The Sy Berger Collection To Be Auctioned By REA!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                                                                              click to enlarge images           

Robert Edward Auctions is honored to announce that we have been chosen to present the collection of legendary Topps executive Sy Berger at auction in April 2009. It has also been a special thrill for us to meet and personally work with Mr. Berger. For close to fifty years, Sy Berger was the face of the Topps Chewing Gum Company in the sports world, and for all but a few of those years, also the face of Topps in the entertainment card field. He not only was responsible for making the licensing arrangements for cards, he also played an extremely significant role in marketing, producing, designing, and even selling the Topps Gum Company picture card products that have had such a great impact on our lives. Whether you are a serious collector, a casual collector of baseball or other trading cards, or just have fond memories of collecting or flipping cards as a youngster, we all owe an immense debt of gratitude to Mr. Berger. He is one of the most important hobby industry pioneers in the history of collecting. He is often referred to as “The Father of the Modern Bubble-Gum Card,” though Sy always insists on sharing credit with illustrator Woody Gelman for his contributions in executing his vision, and to Topps president J. E, Shorin for his role in producing and promoting the Topps trading card product line. Sy Berger was certainly part of a great team at Topps, but perhaps no single individual played a greater role in creating the Topps products and orchestrating the promotions that made card collecting such an important part of popular culture in the 1950s to modern times.

Sy was at the forefront of the 1950s “Bubble-Gum Wars,” instrumental in acquiring the rights to picture players on cards, an integral role in the ascension of Topps as the greatest, most successful, and longest-running manufacturer of baseball and other trading cards in history. In the process, Sy Berger himself became an honored member of the Major League Baseball fraternity. In 1982 at the Baseball Winter Meetings Banquet, he was honored by being named “King of Baseball” for his contributions to the game. He is the only person to ever receive this honor that was not employed in professional baseball. In 1988, Sy Berger was also honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The award presented to him reads: “In recognition of his role in the development of the modern baseball trading card and for helping to introduce generations of fans to baseball for more than half of a century.” Due to his unique role at Topps, there were few if any players for literally a half a century that did not personally know Sy Berger. He became close friends with many of the greatest stars of the game. Sy has had a particularly close friendship and business association with Willie Mays dating back to Willie’s rookie year, which continues to this day, but has also been close friends with literally hundreds of other players.    

Sy Berger was not a collector in the traditional sense. He did not personally collect sets or consider himself a collector. As he says himself, he was more of a “gatherer,” and even then, everything he brought home was strictly for his kids. Over the years, he was always bringing home a few things for them here and there. But when your career lasts over fifty years, a few items here and there can pile up. Everywhere he went people were always giving him souvenirs, and work-related items would also naturally find their way to him. If he had been a collector, there is no doubt that he could have assembled the greatest post-war card collection in the world, but Sy was far too busy creating the very products that other people collect, and having a lot of fun doing it. He has no regrets! The material the Berger children did save, however, is fascinating, and includes many unique items. Highlights include an extraordinary collection of 117 original artworks used to create the 1953 Topps set (including Satchel Paige), the original contracts for the entire 1957-1958 Topps Basketball set (including the checks the players signed), and the original contracts for the 1951 Topps Ringside Boxing set (one of the earliest of all Topps sets) which Sy and the kids miraculously saved for the past 58 years! Other items include the contracts for the 1987 Kmart set produced by Topps (another Sy Berger idea!), three complete sets of 1964 Topps Rookie Award All Star sets in their original boxes (we probably don’t have to tell you but yes, Sy came up with the idea for the Topps Rookie Awards also!), and numerous other interesting items.

This is not the largest collection in the world (though it includes hundreds of items) or the most valuable collection in the world (though it is very valuable). But for many reasons it is one of the most special collections that we have ever had the privilege of offering. The presentation at auction of these items represents a once-in-a-lifetime collecting opportunity that will always be remembered by us and by future generations of collectors. We thank the Sy Berger family for creating this exciting collecting event, and most of all, we thank you, Sy Berger, for all of your great contributions to our field. If it weren’t for you, we’re not sure where we’d be!

Copies of the 650-page full-color premium catalog are available free. To review past catalogs on-line, to learn more about Robert Edward Auctions, or to receive a complimentary copy of the catalog, or to inquire about consignments, visit http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/. For further information contact Robert Edward Auctions, PO Box 7256, Watchung, NJ or call (908)-226-9900.    

Link to SABR interview with Sy Berger:

http://www.sabr.org/sabr.cfm?a=cms,c,806,34,0   

Comment now » Read more October 7th, 2008

T206 Honus Wagner - Stolen and Recovered!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                                   

                               click to enlarge images

“The All Star Cafe T206 Wagner” heads to the auction block at REA in 2009!

Every T206 Wagner naturally has a great story, sharing the Wagner legend that is now part of classic American folklore, but some examples have a richer history than others. In April 2009, REA will be presenting at auction a T206 Wagner example that has perhaps the most fascinating history of any T206 Wagner in the world with the exception of the Gretzky-McNall Wagner. This is the card that was stolen from the All Star Café in 1998, and eventually recovered by the FBI!

There are very few stories of true collecting icons in the art and collectibles world which have been stolen and recovered. Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the most famous and valuable painting in the world, was stolen in 1911 right off the wall of the Louvre in Paris. Two years passed before the painting was recovered. The thief, an Italian-born former Louvre worker by the name of Vincenzo Peruggiawho, was visiting the Louvre and by chance found the painting unattended. The guard had taken an unauthorized break. Presented with the opportunity, he decided on the spur of the moment to steal it, with the express purpose of returning it to Italy where he always thought it belonged. He was finally arrested in Milan on December 10, 1913, trying to sell the painting with the condition that it would remain in Italy. The world went wild upon learning of the recovery of this cultural icon. While it may have been a small consolation to the thief, who went to jail, the painting was displayed throughout Italy before it was returned to France on December 30, 1913.    

The Scream by expressionist painter Edward Munch, also one of the most famous paintings in the world, was also stolen and recovered. For those who don’t know this painting by name, everyone is familiar with its image: This is the painting with a swirling colored background that features a screaming figure holding his hands to his ears. Munch created three painted versions of The Scream. Incredibly, two of them have been the target of high-profile art thefts. In 1994, the version in the National Gallery was stolen. It was recovered several months later. In 2004, The Scream was stolen from the Munch Museum. It was recovered in 2006.

The Hope Diamond was stolen from Marie Antoinette when she was in prison in 1792, when six thieves broke into the house used to store the crown jewels. It resurfaced in the hands of a London diamond merchant in 1812, and currently resides in the collection of the the Smithsonian Institution. At least for now.

