A Bradshaw Beauty...

[aeneas01]

here's a beautiful reproduction currently listed on ebay - frankly, i don't think it would be possible to find a nicer representation short of bradshaw's actual lid. and, fwiw, the seller waterschas is as good as it gets as well....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320130776619&rd=1&rd=1

[mvandor]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

$2,000 for a reproduction???

C'mon, man.

[worldchamps]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

This is my favorite line

Unless you already own one, this is the closest you will ever get to a game used Bradshaw helmet without spending thousands


Price $1,995 (which to me is thousands)

[aeneas01]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

$2,000 for a reproduction???

C'mon, man.

sure, it's a reproduction (and refreshingly listed as such) but a pretty special one imo - a completely different animal than the ocean of easy to replicate and readily available cookie-cutter reproductions found today; many which are presented as "game issued" and, in some cases, offered with starting prices as high as $1,000 (see ga's "game issue" brady helmets).

for those like me that are into collecting vintage football helmets, the extremely rare rawlings hnd9 "ridge" helmet is about as good as it gets - even if it's a reproduction. is it worth $2k? imo yes, but that's just my opinion - if it were bradshaw's actual hnd9 ridge with proof of provenance, i suspect it would fetch over $20k.

This is my favorite line

Unless you already own one, this is the closest you will ever get to a game used Bradshaw helmet without spending thousands

Price $1,995 (which to me is thousands)

i agree and thought this was worded poorly....

[kingjammy24]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

"..is it worth $2k? imo yes, but that's just my opinion - if it were bradshaw's actual hnd9 ridge with proof of provenance, i suspect it would fetch over $20k."

and the eyes of ebay flippers everywhere light up.

save those pics. i'm hard pressed to believe this helmet won't end up at an auction house in the next 6 months as "the finest bradshaw gamer to hit the market".

rudy.

[beantown]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

sure, it's a reproduction (and refreshingly listed as such) but a pretty special one imo - a completely different animal than the ocean of easy to replicate and readily available cookie-cutter reproductions found today; many which are presented as "game issued" and, in some cases, offered with starting prices as high as $1,000 (see ga's "game issue" brady helmets).

for those like me that are into collecting vintage football helmets, the extremely rare rawlings hnd9 "ridge" helmet is about as good as it gets - even if it's a reproduction. is it worth $2k? imo yes, but that's just my opinion - if it were bradshaw's actual hnd9 ridge with proof of provenance, i suspect it would fetch over $20k.

I'm in agreement with aeneas01....sure it's a reproduction, but it's EXTREMELEY rare and imo, well worth it!!! I would rather have this than the Bradshaw Maxpro that was sold recently on Ebay through Heritage Auctions. The was alleged to be game worn, but from what I know about a Maxpro Bradshaw, I did not like it for a game used helmet....just my thoughts...

[otismalibu]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

Looks good, but that price seems a little steep.

I can understand wanting a replica that is very close to the real deal. I've seen some offerings from mask makers who can create vintage goalie masks that look almost exactly like the original. Original Cheevers & Parent masks have each fetched around $20,000 in the past few years. But you can get a hand made copy for around $500. I would think there is substantially more craftsmanship going into a hand made fiberglass mask than simply matching up grills and stickers on a helmet.

[mvandor]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

All I can say to you guys that see a copy of ANY helmet being worth $2,000 is you have WAY too much money, you've definitely lost all sense of value!

[beantown]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

All I can say to you guys that see a copy of ANY helmet being worth $2,000 is you have WAY too much money, you've definitely lost all sense of value!

I have to disagree....you don't understand how RARE this helmet is...there are vintage helmets that are just RARE and this is one of them. I know the price is steep, but imo it correlates to the rarity of the helmet.

[mvandor]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

I have to disagree....you don't understand how RARE this helmet is...there are vintage helmets that are just RARE and this is one of them. I know the price is steep, but imo it correlates to the rarity of the helmet.

We'll see, thus far zero bids, only one offer (at obviously a lower price).

[aeneas01]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

i think it's important to remember that the term "reproduction" isn't a one size fits all proposition, at least not in my opinion.

what makes the bradshaw helmet in question so valuable, even though it is indeed a reproduction, is the inherent rarity of the helmet itself, an original rawlings hnd9 ridge. rawlings only produced this particular model for about two years and finding one these days is no easy task. especially finding one complete with original leather padding, including jaw pads, that is in good repair and one that matches the size bradshaw wore. throw in the very rare xl-opo schutt facemask that's included, albeit also reconditioned, and you are talking about a pretty special helmet.

what i've always found interesting about this particular rawlings model is the very few number of players that actually wore it - i mean if bradshaw and dorsett never bothered with it, which was apparently the case with most players, then the helmet would probably be looked at as nothing more than oddity today and not worth very much at all.

