Hockey Stick Authentication

[Steve D]

Are there any reputable/reliable authenticators of game-used hockey sticks?

I've come across a company called "Double Deke Hockey" in Pittsburgh, PA. Are they trustworthy?

Steve

[sorklora]

MeiGray is the only company that authenticates sticks to game use, but that is only within the past couple of seasons, and even their authentication doesn't guarantee game use as opposed to practice use and says it could be either/or. I wish there would be a company out there or the NHL would get their act in gear and start holograming sticks for game use.

[BarryMeisel]

Hi Soklora,

Thanks for your comments and suggestion.

We have tried to do this whenever possible, as our NHL contracts with NHL teams permit us at certain venues to collect sticks directly after certain games. When we have that postgame chain of custody access, we can authenticate directly to the game because we take possession of the stick the player is carrying when he leaves the ice.

Here's the problem, when we do not have that access: Players re-use game sticks in practices, and players prepare three sticks per game ... and so without extensive photo and video research it is impossible to know which sticks were actually used in the game when collecting sticks from a team other than seconds after a game.

Other than the one stick the player is carrying when the game ends, there are always two other sticks, sometimes with game use (players often use more than one stick in a game), from that game. It takes time and effort to authenticate/research ... making it impractical to definitively authenticate to game (rather than game and/or practice).

Hope this explains,

Barry

[sorklora]

Hi Soklora,

Thanks for your comments and suggestion.

We have tried to do this whenever possible, as our NHL contracts with NHL teams permit us at certain venues to collect sticks directly after certain games. When we have that postgame chain of custody access, we can authenticate directly to the game because we take possession of the stick the player is carrying when he leaves the ice.

Here's the problem, when we do not have that access: Players re-use game sticks in practices, and players prepare three sticks per game ... and so without extensive photo and video research it is impossible to know which sticks were actually used in the game when collecting sticks from a team other than seconds after a game.

Other than the one stick the player is carrying when the game ends, there are always two other sticks, sometimes with game use (players often use more than one stick in a game), from that game. It takes time and effort to authenticate/research ... making it impractical to definitively authenticate to game (rather than game and/or practice).

Hope this explains,

Barry

Yes it does, thanks for your input. I was just hoping the NHL would follow suit with MLB and have more of your personnel there at games to immediately sticker cracked sticks and also better educate the teams so that they understand the fans want this stuff, but that it needs to have provenance. Hopefully, then they would understand the need to hand you guys the sticks immediately after a game so you would know it's specific to game use. I do appreciate your company doing what it does so at least we have some legitimate items out there in the hockey world!

[LarryWalkerFan]

Are there any reputable/reliable authenticators of game-used hockey sticks?

I've come across a company called "Double Deke Hockey" in Pittsburgh, PA. Are they trustworthy?

Steve

The main hesitation I have with Double Deke is that they authenticate off pictures. I don't know enough about hockey sticks to know how looking at photos can tell the angle of blade bend or stick weight that might be unique to a given player. Effectively, it seems DD would be looking at labeling... and that's about it. Maybe tape, too, but that might be tough without high res photography.

I realize this is almost a year old, but I asked about consigning sticks to Goldin and was told that MeiGrey is the only company that they'll use for authentication. That troubles me, as they essentially are saying older sticks aren't marketable through them.

Personally, I'm looking for someone (other than DD) to authenticate sticks from the 70s. Something similar to PSA/JT, but for hockey.

[sorklora]

The main hesitation I have with Double Deke is that they authenticate off pictures. I don't know enough about hockey sticks to know how looking at photos can tell the angle of blade bend or stick weight that might be unique to a given player. Effectively, it seems DD would be looking at labeling... and that's about it. Maybe tape, too, but that might be tough without high res photography.

I realize this is almost a year old, but I asked about consigning sticks to Goldin and was told that MeiGrey is the only company that they'll use for authentication. That troubles me, as they essentially are saying older sticks aren't marketable through them.

Personally, I'm looking for someone (other than DD) to authenticate sticks from the 70s. Something similar to PSA/JT, but for hockey.


There isn't one out there that anyone would recommend or give credence to. There are many collectors who are knowledgable on sticks in general and some wkith specific players' sticks. A couple of Facebook groups I'm in are good for questions like this.

[LarryWalkerFan]

Maybe we could start a thread of different period shaft labeling and whatnot for various brands.