Like the Mona Lisa, The Scream, and the Hope Diamond, this T206 Wagner is a world-famous collecting icon, and one of the few that, incredibly and improbably, was stolen and recovered. In the 1990s, this T206 Wagner was proudly displayed at the All Star Café in Times Square in New York as part of The Charlie Sheen Collection. The card was at that time owned by actor Charlie Sheen, who allowed portions of his collection to be displayed at the flagship New York City location of the upscale sports-theme restaurant chain. The workers at the All Star Café, naturally, had access to the restaurant after hours. In 1998, two All Star Café chefs and one of the managers devised a plot to steal the Wagner. The plan was to remove the card from its display case, replace it with a color copy so that no one would notice, and then to sell the original. The plan worked, at least for a while. A color copy viewed from afar in a display case can look very much like an original. The nephew of the executive chef was enlisted to sell the card for cash to famous New Jersey dealer Al Rosen, claiming the card had been saved and given to him by his grandfather. With this successful theft and sale under their belts, another crime of opportunity soon presented itself: A glass display case at the All Star Café broke, reportedly by accident. This display case housed the finest example in the world of the 1934 Goudey high-number sheet with rare card #106 Lajoie (which Charlie Sheen had years earlier purchased from Robert Edward Auctions).  After they stole the sheet, they cut it up into individual cards so that the cards would not be recognized when sold (in the process destroying the sheet). The sheet, however, was not replaced with a copy. It was simply stolen. The police were called, the FBI became involved, and during the investigation it was soon discovered that the T206 Wagner was also stolen, replaced by a copy. The entire case was solved by the FBI, the thieves were arrested, and all of the stolen cards including the T206 Wagner were returned to Charlie Sheen. We remember this case well, not just from reading about it in the newspapers (New York Times link: (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07E1DB123BF935A25757C0A96F958260), but also because at the time REA was retained by the FBI to write the formal appraisal reports for use in the case regarding the authenticity and value of the items stolen, and REA president Robert Lifson was also hired to testify at the trail regarding card values, the auction process (which was relevant to determining value), and the authenticity of the stolen cards on behalf of the Department of Justice. The Mona Lisa, Edward Munch’s The Scream, the Hope Diamond, and the T206 Honus Wagner all have a common thread to their histories: Each is a collecting icon, instantly recognized by millions, and each has been stolen and returned.

This card enjoyed a rich history in the hobby long before being the only T206 Wagner to have been the target of a high-profile theft. This Wagner has been known since the earliest days of organized collecting. In fact, this Wagner was actually owned by REA president Robert Lifson more than thirty years ago. (It was worth about $4,000 at that time!) Its provenance also includes at one being owned by the legendary Barry Halper.

“The All Star Café Wagner” was purchased by the current owner at auction in 2001 for what was then a record auction price for a low-grade T206 Wagner ($78,000). Interesting note: To date, we are unaware of anyone ever losing money on the purchase of a T206 Wagner in any condition ever. We’re not sure we can say that about any other card or collectible of any kind. Over the years, the market trend is clear: The T206 Wagner card, even in the lowest grades, has always continued to climb in value over time. In fact, it may be more accurate to say that lower-grade Wagners have appreciated at a faster rate than higher-grade examples. There has always been an extremely strong demand for low-grade Wagners. Most Wagners in existence are in low grade, so the demand for low-grade Wagners is due in part simply to the fact that there is little in the way of higher grade choices to consider. According to the PSA population report, for example, twenty of the twenty-six T206 Wagners ever graded by PSA are graded a PSA 1 or a PSA 2 (ten examples at each grade), with just six examples graded higher (3 Vg, 1 Vg-Ex, 1 Ex MC, 1 Ex, and the Gretzky-McNall PSA 8). It is also the case that collectors are willing to be very flexible on the condition of a Wagner. Of course, the better the condition, the more valuable a Wagner will be to collectors who can afford it. But more collectors can afford a low-grade Wagner than a high-grade Wagner. Because more people can afford a low-grade example, it’s easier to sell, if the need arises. A low-grade Wagner, therefore, has much greater liquidity, which is a very desirable quality for any commodity or store of value. The challenge, then, for most card collectors interested in a Wagner, is not just to find a low-grade Wagner, which is hard enough, but to find an attractive low-grade Wagner.

The Card: This is a very attractive T206 Honus Wagner. It is particularly bright and clean, with flawlessly bold colors, perfect registration, a bright orange background, and a crisp, bold portrait. It is also perfectly centered. The advertisement for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes is boldly printed on the reverse. Graded PR-FR 1 by PSA, the card naturally has various condition flaws, including rounded corners, creases, and a few very tiny pin holes. It is a given that most T206 Wagners are in low-grade, so for a Wagner, the overall appearance is of greatest significance and cannot be communicated by just a numerical grade. Every card is different. No one is ever going to confuse this card with the famous Gretzky-McNall Wagner. But this card needs to make no apologies for its appearance. It has the most important characteristic that a T206 Wagner can possibly have: eye-appeal!

This is a tremendous low-grade example of the T206 Wagner, and one that compares very favorably with most other Wagner examples. This is a great-looking card that elicits a positive response from everyone who sees it. The colors are noticeably brighter, fresher, and bolder than most other T206 Wagners, including examples that are graded much higher. It has its condition problems, as do most other Wagners, but it also has a fascinating and unique history. While all T206 Wagners have a story, this particular Wagner has a more interesting story than just about any other baseball card in the world! Whether this card will be valued by collectors at a level more than the Beckett Wagner (graded PR 1 by Beckett, sold for $317,250 at REA in 2008) or a level lower than the second-highest auction price for a low-grade Wagner (an SGC Poor 10 example that sold at Heritage for $227,050, also in 2008) is completely unknown. Valuing Wagners is very subjective. That’s for the bidders to decide. But whatever they decide, it has been a great pleasure for us to properly document the history of this card, one of the most noteworthy examples of card collecting’s greatest treasure. Reserve $50,000. Estimate $150,000+.

Comment now » Read more September 13th, 2008

“Say it ain’t Slow Joe” (Doyle)!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                                            

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T206 PSA Label Error Carries On Long-Standing Tradition!

This story is not about Joe Jackson but we couldn’t resist the headline. It’s actually about “Slow Joe” Doyle and his T206 card (hands-over-head pose). Long ago, PSA happened to have mislabeled this card (a very rare occurrence). Instead of getting the label corrected, we thought that in this case it would be appropriate and far more interesting to collectors for us to leave it exactly as we received it from our consignor, and use the mislabeled card to tell the story of one of collecting’s greatest and least understood rarities. This card will appear in REA’s April 2009 auction. The catalog description appears below:

1909-1911 T206 “Slow Joe” Doyle - PSA NM-MT 8 (PSA Label Error)

Graded NM-MT 8 by PSA. New York, hands above head pose. Highest graded! This is naturally a fascinating card in the T206 set. This particular example, however, is all the more fascinating as it was mislabeled by PSA as “Larry Doyle (NY, Nat’l throwing pose)”. The confusion between Joe Doyle and Larry Doyle for this T206 pose is not unique to this PSA label. It  goes all the way back to 1909! In fact, this confusion is responsible for causing the incredibly rare “Doyle NY Nat’l” variation in the T206 set. When the T206 set was printed, The American Tobacco Company originally got their Doyles mixed up, thinking the image of Joe Doyle on this card was Larry Doyle of the New York Nationals, and originally identifying him as being with the “N.Y. Nat’l” team (Larry Doyle’s team). When it was discovered very early in the print run that an error had been made, that the image on this card was actually Joe Doyle of the New York Americans (as opposed to Larry Doyle of the New York Nationals), rather than correcting the league designation on the card (changing it from “Nat’l” to “Amer.”), the league designation was simply removed entirely from the printing plate. Thus almost all known Doyle hands-over-head pitching pose cards in the T206 set are identified with just “N.Y.,” as the error cards identifying the league designation as “Nat’l” were corrected almost immediately. This explains the great rarity of the “NY Nat’l” variation. Only a few “Doyle NY, Nat’l” examples are known to have survived, and an authentic example of this impossibly rare error card would very likely sell for over $100,000 even in low grade.

