Authentication Takes Time - Lampson

[aeneas01]

http://gavelchat.sportscollectorsdigest.com/

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

"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..."

"it's a labor of love, so to speak..."

just what a collector wants to hear from the "expert" that authenticated their big-buck piece of game-used equipment, from the "expert" that issued the letter of authenticity for their piece - btw, last i checked a "labor of love" didn't involve getting paid...

[sylbry]

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]

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]

Robert,
Did you get my PM?

[aeneas01]

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]

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

[possum]

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

[BULBUS]

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]

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]

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!