Hunt Auctions technical difficulty?....or something more serious?

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Just perusing through Hunt's sports auction coming up in about a week, and items #242-266 are listed as "Item has been temporarily suspended".

Just wondering if they are suffering a technical difficulty, or if there is something more serious going on......like maybe a major consigner ended up consigning a group of bad items?

I don't think that's the case.....but anyone ever seen something like this happen before on such a large group of items?

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A link in case you are interested in seeing.....

http://www.huntauctions.com/hunt.html

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For the newer members.......click on the link....

then click on "Current live auction" at the upper right.....

then click on "View all auction lots"..........

then click on 210-300 and view lots 242-266.

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For the newer members.......click on the link....

then click on "Current live auction" at the upper right.....

then click on "View all auction lots"..........

then click on 210-300 and view lots 242-266.


Should have read 201-300........sorry

[FastLane80]

Anyone know what they were? There's a lot of suspicious items in that auction particularly some of those Dodger jerseys.

[diamondicons1]

Lots 242-266 are a lot of 19th century letters written to Harry Wright.

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Lots 242-266 are a lot of 19th century letters written to Harry Wright.

Seems like they found out something that has them concerned.

If that is the case, it's just another reason why Hunt is one of the class act auction houses. They make no hesitation in pulling items of concern, unlike some of their counterparts in the biz.

[commando]

From MLB.com:


By Bobbie Dittmeier / MLB.com


07/03/09 8:35 AM ET


Letters written to Harry Wright, a Hall of Fame manager from the earliest days of professional baseball, have been temporarily pulled from an auction because of an FBI investigation into whether they may have been taken years ago from the New York Public Library.



The New York Times reported on Friday that Hunt Auctions was scheduled to sell some of the items, part of a collection of letters, pictures and ledgers from Wright's career that were kept in scrapbooks, on July 14 at the Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in St. Louis. Hunt Auctions suspended bidding on Thursday.



David Hunt, the president of Hunt Auctions, told the Times that he had not seen "one piece of evidence" indicating that the items were inappropriate for sale. "It's a nice, conservative approach for a few days," Hunt said.
Wright was the manager, general manager and center fielder for the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, widely regarded to have been the first team comprised entirely of paid professionals, and spent 23 years as a manager in organized professional baseball. He willed his archives to baseball in 1894, a year before his death, according to the Times, which said that the collection was donated in 1921 to the library, from which some of the materials went missing more than 20 years ago.



Four Wright scrapbooks were originally at the library as part of the Spalding Collection, named after Albert G. Spalding, another baseball pioneer. The Times reported that one scrapbook remains at the library, which has a list of three scrapbooks of letters that were written to Wright during the 1870s, '80s and '90s. Of the 25 Wright lots listed in the auction, at least 23 are from that period.



The FBI confirmed that it is investigating the matter, the Times reported, and the newspaper said that Hunt would not identify the person who consigned the items, only that the person said the letters had been in the estate of a grandparent. Hunt said before Thursday's suspension of the auction that he was confident the letters had not been part of the library's collection.



"Is it my sense that these are people that I might have some suspect of being involved in this hobby for many, many years and of removing things from that sort of institution?" Hunt asked. "No. Not whatsoever.
"If there's anything concrete or documented that shows me that this is property that should not be sold or, at a minimum, should be pulled until it's fully documented, then that's what will happen, period."



Hunt Auctions was hired by Major League Baseball to conduct the sales, which, according to the company's web site, includes more than 775 items whose sales will be completed at FanFest. The Times said the company estimated that the Wright collection could sell for $35,000-$55,000.
Matt Bourne, Major League Baseball's vice president for business public relations, said in a statement that Hunt had told MLB of suspension of the sale of the Wright materials. "We are eagerly awaiting further information on this matter," he said.



Following the Cincinnati Red Stockings, Wright managed the Boston Red Stockings of the National Association from 1871-75, then moved to the newly created National League, managing the Boston Red Caps from 1876-81, the Providence Grays from 1882-83 and the Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies from 1884-93.