To be clear, the offered card of Joe Doyle is NOT the rare error card, but an extremely high-grade example of the  more common “Doyle, NY” variety (a very desirable card in its own right) with the PSA error label misidentifying it as “Larry Doyle, NY Nat’l”. PSA is not alone in making this identification error. They are in good company! In Lot #790 in the May 2008 REA auction (link: http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2008/790.html), which presented a collection of seven signed T206 cards, even Larry Doyle himself was confused, signing a T206 card of Joe Doyle! If The American Tobacco Company and even Larry Doyle himself can be confused by this card, we can forgive PSA for making this same error. We realize that the mislabeling of this card has created an inaccuracy in the PSA Population Report, but in light of the long-standing confusion between Joe Doyle and Larry Doyle in the T206 set, and its significance to the incredible rarity of the T206 “Doyle NY Nat’l” variation card, we think the card has a little more charm misidentified. We realize we may be in the minority on this, but that’s what we think! (Please note: We also realize that as the highest-graded T206 example of this card, it may be an important addition to a PSA Registry set, and it can always be relabeled properly if desired).

This extremely high-grade T206 of Joe Doyle has a striking blue background, four razor-sharp corners, and perfect registration. Centered very slightly to the top border (40/60). Bright, crisp, and clean, a little short top to bottom, with a hint of toning and what, to our eye, is a very slightly imperfect sharp cut along the top border. In our opinion, this card has been very slightly trimmed, though someone else could have a different opinion. Sweet Caporal advertising on reverse. Based on the PSA Population Report, this is a particularly difficult card to find in extremely high grade. In addition to being the highest-graded example, this is also a card with a unique story and significance to the famous T206 set. SMR value  is $850. Reserve $300. Estimate $500+.

Comment now » Read more September 1st, 2008

New R306 Butter Cream Confectionary Babe Ruth Discovered!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                      

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REA is excited to report a newly-discovered R306 Butter Cream Confectionary card of Babe Ruth! In the very small universe of truly iconic baseball cards, few cards approach the rarity of this elusive legend. Exactly three are known, including this newly-discovered example.

The R306 Ruth is a card that is so rare that even an image of the card had never appeared in a guide or an auction catalog prior to REA’s offering of the first example ever sold at auction in May 2008.

It is always fascinating for us to see new important rarities surface. There is always a story associated with any new discovery and this is no exception. When an important item sells for a significant sum at auction, the auction result can sometimes receive a lot of publicity. This can sometimes play a role in bringing treasures to the marketplace that otherwise might remain in attics or might never surface. The R306 Ruth sale in May 2008 was a particularly newsworthy card collecting event because the card is so rare, valuable, and the card itself has such a fascinating story. In August 2008, a gentleman from New England happened to see a newspaper story reporting about the sale of the R306 Ruth in the May 2008 REA auction. He is not a collector, but as a youngster he did have an interest in cards, including old cards. From the illustration in the story he immediately recognized the R306 Ruth as being from the same set as a small group of cards he was given as a gift by a family friend as a youngster. He had no idea if he had Babe Ruth (he had not looked at these cards in approximately twenty years) so he called his parents. The cards were still stored at their house and he asked if they would check his cards for him. For collectors who are knowledgeable about the hobby’s rarest cards, R306 Butter Creams, or vintage cards in general, the idea that a group of approximately a dozen R306 cards would happen to include Babe Ruth is preposterous. Things like that just don’t happen. It would be similarly unlikely for a noncollector to read of the value of a T206 Honus Wagner, have a small handful of T206 tobacco cards, check them to see if maybe he has a Honus Wagner, and actually finding one. Anything is possible, of course, but finding an R306 Ruth among a small (or large) group of R306s, in our opinion, truly falls within the realm of a card-collecting miracle. But that’s exactly what happened! Our consignor would have been more likely to win the lottery. Or get hit by lightning. He didn’t know anything about how great the odds were stacked against him. When he called his parents on the telephone, they got the cards out for him, and they told him that yes, he had Babe Ruth! This is the third R306 Babe Ruth card known to exist.

The R306 Babe Ruth was unknown and unchecklisted until 1989. Prior to its discovery, the R306 Butter Cream set was thought to be complete at 29 cards. No one knows why Ruth is so rare, but its great rarity is reminiscent of the 1933 R328 US Caramel #16 Fred “Lindy” Lindstrom: Both are from traditional “R” card series, both are incredibly rare, and both were completely unknown in the collecting world until the 1980s. In addition, both cards are also from sets issued in the early 1930s involving contests. The R328 Lindstrom was intentionally short-printed so that the company would not have to give out too many expensive prizes in exchange for a complete set as offered on the back of each card. It is very likely that there is an identical explanation regarding the extreme rarity of the R306 Ruth. Previous to this unlikely discovery there were only two R306 Ruths known. The stories of the other R306 Ruths (and yes, each has a story!), and the story of the no longer existing example that was thrown out by accident in a deal between collecting legends Barry Halper and Lew Lipset years ago, can be found in the REA auction archives. (Here is the link:  http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2008/4.html).

The newly discovered R306 Ruth has a Near Mint appearance but has not been assigned a numerical grade. It is encapsulated “Authentic” by SGC due to the fact that according to SGC it appears that this card was not machine-cut, but was perhaps more likely cut from a sheet in a different manner. Looking at a scan of the card, it is not apparent that the R306 Ruth card has an unusual cut (though SGC was able to examine the card before it was encapsulated and it may have been easily seen under magnification). An unusual cut, however, is clearly apparent on some of the other R306 Butter Cream cards which accompanied the Ruth, and which will be offered together as a separate lot. This in itself is fascinating. While we don’t know precisely how or when these cards were cut from a sheet, it is likely that the great mystery and rarity of the R306 Babe Ruth card is somehow related to the survival of this example and the unusual cut of this group. The fact that Ruth is so rare, combined with its great value as the key card to receiving a valuable prize in 1933, clearly tells us that the Ruth card was not cut and issued in the exactly the same manner as all the other cards in the set. The fact cards from this small group have a slightly irregular cut suggests that this group originates from the printer or directly from someone that worked for the company. The fact that the group also happens to include the impossible Babe Ruth card is clearly related. It doesn’t tell us everything, but like the T206 Gretzky-McNall Wagner (a perfect analogy as this extraordinary R306 Babe Ruth example is literally “the Gretzky-McNall Wagner of R306s”), it does give us a clue as to how this incredible rarity could possibly have survived in essentially perfect condition. Even the boldness and perfection of the printing on this example is far superior to the other Ruth examples, and the quality of the image is superior even to other R306s. The image on this card has perfect contrast, no printing imperfections (which are so common to R306s), and the image really “jumps out”, which is extremely rare and for any R306 Butter Cream card, let alone Babe Ruth. All of the cards, including Ruth, have the lightest barely-detectable hint of toning from glue on the reverse. These cards were stored in an album since 1933, and this (along with the fact that they were probably never actually issued in packs of Butter Cream Confectionary) has played a role in their near-perfect preservation.  

It is very difficult to place a value on such an important and legendary rarity which is essentially unique. There are few other sales to refer to on this card. This card will be featured in REA’s April 2009 auction. Whatever the final auction result, it is exciting for us to properly document the fascinating history of the R306 Babe Ruth card, and in the process to be a part of the discovery of, and help write another chapter in the history of one of card collecting’s most interesting and legendary rarities. Reserve $10,000. Estimate (open).

Comment now » Read more August 22nd, 2008

2008 REA Collection of Auction Proceeds Report

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

Adjustments to consignor proceeds for the $9.07 million dollar REA spring 2008 auction were ZERO cents. This has been the case for the past $37 million dollars in auction sales at Robert Edward Auctions. This is unheard of in the auction world. Year after year Robert Edward Auctions has set a standard of perfection for the collection of auction proceeds. Many auctions report sales that for one reason or another are not executed, or have to be adjusted down due to nonpaying winning bidders, costing consignors money. We take the integrity of the auction process very seriously. Bidders appreciate knowing that when they top a bid at Robert Edward Auctions, they are topping a REAL bid. Consignors appreciate getting paid 100 cents on the dollar. This is a very big deal to bidders and, naturally, to consignors as well.

