Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

**sylbry** · 05-07-2008, 04:49 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Originally posted by aeneas01

http://gavelchat.sportscollectorsdigest.com/

"you may not have all of your resources..."

"i wish when you get the chance to do it you could spend more time, unfortunately you don't..."

If all of the resources or enough time was not provided how can an item be determined authentic? Wouldn't it be more accurate to provide a "Letter of Guesstimation" or a "Letter of Assumption" instead of a Letter of Authentication (unflattering, I know). Calling it authentic implies that all relevent facts were presented and time was alloted to make a determination.

And on a random note Lou's way of speaking and mannerisms sort of remind me of Jose Canseco's. That was my first impression of Lou.

I will admit it is nice to see and hear him. Always nice to put a face with a name.

**kingjammy24** · 05-07-2008, 05:14 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

the content of lou's response speaks for itself, especially his frustration at the fact that "people don't want to pay if you turn it down". for me, that said it all.

aside from the specific content, the odd thing about his response was that it seemed answer a question nerat didn't ask. chris asked a completely innocent, general question of how lou got started in the authentication business. within seconds, lou launched into a litany of excuses as to why he's unable to do his job properly. given that chris never asked or implied anything of the sort, it seems like a very odd thing to have come pouring out.

when you ask most folks how they got started in their occupations, i'd think a typical answer would involve some interesting anecdotes of luck and/or hard work, maybe some highlights of their career, some notable things they've worked on, etc. it'd be a pretty odd response for someone to instead immediately launch into a list of excuses as to why they've been unable to do their job properly. anyway, maybe it'd be a different story if any of the excuses held water. lou seemed to blame his errors on the auction houses and the practices they've forced him to abide by. same 'ol story..the auction houses blame lou and lou blames them. for two sides that have long pointed the finger at each other when things went wrong, it's funny how they continue to work together for all these years.

i have no doubt that it's a labor of love for lou. not a love of jerseys or memorabilia, but a love of getting paid.

rudy.

**34swtns** · 05-07-2008, 07:51 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Robert,
Did you get my PM?

**aeneas01** · 05-08-2008, 01:30 AM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Originally posted by 34swtns

Robert,
Did you get my PM?

didn't realize i had a pm - guess i have the auto notification off. i'll check my mail box now...

**3arod13** · 05-08-2008, 07:21 AM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

After hearing these statements made by Lou Lampson, you would have to be crazy to buy anything with his name on it.

**possum** · 05-08-2008, 10:31 AM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Did he indicate that he's turned an item down? When the hell did that happen?

**BULBUS** · 05-08-2008, 10:58 AM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Originally posted by 3arod13

After hearing these statements made by Lou Lampson, you would have to be crazy to buy anything with his name on it.

Not everything he authentcates is bogus. You just have to do the research and feel comfortable with the item. And once you get it, just be kind to the enviroment and recyle

**TNTtoys** · 05-08-2008, 01:29 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Originally posted by BULBUS

Not everything he authentcates is bogus. You just have to do the research and feel comfortable with the item. And once you get it, just be kind to the enviroment and recyle

Funny thing, is this is how I feel completely. If his name is on it, perform your own independent research... Basically he is being paid to perform a job which delivers something deemed so useless that the same research will need to be repeated by as many interested buyers as there are out there. Nice, huh? Imagine 20 people are interested in 1 of his items. He's paid to authenticate it. Because of his approach, 20 different people need to repeat this same research. I cannot even fathom a position in the real world whereby 1 guy can do the job so poorly it needs to be re-done not once, not twice, but 20 times until complete. What kind of productivity rate is that? ;-)

Seriously, we're a network of niche experts here. We know better than to solely rely on a LOA without at least looking the item over ourselves (or asking one another what we think). The authentication process is not for us, but instead, the less educated buyer...the guy who really doesn't know what in the world he is buying, and is relying on that piece of paper as proof. If only he knew that on the day that paper was written, the authenticator "might not have had all of his resources" or was pressed for time... or passed it anyway because he couldn't afford an unhappy customer. The poor sole who this process is aimed to protect winds up with the worst possible protection of all.

**momen55** · 05-08-2008, 01:43 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

regardless of who authenticates, do your homework anyway. it is cheap insurance.
bulbus, i agree, when the item comes in with the loa, go green with it!

**aeneas01** · 05-08-2008, 01:45 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

i wonder how chris ivy of heritage auctions feels about his game-used equipment guy (lampson) openly and publicly stating these things...

"people that ask you to do something, they don't want to pay you if you turn it down.."

"i wish when you get the chance to do it you could spend more time, unfortunately you don't..."

imo these comments do not reflect at all well on heritage - as a matter of fact lampson's comments strike me more as comments originating from a whistle blower than from a contract employee protecting the interests of his employer...

**momen55** · 05-08-2008, 01:58 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

i don't know about you guys, but it's never taken me 6 hours or days to authenticate any of the items i have. sounds hokey to me.

**TNTtoys** · 05-08-2008, 02:03 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Originally posted by aeneas01

as a matter of fact lampson's comments strike me more as comments originating from a whistle blower than from a contract employee protecting the interests of his employer...

Strange thing. You could definitely see that angle; however, what cause would he have to blow a whistle anyway? If he thought that this practice was so unethical, why is he still doing it?

Looks to me like the classic deflection of blame. As history has shown, if everyone points the finger at one another, no one is to blame in the end, and everyone goes on their merry way.

**kingjammy24** · 05-08-2008, 02:05 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

robert: i caught that as well. "they don't want to pay you if you turn it down". we know that "you" is lampson. who's "they"? clearly lou's speaking from first-hand experience. he's not speaking in hypotheticals or hypothesis'. he also said it in the present tense. lou has many clients other than heritage, namely AMI, VA, and Historic. he did a lot of work for mastro as well and i have no idea whether he still does or not as mastro refuses to release the identities of their authenticators as part of their new efforts to be more "transparent". so who doesn't want to pay lou if he turns down items? who institutes a financial incentive for lou to pass garbage? AMI? VA? mastro? too bad that answer didn't come pouring out of his mouth.

rudy.

**momen55** · 05-08-2008, 02:12 PM

Re: Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

how does a letter of opinion autheticate something? i mean, i have opinions to about items, so does that make me an authenticator?

if someone is authenticating an item, an opinion doesn't cut it. everyone has one, therefore it doesn't count and is mute.

i don't understand how people keep buying stuff with these letters and keep adding fuel to the fire as well as money in the so called authenticators pockets!

Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

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