Wright won four National Association pennants and two NL pennants, the latter two in the NL's second and third seasons in 1877 and '78. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a pioneer/executive in 1953.
Pam Guzzi, Wright's great-great-granddaughter, told the Times that her family has few of Wright's artifacts.



"It seems odd to me," Guzzi said. "Why would someone have them if they weren't related to him? Why would they be in their grandmother's attic?"

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From MLB.com:


By Bobbie Dittmeier / MLB.com


07/03/09 8:35 AM ET


Letters written to Harry Wright, a Hall of Fame manager from the earliest days of professional baseball, have been temporarily pulled from an auction because of an FBI investigation into whether they may have been taken years ago from the New York Public Library.



The New York Times reported on Friday that Hunt Auctions was scheduled to sell some of the items, part of a collection of letters, pictures and ledgers from Wright's career that were kept in scrapbooks, on July 14 at the Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest in St. Louis. Hunt Auctions suspended bidding on Thursday.



David Hunt, the president of Hunt Auctions, told the Times that he had not seen "one piece of evidence" indicating that the items were inappropriate for sale. "It's a nice, conservative approach for a few days," Hunt said.
Wright was the manager, general manager and center fielder for the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, widely regarded to have been the first team comprised entirely of paid professionals, and spent 23 years as a manager in organized professional baseball. He willed his archives to baseball in 1894, a year before his death, according to the Times, which said that the collection was donated in 1921 to the library, from which some of the materials went missing more than 20 years ago.



Four Wright scrapbooks were originally at the library as part of the Spalding Collection, named after Albert G. Spalding, another baseball pioneer. The Times reported that one scrapbook remains at the library, which has a list of three scrapbooks of letters that were written to Wright during the 1870s, '80s and '90s. Of the 25 Wright lots listed in the auction, at least 23 are from that period.



The FBI confirmed that it is investigating the matter, the Times reported, and the newspaper said that Hunt would not identify the person who consigned the items, only that the person said the letters had been in the estate of a grandparent. Hunt said before Thursday's suspension of the auction that he was confident the letters had not been part of the library's collection.



"Is it my sense that these are people that I might have some suspect of being involved in this hobby for many, many years and of removing things from that sort of institution?" Hunt asked. "No. Not whatsoever.
"If there's anything concrete or documented that shows me that this is property that should not be sold or, at a minimum, should be pulled until it's fully documented, then that's what will happen, period."



Hunt Auctions was hired by Major League Baseball to conduct the sales, which, according to the company's web site, includes more than 775 items whose sales will be completed at FanFest. The Times said the company estimated that the Wright collection could sell for $35,000-$55,000.
Matt Bourne, Major League Baseball's vice president for business public relations, said in a statement that Hunt had told MLB of suspension of the sale of the Wright materials. "We are eagerly awaiting further information on this matter," he said.



Following the Cincinnati Red Stockings, Wright managed the Boston Red Stockings of the National Association from 1871-75, then moved to the newly created National League, managing the Boston Red Caps from 1876-81, the Providence Grays from 1882-83 and the Philadelphia Quakers/Phillies from 1884-93.



Wright won four National Association pennants and two NL pennants, the latter two in the NL's second and third seasons in 1877 and '78. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a pioneer/executive in 1953.
Pam Guzzi, Wright's great-great-granddaughter, told the Times that her family has few of Wright's artifacts.



"It seems odd to me," Guzzi said. "Why would someone have them if they weren't related to him? Why would they be in their grandmother's attic?"

Just got in from a swim, and there you have it.

Another astute forum member.....all over it. This site is priceless.

Thanks Anthony

[buc]

The lots are completely gone now.

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Wow, I get the feeling the consigner of those lots has a LOT of explaining to do to the Feds.

I wouldn't want to be in the position of having to drag MY grandparents into a big fat lie about these items being "in their attic" for many years, when in fact they are stolen property.

This ought to be real interesting as the story emerges in the months ahead.

[jonincleve]

there is a really good post about the wright letters going on over at the net54 board. worth reading if you are into vintage memorabilia.

take care
john