REA has been actively collecting an extraordinary selection of exciting material for our next auction, which will feature many remarkable discoveries and extraordinary rarities in all areas:

pre-1900 baseball cards and memorabilia, display pieces, original art, autographs, nonsport rarities, graded cards, tobacco cards, 1930s gum cards, caramel cards, Topps and Bowman sets, regionals, bats, uniforms, etc.

GENEROUS CASH ADVANCES ARE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY!!!

Robert Edward Auctions offers both lower commission rates to sellers AND lower buyer’s premiums, while at the same time delivering:

. The largest catalog circulation

. Reasonable reserves

. The most trusted and detailed descriptions

. The fastest post-auction payment of consignor proceeds

. The fastest post-auction shipment of auction items to   buyers

. The most advanced authentication processes

. The most secure and trusted bidding processes and auction policies

If you have quality material you think may be of interest, please call or write! We can provide special terms for early consignors. It would be impossible for us (or anyone!) to process the entire auction with REA-quality care and detail in just the last few weeks before going to press, so it makes sense for us to offer the best deals to early consignors so we can keep busy all year long. We work all year to bring you the best auction possible and to provide the finest auction service possible for consignors.

For more information about why, if you are even THINKING of selling your quality material, you should contact Robert Edward Auctions, please visit:

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/about/criteria.html

We hope to hear from you soon. Thank you!
 

Sincerely,

Robert Edward Auctions LLC

908-226-9900

www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com

Comment now » Read more August 6th, 2008

Olbermann Strikes Again! Proves 1898 Obscenity Document is legit.

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                     

Above: 1898 Spalding Guide Page and 1898 “Special Instructions To Players” Document

                   click twice to enlarge images

                  

When Keith Olbermann is not putting the world of modern politics and popular culture into historical perspective, he sometimes finds the time to put, well, history into historical perspective. Especially baseball history.

Keith Olbermann has provided us with proof that the 1898 Obscene Language Document that appeared as Lot #1182 in REA’s spring auction, is not a hoax, and actually dates from 1898. We always knew this, but we never knew that we would ever somehow be able to prove this fact to the skeptics who suggested that it could not possibly date from 1898.

Keith O has sent us a scan of page 198 from the 1898 Spalding Guide (pictured above) specifically referencing the document, and which even references the same “Committee” mentioned in the more colorful memo. He also notes that the third paragraph refers to the document as “private instructions” that will be “furnished and read” to all players, and states that each player will be required “to sign acknowledgement, to be filed with the President of the League, that this measure is fully understood.” This suggests that these documents, each entitled “Special Instructions To Players,” had to be signed and returned to the League, which would explain why we haven’t seen this document before.

Here is a link to the lot, which sold for an incredible $32,312.50:

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2008/1182.html 

As noted in previous REA blog posts (links below), one highly respected and very well known linguist, Geoffrey Nunberg of UC-Berkeley, was quoted in an article on Salon.com as saying that he thought the document was a “clumsy hoax - either a modern concoction or a modern alteration of a contemporary document.” It was unanticipated by us that anyone would suggest the document was not real, not serious (somehow a hoax or a joke), or did not date from 1898. But the fact remained that if this document was authentic and dated from 1898, it would literally rewrite the record books for the earliest recorded use or appearance in print of some of the English language’s most colorful words and phrases. We thank Keith Olbermann for taking the time to share his knowledge and research with us, and allowing us to share it with the rest of the world! Keith, if things ever get too hot in the glare of the media, there will always be a place for you at REA. Now if only we could get Bill O’Reilly to provide us with some valuable insight or research…

Previous REA blog links relating the 1898 Obscene language document:

http://s210975194.onlinehome.us/blog/?p=41

http://s210975194.onlinehome.us/blog/?p=49

http://s210975194.onlinehome.us/blog/?p=55

Comment now » Read more June 10th, 2008

Autographs at REA or any other auction: Is Authenticity Guaranteed?

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

In a word, the answer is “No.”

What? What do you mean authenticity of autographs is not guaranteed?

What about autographs with third party authentication? What does Third Party authentication mean? Isn’t that supposed to be an absolute 100% guarantee of authenticity for now and forever? If it’s not, what good is it?

Some collectors don’t like the idea of third party authentication - they just don’t believe in it. We’re not sure what they suggest as an alternative other than being or becoming experts themselves, (assuming time, ability, and desire would permit), but that is the point of view of some people, and they are entitled to it. Others have confidence in some authenticators, but not others. Fortunately, there is room for all points of view.

At REA, we utilize the services of James Spence Authentications (JSA) to review all signed items. We think very highly of their service. This doesn’t mean that all other autograph authentication services are not good. This is what we have chosen to do because we believe that JSA offers the best authentication service in the business. That doesn’t mean that they are perfect, that they have never made a mistake, or that their opinion could not change on a given item. Some other services and individuals may be very good at providing authentication services. We find that almost 100% of the time (not 100%, but almost 100%) that if a signed item is consigned to REA with a letter from certain companies (such as PSA) or certain individuals, that JSA has the same opinion. We also find that when items are consigned with letters from certain other individuals and companies, approximately 100% of the time JSA is not OK with these items. Obviously, this is not a coincidence. Statistically, that would be impossible. When a signed item is consigned that is already accompanied by a letter of authenticity, the item and letter are separated by us before being presented to JSA for review. At REA, JSA has no idea if an item has previously been reviewed by any other service before being presented with the item authentication review. We have even had cases (very rare, but it has happened) when JSA has told us they are not comfortable writing a letter on an item previously authenticated by JSA. This is very rare but knowledge increases over time, and opinions can sometimes change over time.

One thing we cannot do, and no else can do either, is guarantee the authenticity of any signature we did not see signed ourselves. What we can guarantee is this: that for every REA auction we have an authentication process that we make very clear, and that we follow this process. This process can change over the years. What we did in 1997 is a little different than what we did in 2007; authenticators change, some have even passed away, but we define what the process is, and follow through with that process for better or worse. In the current auction, each and every signed item was presented for review to James Spence Authentication. This process occurred over the entire year. Most items are reviewed two times, and in many cases items have been reviewed three times. Many items are rejected. In fact, literally hundreds of items were rejected by JSA and returned to would-be consignors which, if authentic, would have been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (that is not a misprint). It is possible that there were a few items that were rejected by JSA that were in fact authentic. We like to remind people that if in 1927 Babe Ruth were signing an autograph, and someone bumped into him while he was signing and because of this his signature was severely affected and ruined, the resulting signature would not look like other Ruth signatures, even though it is real, and JSA would not write a letter on that particular signature in 2008. It is also possible that JSA (or any authenticator) could render a positive opinion on a signature and be incorrect. No one claims otherwise. That comes with the territory of signature authentication and collecting. Even if JSA (or any authenticator) were to be correct well over 99% of the time, it would not be perfect. Remember: All vintage signatures have one thing in common. We weren’t there when they were signed. That’s just a fact. All we can do is have a process we think is the best and stay true to it. At REA, we do not deviate from this process.

What if a collector does not have confidence in JSA’s opinion, but has confidence in the opinion of another service or individual? We are always happy to go out of our way to work with any authenticator a buyer wants to review any item. We encourage it. If a buyer does not have confidence in any authentication service or any individual to provide authentication on signed items, then it stands to reason that person definitely should not be buying any signed items. Similarly, if a baseball card collector felt he could not tell if an old baseball card was authentic or not authentic, and believed that no one else could make this distinction either, that person should not be buying old baseball cards.

