Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

[nomarmauerfan]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

Brett,
If it makes you feel any better (and I doubt it will), I won a Morneau bat from Vintage Authentics a few months ago. MEARS' rationale for passing the bat were 2 photos where he was using a black Max bat (both photos are of Justin with his red/brown BWP bat) and a third picture with the Getty identifying number. Unfortunately, that number takes you to a picture of the Pope (I kid you not). So, no one is ever 100% right. I wish you the best of luck finding a match so you can get that "Aha" moment.

Mike

[kingjammy24]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

hey brett

mears said that they originally dated this helmet from 1982-85 via the "ABC pinwheel". i don't know if they were referring to the production date or the range that this style was in use. i'm guessing the former. do you know what years this specific style was used?

it seems to me that the entire thing hinges on whether or not the orioles would recycle a used helmet from one player to another. while i have absolutely no clue on that issue, it seems "capricious and arbritary" (as cosmo kramer would say) for mears to automatically rule out use by ripken based solely and entirely on a number change. by doing so, mears has pretty much concluded that the orioles did not recycle helmets. granted, if mears had said it could've been used by ripken then they'd be stating that the orioles did recycle helmets.

all of that said, you could ignore that entire issue simply by focusing on finding a photomatch. narrow down the years ripken could've possibly used the helmet. it shouldn't be that hard if you're willing to really go at it. you mentioned a $500 offer for a "solid photomatch". $500 to take your $250 helmet as it stands and turn it into a "$5k or $6k" helmet? that is, you're willing to pay someone $500 in order for them to make you $5k? you can do better than that. if someone's going to make you $5k, at least toss them $2k and if you're willing to spend $2k then i'd contact barry meisel. meigray offers a premier photomatching service and $2k would more than cover their cost. if barry matches it, it'll be a real, undeniable match. i'm sure they'd even toss in a 16x20 full glossy photo of the match. it won't be some fuzzy blob nonsense. the unfortunate thing is that they charge even if they don't find a match. apparently all the time spent is worth something. it's a roll of the dice on your end but it may end up being a bonanza. if ripken did indeed wear the helmet, it should be apparent during the appropriate timeframe. a well banged-up helmet isn't a hard thing to match.

earlier you said "Even if I can somehow photomatch it..there will always now be questions about its authenticity and most likely nobody will touch it with a ten foot pole". no. if you photomatch it, there will be no questions about it and you can pretty much toss the MEARS LOA in the garbage. a genuine, solid photomatch trumps everything. unlike some authenticator's opinion, a photomatch is undeniable, verifiable fact. if you find a photomatch of ripken wearing the helmet, then nothing else matters. not the number change, not the MEARS LOA. the photomatch will have proven that your helmet was worn in action by ripken. end of story.

good luck,

rudy.

[kingjammy24]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

A 100% photomatch, in which case I would return it to Mears and have them reevaluate it with the new info.

if you got a 100% photomatch, then what's left to re-evaluate? why even go back to mears? so mears can tell you what's already clear to everyone else? "yup. that's a photomatch alright". a photomatch is worth infinitely more than any A10 letter.

it'd be like winning the presidency of the united states just so you can earn enough money to campaign to be president of your high school photography club.

rudy.

[mr.miracle]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

hey brett

mears said that they originally dated this helmet from 1982-85 via the "ABC pinwheel". i don't know if they were referring to the production date or the range that this style was in use. i'm guessing the former. do you know what years this specific style was used?

it seems to me that the entire thing hinges on whether or not the orioles would recycle a used helmet from one player to another. while i have absolutely no clue on that issue, it seems "capricious and arbritary" (as cosmo kramer would say) for mears to automatically rule out use by ripken based solely and entirely on a number change. by doing so, mears has pretty much concluded that the orioles did not recycle helmets. granted, if mears had said it could've been used by ripken then they'd be stating that the orioles did recycle helmets.

all of that said, you could ignore that entire issue simply by focusing on finding a photomatch. narrow down the years ripken could've possibly used the helmet. it shouldn't be that hard if you're willing to really go at it. you mentioned a $500 offer for a "solid photomatch". $500 to take your $250 helmet as it stands and turn it into a "$5k or $6k" helmet? that is, you're willing to pay someone $500 in order for them to make you $5k? you can do better than that. if someone's going to make you $5k, at least toss them $2k and if you're willing to spend $2k then i'd contact barry meisel. meigray offers a premier photomatching service and $2k would more than cover their cost. if barry matches it, it'll be a real, undeniable match. i'm sure they'd even toss in a 16x20 full glossy photo of the match. it won't be some fuzzy blob nonsense. the unfortunate thing is that they charge even if they don't find a match. apparently all the time spent is worth something. it's a roll of the dice on your end but it may end up being a bonanza. if ripken did indeed wear the helmet, it should be apparent during the appropriate timeframe. a well banged-up helmet isn't a hard thing to match.

earlier you said "Even if I can somehow photomatch it..there will always now be questions about its authenticity and most likely nobody will touch it with a ten foot pole". no. if you photomatch it, there will be no questions about it and you can pretty much toss the MEARS LOA in the garbage. a genuine, solid photomatch trumps everything. unlike some authenticator's opinion, a photomatch is undeniable, verifiable fact. if you find a photomatch of ripken wearing the helmet, then nothing else matters. not the number change, not the MEARS LOA. the photomatch will have proven that your helmet was worn in action by ripken. end of story.

good luck,

rudy.

