/06 eBay $189.50

And: Red Heart Mantle PSA 9

6/4/09 eBay $4,000.00
4/5/09 Memory Lane $3,435.70
12/19/08 Mastro $2,400.00
9/1/08 eBay $3,800.00
8/4/08 eBay $3,151.10
6/29/08 eBay $2,700.00
5/30/08 Goodwin $3,124.32
3/6/08 Goodwin $3,697.00
2/14/08 eBay $3,106.00
1/21/08 eBay $2,945.00
1/7/08 eBay $2,500.00
12/18/07 eBay $3,569.00
12/14/07 Mastro $3,049.20
12/9/07 eBay $2,999.99
11/30/07 Goodwin $3,124.00
8/24/07 Goodwin $11,294.00
5/31/07 Goodwin $2,581.00
5/23/07 eBay $3,375.99
3/17/07 eBay $3,200.00
12/18/06 eBay $3,230.00
12/8/06 Mastro $2,722.00
11/7/06 eBay $3,350.00
10/28/06 Heritage $3,107.00
10/4/06 Goodwin $3,525.00
8/19/06 Mastro $3,285.30
8/11/06 Memory Lane $4,074.45
7/24/06 eBay $3,250.00

Oh wait, almost forgot: <-----jest inserted