The bottom line is that neither REA or any other auction house or any dealer or any collector can truly “guarantee” that a given autograph is authentic. It can even be difficult to prove with certainty that an autograph is not authentic. Occasionally a signed item can be determined to be not authentic with 100% certainty simply due to a common sense fact (such as a ball that was made in 1950 is “signed” by a ballplayer that died in 1940). Many factors go into the opinions of authenticators, including comparison with  exemplars and experience. Sometimes provenance can reflect positively or negatively. If a rare autograph can be traced directly to an unimpeachable source or originates directly from the family of the signer, that is naturally very positive. The flip side is also true: If a seller of a rare autograph claims to have family provenance but evidence suggests that it is not true, and when further questioned the seller pleads “The Fifth,” that is naturally a “red flag”.   

We can’t guarantee what any other authenticator would say about any given signed item, and we also can’t provide a warranty on an opinion, but we can guarantee that when preparing the auction, we presented every signed item to JSA for authentication, and only those items approved by James Spence Authentication are presented in the auction. We don’t play what we call the “mix ‘n match” game with authenticated items. Items that were approved by other authenticators, but not by JSA, were rejected and returned to the consignors. Many of these rejected items have been offered at other auction venues.

So where does that leave the collector? Does third party authentication have any value?  We think it does, but every collector has to decide for themselves. With some types of signed items, like most checks, for example, the opinion of a third party often has little extra value to collectors, because by nature they are always authentic. But when dealing with some other types of items, like rare cut signatures with no provenance, the buyer is really putting his confidence totally in the hands of the authenticator (or relying on his own expertise or the expertise of his chosen authenticator).

When we hear anyone say they do not believe in the value of any third party authentication, that collectors should only purchase from dealers who “guarantee their items for life,” we do have to wonder how it comes to be that an item is later deemed to be worthy of a refund because of this, because such a determination, by definition, itself must rely on the opinion of a third party. We don’t know how to “guarantee” the authenticity of signatures we have not seen signed ourselves, and no one else can either. We all live in the same world. There is no authenticator alive (or in the past) that has not made a mistake at some time or another, sometimes even a stupid sloppy mistake, like authenticating a preprinted or autopen signature in error. We have seen collectors point to obvious mistakes by third-party authenticators as evidence that none of their opinions have value. We don’t think that is fair but we respect that everyone is entitled to their opinion. We are writers at REA, and we would hate to be judged solely by an occasional typo or text of a rare description that has errors. So what is Third Party authentication when it is true that no authenticator is going to be correct 100% of the time? At REA, it is this: we have chosen what we believe to be the best authentication firm in the world for the type of signed items we offer at auction; we can guarantee that when these signed items were processed for auction, they were carefully examined and deemed in the opinion of JSA to be authentic; and we can guarantee that JSA provided a letter for each lot. That’s what it means. Nothing more. Nothing less.

It is important for collectors to understand what they are bidding on, what guarantees are provided (at REA and elsewhere) and not be under any false impression. Sometimes we are asked, “What if PSA does not like this item, but JSA does? Can I return it?” and we have to answer “No. But you have two options: if you only want to buy signed items authenticated by PSA, why not buy items that have already been authenticated by PSA? Or, we will be happy to work with you with any arrangements you want to allow you to have PSA, or any authenticator of your choice, review any item in the auction for you. This can be done by reviewing photos online, reviewing items in person, or we can even make special arrangements (with expenses paid by you) to send items out. That way you can know what any authenticator of your choice has to say about any item. But we cannot predict what they are going to say about any given item or make any guarantees. That would be impossible, and if we had to do that, then we just could not sell autographed items.”

Important note: This essay has not been written in response to any autograph authentication issue with any item at REA, but these are thoughts that we think have merit, are worth articulating, and that we have not seen presented in this form elsewhere.

    

Comment now » Read more April 24th, 2008

We Hit The Big Time!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

Click to Enlarge

Well, to us, sort of. Important items that we offer at auction are often covered by baseball card and memorabilia periodicals, but The Anson-Ewing Beer Poster (Lot #1 in the current auction) has just received a special and rare honor: it made the cover of the April 2008 edition The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles, one of the most prestigious magazines in the world of antiques. Usually their covers feature world renowned glassware, museum collections, or antique American furniture that is worth a fortune, but really isn’t up our alley. This is the first time they have ever put a baseball piece on the cover! When we sent in our press release materials for consideration, they were particularly impressed with the Anson-Ewing poster and even asked us to send our catalog description to publish as an article (which also appears in the issue). They told us that they normally do not use items that are up for auction as cover pieces. In fact, they have a policy against the practice (because if you do this for one, they explained, then you might be expected to do this for all) but they liked this piece so much they decided to make an exception. We thought it was exciting to see the Anson-Ewing Beer poster recognized as such an important item in the larger world of American antiques, worthy of featuring on the cover of The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles, and thought it would be fun to share an image of the cover here. It is rare for any baseball item to get this kind of respect and attention in the larger antique world. There is no doubt this poster is deserving of the honor, and it is exciting for us to actually see this item receive the attention it deserves, not just as one of the single most beautiful baseball advertising posters ever created, but as one of the most important and noteworthy of all American advertising posters. The following is a link to the full catalog description:http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2008_preview/1.html

Comment now » Read more April 7th, 2008

REA Auction Catalogs Will Be Mailed April 9, 2008!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

The spring auction catalogs will mail on April 9, 2008.  We will put the auction online a few days later (we may actually be able to do this earlier as we are ahead of schedule) and the final day of bidding will be Saturday May 3, 2008.

A quick reminder from Robert Edward Auctions: If you are a new collector or for any reason have never been on our mailing list, we make our catalogs available free of charge and would be happy to send you a complimentary copy of our spring auction catalog. You don’t have to bid or be a big collector to get a free catalog. It’s our pleasure to send a catalog to anyone interested in collecting, or the history of baseball! Please go to www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com , click on “Free Catalog” on the REA “contact” page and provide your name and address. Catalogs mail on April 9, 2008. (If you have moved please let us know also so we send your 2008 catalog to the correct address).

For those interested in additional information at this early date, below is the REA pre-auction press release for the sale. Actually, because the official press release is so long, we’re going to provide a short version as well as a long version.

Here’s the unofficial short version:

It’s going to be a great auction. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate the support of all the consignors, who provided the incredible material. We worked really hard to do justice to every item. We hope everyone enjoys the auction and the catalog!

Here’s the official long version:

REA’s Historic April Auction:

Baseball Card and Memorabilia Treasures 1845-1975

Collecting World’s Most Anticipated Baseball Auction May Be Best Ever

The T206 Wagner and the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie Card are the two most valuable baseball cards in the world. Both are included in REA’s highly anticipated spring auction. But the incredible thing is that is just the beginning. “This is an unbelievable auction,” says REA president Robert Lifson. “We always try to tone down expectations and over deliver, but really, there’s just no other way for us to describe the material assembled for this auction. It’s incredible. There are so many highlights; I don’t even know where to begin. The collectors with the really historically significant items to sell, and noncollectors with extremely important new discoveries, they have gone out of their way to wait for our auction to sell. We take this as a great compliment and an honor. All our auctions are special, and that’s our number one goal always, but as this one has come together, we are amazed. We’re an all-consignment auction. We are really at the mercy of what turns up and becomes available from consignors. This fact makes how this sale came together even more incredible. This may be our best auction ever.”      