Thanks for the tips Rudy. Good call on the photomatch. Okay, $2k it is for a complete full photomatch with giant glossy images. If anybody wants to have at it, please feel free. I might just contact Barry and see what he has to say. Of course, I cannot offer $2k if it does not match so that might preclude me from using their services depending on what their research price is per hour etc. Anyone know where they have any of this info. specified? I did not see anything on their website about photomatching services.

Thanks,

[kingjammy24]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

Thanks for the tips Rudy. Good call on the photomatch. Okay, $2k it is for a complete full photomatch with giant glossy images. If anybody wants to have at it, please feel free. I might just contact Barry and see what he has to say. Of course, I cannot offer $2k if it does not match so that might preclude me from using their services depending on what their research price is per hour etc. Anyone know where they have any of this info. specified? I did not see anything on their website about photomatching services.

Thanks,

in 2007, i inquired with barry about photomatching an item of mine. it wasn't a high value item, but simply one that i would've loved to see in-action. i didn't doubt the authenticity or want to add value to it. it just would've made the item even better to me personally to see a photo of it in-action.

here the gist of his response at that time:

"The fee is regardless of whether the jersey can be photo-matched, but rest assured we first discuss the likelihood of matching based on available photos. If you ask us to match a jersey of a player who played one major-league game and we know that there are two photos on file for him, we're not going to waste our time or your money charging to research...

..Generally, the charge is $50 and up, based on the jersey and the amount of research necessary ... and there is an additional cost to provide the photographic LOA if we find a photo-match.

Ballpark average cost (not a price quote, however)? $100 for middle of the road priced jerseys, $200 for higher end stuff....
...Depending upon the sport, era, event, Getty might have more photos than is posted on their website. But that's when the greater research time comes in. We have access to their facility in New York City, where they have millions more photos. Basically, from before the internet and digital photography, there are reams of pictures that slowly but surely get digitized and loaded onto their site.

..for us to research a jersey like that, it would take time and would cost money...

..As far as if you see a jersey on Getty, with access to download and enlarge and really work with the actual downloaded photos, not just the ones you see with the watermarks, we can often conclusively photo-match...So it's always case-by-case."

for most common items, i don't think their value would justify the cost of having meigray do a photomatch. you'll spend more on the photomatch than the item is worth. however, in your case, you have what could potentially be a premier item; in your words a "$5k or $6k helmet". as it stands now, you have a $250 conversation piece and you could potentially be sitting on a 100% photomatched early ripken helmet. with a potential piece like that and you willing to spend the amount you're willing to spend on a match, i'd definitely contact barry. i'd do my best to narrow down the possible years first though as that would help barry and cut down on your costs. whatever you see on gettyimages.com is only a fraction of what getty really has in total. as he said, barry has access to "millions" of more photos from getty's nyc facility that getty simply hasn't gotten around to uploading onto their site. as well, when any of us look on getty, we're looking at pretty small images. there were times i thought i could photomatch something if only the image was larger and i could ascertain more of the detail more clearly. when barry looks at getty photos, he's got access to the high-res stuff. it makes a world of difference.

rudy.

[camarokids]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

Hi Brett,

No disrespect intended on posting. I just saw the high price and posted the thread.

You can set your BIN to automatically reject offers.

I would also recommend contacting Mr. Ripken and asking him.

Or does anyone have contact info for the O's EM during this timeframe?

Good Luck!

[mr.miracle]

Re: Cal Ripken GU Helmet for only $5.995 Million!!!

Hi Brett,

No disrespect intended on posting. I just saw the high price and posted the thread.

You can set your BIN to automatically reject offers.

I would also recommend contacting Mr. Ripken and asking him.

Or does anyone have contact info for the O's EM during this timeframe?

Good Luck!

No problem, sorry I flew off the handle guys. That price is absolutely ridiculous and I totally understand your points on this. No offense taken from your post or any of the others. I appreciate the ideas and feedback.

Ironmanfan - Perhaps if you read this thread you could confirm, would Cal ever offer an opinion on this or any other game used piece that is presumed to be his? Do you have any first hand knowledge or idea? My guess would be that he would not certainly not in the form of writing game used on the item or signing a letter attesting to the fact. In which case, that really does not help me. If I wanted to sell the helmet, telling people that Cal Ripken personally examined the helmet and gave it the thumbs up would not really carry too much weight.