the rawlings non-ridge hnd9 pro model, a beautiful classic worn by many nfl greats and other players during the 60s and 70s, is almost as rare as the hnd9 ridge model even though it was much, much more widely used.

and the eyes of ebay flippers everywhere light up. save those pics. i'm hard pressed to believe this helmet won't end up at an auction house in the next 6 months as "the finest bradshaw gamer to hit the market".

even given the liitle faith i have in professional authenticators, this helmet would be hard pressed to get by even the most sloppy for various reasons. for one, this shell has been painted black as opposed to being made of black plastic as was the case with bradshaw's original lid. heck, if an impreganted black hnd9 ridge shell hit the market it would probably fetch thousands on its own, even if it weren't turned into a beautiful reproduction - and probably because of exacty what you were referring to! and some authenticator would probably give it his stamp of approval simply based on the fact that it was black impregnated shell!

[mvandor]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

Well, if you guys are right, I'm wondering why you haven't made a move for it at that price. Or anyone else for that matter?

I'm betting he'll get lowball offers, but NO ONE will use the Buy it Now at that price. We'll see how the market judges value on this.

My view is anyone that can afford to flush 2GR on a repro, probably either has a serious addiction to collecting or is sickly wealthy. The wealthy, BTW, IMHO wouldn't waste their effort on anything that wasn't genuine game used.

[beantown]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

Well, if you guys are right, I'm wondering why you haven't made a move for it at that price. Or anyone else for that matter?

I'm betting he'll get lowball offers, but NO ONE will use the Buy it Now at that price. We'll see how the market judges value on this.

My view is anyone that can afford to flush 2GR on a repro, probably either has a serious addiction to collecting or is sickly wealthy. The wealthy, BTW, IMHO wouldn't waste their effort on anything that wasn't genuine game used.

I'm actually in the process of having several reproduction helmets made, to include the Bradshaw Rawlings Ridge...otherwise I would have jumped on this! I'm also the individual who has been looking for the leather X-Large jaw pads (thick) for my reproduction...once I have all my reproductions completed, I will post....

[aeneas01]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

Well, if you guys are right, I'm wondering why you haven't made a move for it at that price. Or anyone else for that matter?.

really, no offense, but i find the above reasoning as difficult to understand as your thoughts regarding lambeauleeper - "You don't usually reserve fraudulent items or at least ones you KNOW are fraudulent. You also don't usually do such low volume."

does everyone jump at items they believe to be priced fairly or worth the asking price - i know i don't, especially when it comes to expensive items. perhaps this is the case if something is priced at a steal, but i don't think anyone has suggested that the seller is giving this lid away!

and also, fwiw, the seller hasn't done himself any favors by the way he has categorized it - he clearly screwed up on this and i believe it's impacting the number of views.

Listed in category: Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop > Fan Apparel & Souvenirs > Football-NFL > Miami Dolphins > Helmets

i think it's difficult to properly explain what those that collect vintage items, items that will never again be manufactured, find so appealing about these relics from the past - especially very rare items. maybe it's a sense of preserving time or the thought of being a custodian of something nearing extinction - or maybe it's as simple as just appreciating a piece of history, frozen in time. whatever the case, it's great and something i just can't get from modern collectibles.

I'm actually in the process of having several reproduction helmets made, to include the Bradshaw Rawlings Ridge...otherwise I would have jumped on this! I'm also the individual who has been looking for the leather X-Large jaw pads (thick) for my reproduction...once I have all my reproductions completed, I will post....

i'm very much looking forward to seeing the results - i know they are going to be outstanding! are you planning on getting helmet hut's assistance? i'm not a particularly big fan of their line of products but one thing i will say about them without reservation - their helmet paint jobs could easily be the best available on earth!

[mvandor]

Re: A Bradshaw Beauty...

really, no offense, but i find the above reasoning as difficult to understand as your thoughts regarding lambeauleeper - "You don't usually reserve fraudulent items or at least ones you KNOW are fraudulent. You also don't usually do such low volume."

does everyone jump at items they believe to be priced fairly or worth the asking price - i know i don't, especially when it comes to expensive items. perhaps this is the case if something is priced at a steal, but i don't think anyone has suggested that the seller is giving this lid away!

Your first paragraph is clearly apples and oranges, you're bringing in a completely different subject there that has no relativity to this discussion.

My point is simple, it's a wonderful re-creation, however, IMHO it's worth NOWHERE near what he's asking. IMO, $500 if you want to get Bradshaw's sig on it, MAYBE $700 with it. I appreciate it may be a rare shell, however, I just don't see the value in it you do, and I suspect the market will agree. It will move, but at an appreciably lower price, I expect.

Will be interesting to see, but we'll probably never know if he takes an offer at what price it was sold.