The Robert Edward Auctions catalogs will ship on April 9, 2008. The first copy off the presses will be presented to The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, for their library, as is the longstanding tradition. The other 10,000 650-page catalogs will be sent to collectors all over the world who have anxiously been waiting all year for the annual sale by Robert Edward Auctions, the collecting world’s most exciting and highly-anticipated auction. Inside the auction catalog will be hundreds of items worthy of Cooperstown, many of which will ultimately find their way into the most prestigious collections in the world, both private and public. The final date of bidding is May 3. Bidding starts April 12 by FAX, phone, or the Internet via the Robert Edward’s site. The total sales for the event are expected to exceed $5-million. 

Coming to the block will be over 1600 lots of baseball collectibles covering the entire history of the game. The newly-discovered T206 Honus Wagner is one of the great card collecting finds in the auction. This card was the highlight of the recently discovered “Beckett T206″ Find. All 546 cards have been graded by Beckett Grading Services and the entire collection will be offered in the auction. The Wagner and the entire collection are an amazing find, but the story behind their discovery is also amazing. These cards were saved by the owner’s grandfather and were stored in the attic for decades. The family was in need of money and actually rediscovered the cards in December 2007 when searching the house for things to sell! Throughout all these years, no one in the family had given the cards any thought, especially with reference to value, and they remained all but forgotten. After submitting the cards for authentication and grading, feedback from Beckett Grading Services immediately made the family very aware of the great significance and value of the find. It’s not every day that an authentic T206 Wagner is discovered. The owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, requested Beckett Select Auctions’ assistance in selling the collection at auction. Robert Edward Auctions was chosen by Beckett Select and the consignor to present the T206 Wagner and the entire “Beckett T206″ find in this REA auction. The Wagner is a low-grade example but a T206 Wagner is extremely valuable in any condition. It has a minimum bid of $50,000 and is expected to sell for in excess of $100,000.

The 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie Card, Graded VG 40 by SGC, is also a newly-discovered rarity. Many consider this card to be the single most important and miraculous baseball card in the world. The 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card features Ruth as an unknown minor league rookie straight out of St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys. Only eleven 1914 Baltimore Ruths are known to date, including the one owned by the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. This newly-discovered card was saved as a keepsake by a non-collecting family in Baltimore. The last 1914 Baltimore News Ruth card offered to the collecting world at auction was graded PSA 2 GD and sold for $200,000 at Robert Edward Auctions in 2007. The reserve is an extremely modest $10,000, but this card is expected to sell for a record price.

Nineteenth-century baseball items of great historical significance have always been a special area of interest for REA. This auction has some of the most remarkable items in this important area to ever come to auction. The most extraordinary of these is the finest known example of the preeminent baseball advertising poster of the nineteenth century: the “Anson-Ewing Beer Poster.”  The Anson-Ewing Beer Poster is one of the most legendary icons in both the historic baseball and classic American advertising poster collecting worlds. The glorious multicolor stone lithograph poster was issued in 1889 in promotion of Guinness Brewery’s “Finest Pale Ale” and “Extra Foreign Stout,” both of which were sold under the company’s “E. & J. Burke” label. This 1889 advertising poster represents the first documented paid endorsement of a product of any kind by baseball players. “We have always hoped to someday have the opportunity to present an example of this poster at auction,” commented REA president Robert Lifson, “but had no idea it would take 37 years of waiting.” It was worth the wait. When this was submitted for auction, there was also an added bonus. “There was no question that we had found our catalog cover piece. A cover piece doesn’t get any better than this.” The spectacular example is by far the finest in existence of the “Anson-Ewing Beer Poster,” considered by many to be the single most beautiful baseball advertising poster ever created, and one of the most magnificent and important of all American advertising posters. The reserve is $50,000, and while the estimate is open, it is expected to set a record price for any baseball or American advertising poster.

Additional major nineteenth-century items in the auction include: the recently discovered 1862 New York Knickerbockers Reunion Team Photograph, which pictures an All-Star team of the key members of the team who played from 1845-1850. The Knickerbockers are universally regarded as the most important and first formal organized baseball club with documented rules.  For some of these important early baseball pioneers, this is the only photographic image known. This is one of the most important baseball photographs in existence, and one of only three photographs known that can lay claim in any way to being a team photo of the Knickerbockers. The photograph was discovered in the former home of Walter T. Avery, one of the original Knickerbockers who is in the photo, and who played in the very first baseball game on June 19, 1846 at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken. (Reserve $10,000). REA is also offering the finest silver trophy baseball to ever come to auction: In the early days of the game, silver trophy balls were the ultimate prize that a club could win. This is one of the most important nineteenth century baseball items to ever surface, and is also an exciting new discovery. This 1865 Silver Trophy Ball was presented to the legendary Boss Tweed, owner of the very prominent Mutual Base Ball Club, in honor of their victory over the Active Base Ball Club on September 21, 1865.  Today, silver trophy balls are virtually nonexistent. Even the Baseball Hall of Fame does not have a silver trophy ball dating from the 1860s. This is an extraordinary relic dating from the earliest days of the national pastime, just months after the Civil War had ended. (estimate $10,000+; reserve $5,000).

This auction has the finest and greatest selection of Babe Ruth memorabilia presented by Robert Edward Auctions since the Barry Halper Collection. (REA oversaw the sale of the legendary Halper Collection in 1999, which realized over $26 Million.) Included is one of the finest Ruth bats in the universe. This 1921 H&B model is the only documented Babe Ruth bat known that can actually be placed directly in Babe Ruth’s hands with certainty by virtue of sidewriting. It is graded a perfect “A10″ by MEARS and also graded a perfect “GU10″ by PSA/DNA (reserve $25,000). Other Ruth highlights include: 1938 Babe Ruth Brooklyn Dodgers Cap (Ex-Halper Collection), est. $10,000+, res. $5,000); an extraordinary Babe Ruth single-signed Baseball (est. $10,000/$20,000, res. $5,000); 1915 Boston Red Sox World Champions Team-Signed Baseball Including Babe Ruth, dating from Ruth’s rookie season (est $10,000+, res. $5,000); numerous Ruth autographed balls, photographs, advertising items etc. This auction includes everything but Ruth’s chewing tobacco spittoon. WAIT. CORRECTION: The auction actually DOES include Babe Ruth’s chewing tobacco spittoon. And it’s AUTOGRAPHED! This incredibly unusual signed Ruth item may have been presented by Ruth as a joke, we’re not sure, but it is definitely Ruth’s spittoon, it is definitely signed, and was a gift from Ruth to his longtime business associate Joe Bihler.

The newly-discovered 1933 R306 Butter Cream Confectionery of Babe Ruth is another extraordinary highlight item in the sale. This is a card that virtually no one has ever even seen. It is so rare that even the image of this card has never appeared in a guide or ever appeared in an auction catalog. One of card collecting’s most interesting and legendary rarities, it is believed that only one other example exists (res. $10,000). The R306 Ruth is expected to sell for many times this modest reserve, though it is so rare it is impossible for REA to provide a meaningful estimate.

The auction includes an extraordinary array of rare nineteenth-century baseball cards including examples issued by Kalamazoo Bats, Yum-Yum Tobacco, as well as many rare nineteenth-century baseball cabinet cards; Cracker Jack baseball cards issued in 1914 and 1915; literally thousands of 1910-era baseball tobacco cards, one the largest selections to ever be offered at auction;  1887 Old Judge baseball cards issued by Goodwin & Co.; complete Topps and Bowman sets from virtually every year including two complete sets of 1952 Topps with the rare high-numbers.

