sammy
11-18-2006, 12:21 PM
It appears that the current so called "major auction houses" are all raising their rates but getting worse in their service and quality of items.
Instead of using a third party authentication service with some level of expertise, these auction houses prefer to be cheap in the authentication department and most are using Lou Lampson.
Mr. Lampson is what I call a "Ghost".
No one with any of his letters are able to contact him via e-mail, phone, or mail. Any concerns, if answered at all, are via the auction house and most of the time you just get lip service.
Of course, auction houses truly get what they are paying for, and a lot of collectors appear to be getting the shaft.
Here is another way you cheap ***** can save more money.
Instead of using Jimmy Spence or PSA/DNA for autographs, Donald Frangipani is still authenticating and I'm sure he will save you a lot of money.
Being as the auction houses explicitly state; "ALL SALES ARE FINAL" they will continue to benefit from their using dubious people to paper their items.
I distinctly leave Robert Edward Auctions out of this list of dubious and ethics challenged auction companies.
As you may have noticed, Mastro's has started using Lampson too.
I personally will not bid on one item with his letter.
By the way, if you want to specifically know what is on one of his letters, just read the auction listing. It is the exact same thing printed on his letters.
Garbage!
FROM THE MEARS WEBSITE.
Auction house contract work
We have just been advised by Masto Auctions that because of our current price structure, they have opted not to have MEARS do any work for them in their December Auction.
The only auction house that has expressed a continued desire for MEARS products and services on a consistent basis is Robert Edwards Auctions.
As soon as we know what auction houses we will be providing support to in 2007 we will let you know.
It could be that they will chose to only submit certain items on a retail basis.
As passionate as we remain individually and collectively about this hobby/industry, the fact of the matter is that the cost of doing things the way we have been and see as essential remains too high for some.
Given the option of doing things to a lesser standard and cutting costs or forgoing "auction contracts", in all likelihood we will embrace the latter."
Troy R. Kinunen
Instead of using a third party authentication service with some level of expertise, these auction houses prefer to be cheap in the authentication department and most are using Lou Lampson.
Mr. Lampson is what I call a "Ghost".
No one with any of his letters are able to contact him via e-mail, phone, or mail. Any concerns, if answered at all, are via the auction house and most of the time you just get lip service.
Of course, auction houses truly get what they are paying for, and a lot of collectors appear to be getting the shaft.
Here is another way you cheap ***** can save more money.
Instead of using Jimmy Spence or PSA/DNA for autographs, Donald Frangipani is still authenticating and I'm sure he will save you a lot of money.
Being as the auction houses explicitly state; "ALL SALES ARE FINAL" they will continue to benefit from their using dubious people to paper their items.
I distinctly leave Robert Edward Auctions out of this list of dubious and ethics challenged auction companies.
As you may have noticed, Mastro's has started using Lampson too.
I personally will not bid on one item with his letter.
By the way, if you want to specifically know what is on one of his letters, just read the auction listing. It is the exact same thing printed on his letters.
Garbage!
FROM THE MEARS WEBSITE.
Auction house contract work
We have just been advised by Masto Auctions that because of our current price structure, they have opted not to have MEARS do any work for them in their December Auction.
The only auction house that has expressed a continued desire for MEARS products and services on a consistent basis is Robert Edwards Auctions.
As soon as we know what auction houses we will be providing support to in 2007 we will let you know.
It could be that they will chose to only submit certain items on a retail basis.
As passionate as we remain individually and collectively about this hobby/industry, the fact of the matter is that the cost of doing things the way we have been and see as essential remains too high for some.
Given the option of doing things to a lesser standard and cutting costs or forgoing "auction contracts", in all likelihood we will embrace the latter."
Troy R. Kinunen