Also included is a remarkable selection of PSA-graded complete sets of the card collecting world’s most classic issues: The highlight of these is one of the finest T206 White Border sets ever assembled, ninth highest-graded T206 set on the PSA registry, a total of 520 cards with a grade point average of 5.11, offered as a single lot, including twenty-eight PSA NM 7, 163 PSA EX-MT 6, 239 PSA EX 5, eighty-two PSA VG-EX 4. (est. $100,000+, res. $50,000). The auction also includes complete PSA-graded sets of both the 1914 and 1915 E145 Cracker Jacks. The 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #144 Series, in particular, is an extremely rare set. This is the only completely PSA-graded set ever assembled and registered let alone presented at auction (est. $20,000/$40,000+, res. $10,000).

Other PSA-graded sets include: 1934 Goudey Gum Complete Near-Complete Set (89 of 96 cards): #7 PSA Registry Set with an average grade of 7.12 (est. $30,000, reserve $15,000); 1954 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Set: #14 PSA Set Registry (includes 117 NM-MT 8s and 133 NM 7s, 7.42 GPA) est. $15,000+, res. $7,500; 1955 Bowman PSA-Graded Complete Set: #7 PSA Set Registry (182 cards in this set have been graded NM-MT 8 and 138 cards are graded NM 7, GPA 7.53), est. $15,000+, res. $7,500; 1955 Topps Complete PSA-Graded Set (fifty-three cards graded NM 7s, 119 EX-MT 6s, and thirty-four EX 5s, for an average grade of 6.04), est. $5,000+; 1956 Topps PSA-Graded Complete PSA NM-MT 8 Set: #15 PSA Set Registry (Set of 340 Plus Checklists), all of the 342 cards in this complete set (#’s 1-340 plus two checklists) have been graded NM-MT 8 by PSA (est. $10,000/$20,000+, res. $5,000); 1957 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Set (407): #16 PSA Set Registry (404 Cards PSA 8 NM-MT, 3 Cards PSA 9 MINT), est. $30,000+, res. $15,000; 1969 Topps Super Complete Set: #4 PSA Set Registry, comprised of forty PSA Gem Mint 10s and twenty-six PSA Mint 9s with an astounding average grade of 9.60, est. $10,000+, res. $5,000; 1971 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Set: #3 PSA Set Registry, includes fifty-nine MINT 9s, 692 NM-MT 8s, and one NM 7, currently registered as the third highest-graded set on the PSA set registry with an astounding average grade of 8.10, (est. $20,000+, res. $10,000); 1972 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Set: #7 PSA Set Registry, includes 367 Mint 9s and 420 NM-MT 8s, eighth highest graded set out of 109 registered sets, with an incredible 8.50 (est. $20,000+, res. $10,000); 1973 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Set: #4 PSA Set Registry includes two Gem Mint 10s, 324 Mint 9s and 334 NM-MT 8s, average PSA grade is an incredible 8.51, (est. $10,000+, res. $5,000).

The presentation of the Peter Maszak Collection is yet another exceptionally strong highlight offering of the auction. The collection is presented in thirty-nine extremely high-quality lots, including an extraordinary 1939 Lou Gehrig Handwritten Letter Discussing His Illness (res. $10,000) and the finest 1927 New York Yankees Team-Signed Ball that REA has ever offered (est. $10,000/$20,000, res. $5,000). The Maszak Collection is remarkable for the level of quality throughout and is presented in a special section in the catalog.

Many highlights have been listed above, but there is much more. The auction includes countless important new discoveries and extraordinary rarities in all areas and from all eras, including: an extraordinary selection pre-1900 baseball cards and memorabilia; display pieces; original art; rare pinbacks; autographs; graded cards; tobacco cards; caramel cards; regionals; 1930s gum cards; bats, uniforms, and other equipment, in addition to cards of note from all eras.

Graded cards are a special strength. Among the many noteworthy individual cards of  interest are: T206 Ty Cobb With Ty Cobb Back, one of the rarest and most legendary of all T206 cards (res. $10,000); 1913 Voskamp’s Coffee Honus Wagner SGC VG 40 (Reserve $5,000), 1887 N690 Kalamazoo Bats Tom McLaughlin, Mets, only one known (res. $5,000); 1887 N172 Old Judge John Ward - PSA MINT 9 - The Finest in Existence! (est. 10, 000/$20,000; reserve $5,000); 1933 R319 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth PSA NM-MT 8 (est. $10,000/$15,000, res. $5,000); 1950-1951 Toleteros Joshua Gibson SGC EX 60 (est. 5,000+); a complete high-grade set of all six 1911 M110 Sporting Life Cabinets including Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Frank Chance, and Nap Lajoie, each offered individually; 1910 T210 Old Mill Tobacco Casey Stengel Graded VG-EX 4 by PSA (est. $10,000+, res. $5,000+); 1909-1911 E90-1 American Caramel Joe Jackson (est. $10,000+, res. $5,000); 1915 E145 Cracker Jack #30 Ty Cobb PSA NM 7(res. $5,000); 1911 T3 Turkey Red #9 Ty Cobb PSA EX 5 (est. $10,000/$15,000; res. $5,000); 1915 M101-5 Sporting News #151 Babe Ruth Rookie PSA NM 7 (res. $10,000), 1916 M101-5 Sporting News #176 Jim Thorpe Graded NM-MT 8 (OC) by PSA (est. $5,000+, res. $2,500); 1912 T215 Pirate Cigarettes sample card of Doolan (est. $5,000+, res. $2,500); and 1904 Allegheny Card Co. Christy Mathewson Graded EX-MT 6 by PSA (res. $2,500).

The finest complete set of Mayo’s Cut Plug Tobacco cards to ever be assembled will be offered individually.  Issued over a two-year period from 1894 to 1895, Mayo’s Cut Plug Tobacco cards are one of the nineteenth-century’s most significant issues. It is by far the finest graded set ever assembled. Of the forty-eight cards in the set, twenty-five of them are the highest-ever graded examples. The average grade for all cards in the set exceeds Excellent. Another highly significant group of rare cards offered are sixty-six different E107 1903 Breisch-Williams cards, the largest selection of these rarities to ever be presented at auction individually. 

The auction also presents:  an historic new find of three high-grade New York Player Kalamzoo Bats, including Hall of Famer John Ward, one of only two known (res. $25,000); an astounding new find of thirty-six 1909 and 1910 Clement Bros. Bread cards including Addie Joss and several previously unknown cards to the set; a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle SGC EX/NM 80 (est. $10,000/$15,000, res. $5,000); 1952 Topps Complete Set (est. $10,000/$20,000; res. $5,000); 1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folders Near-Complete Set (est. $10,000/$20,000; res. $5,000);  1933 R319 Goudey Complete Set of 239 (est. $10,000/$20,000; res. $5,000); 1911 T205 Gold Border Complete Set of 208 plus 4 variations 239 (est. $10,000/$20,000; res. $5,000); and 1914 WG4 Polo Grounds Complete Boxed Set of 54 cards (est. $10,000/$20,000; res. $5,000).  

An extraordinary selection of important baseball uniforms, one of the finest ever offered, is presented including: 1972  Hank Aaron Atlanta Braves Signed Game-Used Home Jersey, one of the finest Aaron jerseys in existence and graded A9 by MEARS (est. $10,000+); 1953 Stan Musial St. Louis Cardinals Signed Game-Used Road Jersey (est. $10,000/$20,000); 1927 Wilcy Moore New York Yankees Complete Game-Used Road Uniform (Jersey, Pants, and Hat) Ex-Halper (est. $10,000/$20,000);  1974 Tom Seaver New York Mets Game-Used Home Jersey New York Mets home jersey, graded a  perfect A10 by MEARS (res. $2,500), and many rare jersey styles from the 1930s through the 1960s.

The auction also presents one of the finest selections of game-used bats to ever come to auction, including three Babe Ruth bats, four incredible Stan Musial bats all from the same collection (three from the 1950s and one a special model for the 1960 All-Star Game), Roberto Clemente, Frank Robinson, Willie McCovey, Al Kaline, Bob Gibson, Yogi Berra, Pie Traynor, Al Simmons, Hack Wilson, Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Richie Ashburn, Rogers Hornsby, Duke Snider, Honus Wagner Pro-Model Coaches Bat (Wagner Family Provenance!), Jimmie Foxx, Goose Goslin, and Sam Crawford. Dozens of additional pro-model bats are featured, including a circa 1887 “Detroit” Baseball Bat (from the estate of 19^th century star Deacon White) that is the earliest known factory-stamped major league bat known to exist (res. $2,500).

Autographed memorabilia is another extremely strong area. In fact, this auction includes the most comprehensive selection of Hall of Fame autographs Robert Edward Auctions has ever offered. One historic highlight is one of the most significant Negro League items in existence: Josh Gibson’s 1932 Homestead Grays playing contract, signed by both Gibson and team owner Cum Posey Jr. (res. $5,000, est. open). Gibson broke this very contract and left the Grays to join the Pittsburgh Crawfords early in 1932 when Crawfords owner (and top numbers racketeer) Gus Greenlee raided the Grays roster, signing both Josh Gibson and Oscar Charleston for more money. Other signed items include most members of baseball’s Hall of Fame, including extreme rarities such as William Hulbert and Eddie Plank; a 1927 New York Yankees Near-Complete Signature Collection (23 out of 25 players); 1939 Hall of Fame Induction Signature Display with Ruth, Young, Wagner, and Johnson; checks from Hall of Famers such as Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Tony Lazzeri, Honus Wagner, and extreme rarity Joe Kelley; Near-Complete Signed Yellow Hall of Fame Postcard Collection (142/147 Possible, est. $10,000, res. $5,000); the most comprehensive collection of Black-and-White Hall of Fame signed postcards REA has ever offered, including many extreme rarities. Additional signed items include literally hundreds of single-signed Hall of Fame balls, and many incredible items signed by the greatest legends in the history of the game, including Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Cap Anson, and Cy Young.

Additional significant historic memorabilia of all types is included: 1912 Boston Garter Advertising Display Sign with Eddie Collins and Hal Chase (est. $10,000/$15,000); a very important newly-discovered circa 1914 Chicago Americans Giants Panoramic Photo Including Rube Foster, “Pop” Lloyd, and Pete Hill (est. $5,000, res. $2,500); a new find of thirty-four 1898 Cameo Pepsin Gum baseball pins which was recently discovered in a New Jersey family estate, including Cap Anson, Connie Mack, and seven new checklist additions; and what may be the very finest 1894 Zimmer’s Base Ball Game known to exist, a recent and remarkable new discovery to the collecting world that made it into the auction at the last minute (est. $10,000/$20,000).

Sports other than baseball are also represented by a significant selection of extremely high quality items, including Michael Jordan 1984-1985 Chicago Bulls Game-Used Rookie Home Uniform (graded MEARS A10, reserve $10,000); 1959-1960 Jim Taylor Green Bay Packers Signed Game-Used Jersey (graded MEARS A10, est. $10,000+, res. $5,000);  1973-1974 Oscar Robertson Milwaukee Bucks Game-Used Road Jersey - Final NBA Season (Graded MEARS A10, est. $20,000+, res. $5,000/$10,000); 1962-1965 Jim Brown Cleveland Browns Signed Game-Used Home Jersey (graded MEARS A10, est. $20,000+, res. $10,000);  1964-1966 Willie Wood Green Bay Packers Game-Used Home Jersey (graded MEARS A10, est. $5,000+, res. $2,500); 1945-1947 Ken Keuper Green Bay Packers Game-Used Home Jersey - Earliest Known Example (graded MEARS A9.5, est. $5,000+, res. $2,500);  1946-1947 Philadelphia Warriors BBA Champions Team-Signed Basketball, on display for many years at Framo’s bar in Philadelphia (res. $2,500).

One of the most important non-baseball sport item is a 1960s Muhammad Ali eighteen-page handwritten draft for his autobiography regarding his conversion to Islam, that may be the single most important Ali manuscript in private hands (reserve $10,000). Another tremendous item with significant cross-collecting appeal is the original painting by master illustrator Bernie Fuchs of Arnold Palmer that appeared on the cover of the June 15, 1964 issue of Sports Illustrated (est. $5,000+, res. $2,500).

The auction also includes a selection of very high quality Pop Culture and Americana related items. In addition to thousands of nonsport cards dating from the 1880s to the 1960s, the Americana section is highlighted by Woody Guthrie’s Signed Annotated Copy of Forty Thousand Quotations, with over five-hundred pages of notes by Guthrie detailing his thoughts on all subjects and used as a primary tool in his song writing over a period of many years, and perhaps the most significant Woody Guthrie item that could possibly exist (res. $10,000); a 1964 signed Beatles program (est. $5,000+); and an original Superman cape actually worn by George Reeves in the 1950s television program “The Adventures of Superman” (est. $10,000+).

Copies of the 650-page full-color premium catalog (shipping April 9) are available free. To review the catalog on-line, to learn more about Robert Edward Auctions, or to receive a complimentary copy of the catalog, or to inquire about consignments, visit http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/. Robert Edward Auctions is currently assembling their next sale. For further information contact: Robert Edward Auctions, PO Box 7256, Watchung, NJ or call (908)-226-9900.

For over 30 years Robert Edward Auctions has specialized in all areas of historic baseball collectibles, as well other sport, non-sport, and Americana collectibles including political and campaign memorabilia, autographs and manuscripts, and original illustration art. Robert Edward Auctions has been responsible for many of the most important  baseball memorabilia sales including overseeing the sale of the $26-million Barry Halper baseball collection, universally recognized as the best and largest in the world; the legendary “Gretzky-McNail” T206 Honus Wagner card,  $1.3-million; the uniform Yankee legend Lou Gehrig was wearing in 1939 when he gave his famous farewell speech, saying “Today, I consider myself to be the luckiest man on the face of the earth”, $306,000; and the 1854 Knickerbocker Trophy baseball, now on permanent exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, New York, at a then-record $72,000.

      

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Comment now » Read more March 17th, 2008

“How can this be? Can an authenticator be that bad?”

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

“There are autograph authenticators for whom I have seen a thousand items authenticated by them and all of the items had one thing in common - they weren’t real. I’ve been asked “How can this be? Can an authenticator be that bad?” When people ask this I am always reminded of when I took my SATs in high school. Everyone naturally wanted to get every question right and get a perfect score of course, but there was always an old urban myth that if you got every single question wrong, they would automatically give you a perfect score anyway, because no one could get them all wrong without being absolutely brilliant and actually knowing all the correct answers; it was statistically impossible. Well, these authenticators that always get everything wrong, I always tell customers that maybe they’re actually great authenticators because, really, no one could possibly be that bad. Maybe they’re the best darn authenticators in the entire world. We use the authenticators that we have the most confidence in. The most problematic authenticators are in the field of autographs. There are some authenticators that when a potential consignor says they have an item with their letter, we just won’t even allow them to send the item in. We have no interest. We just don’t want to waste our time or pay the postage sending these fake items back.”

- Robert Lifson, April 2007, partial response to MEARS’ Dave Grob’s interview question about what we would like to see change in the industry/hobby.

http://robertedwardauctions.com/about/interviews.html#mears

Comment now » Read more February 23rd, 2008