AMI Auction: What Happened???

[sarahsdad]

I have never purchased or consigned anything to AMI. And I never will. And I will never do business with any entity that does not pay its consigners. And the reason being is really quite simple. Because the poor individual who consigned their item will probably never get paid for their item. So the next time you place a bid with a deadbeat company think of the poor individual on the consigning end who is not going to get paid. And then determine if you really want to go through with your bid. If you do then you are just as big of a deadbeat as the auction house. You are excited to get your item but the poor guy on the other end has to hire a lawyer after months/years of trying to collect their money on their own. I have sold many items. Sometimes just to thin out my collection. Other times because the car broke down or a payment was due on my kids braces. So not being paid could have potentially caused a hardship. But since I purposefully stay away from deadbeat entities I substantially limit my exposure to not being paid. I suggest we all stay away from deadbeat entities. I have seen the power of this Forum in action. This Forum really does have the ability to determine who stays in business and who does not.
Sarahsdad

[sportscentury]

Suicide - haven't put on the gloves with you at all. Just wanted to hear the story, and your thoughts, and was confused as to why you (someone who is usually very outspoken) weren't sharing. Just curiosity, my friend. I really didn't think that my posts were all that provocative. I've come to expect a certain kind of content from your posts, and was just surprised to not see it with respect to AMI.

As for the Corvette, moving out of the country, etc., the same rules apply. I'm just not an ends-justify-the-means kind of guy... but that's just I. I think it's why I have so much trouble with some of these auction houses.

As for sellers, I trust the folks here at GUU (Chris/Eric/Rob/Mike). I love MeiGray. I think John Taube and Vince Malta are terrific. Sellers like Howard Wolf and Andrew Lang are tops. I could go on. I have some NBA and MLB inside sources who are some very fine individuals. So, when desirable items come up in auction houses such as AMI, it's easy for me to pass. It's just a hobby, not my life. I don't need the items. I just want the items.

Again, not putting on the gloves with you. We're having a conversation about the hobby, that is all.

[sportscentury]

I have never purchased or consigned anything to AMI. And I never will. And I will never do business with any entity that does not pay its consigners. And the reason being is really quite simple. Because the poor individual who consigned their item will probably never get paid for their item. So the next time you place a bid with a deadbeat company think of the poor individual on the consigning end who is not going to get paid. And then determine if you really want to go through with your bid. If you do then you are just as big of a deadbeat as the auction house. You are excited to get your item but the poor guy on the other end has to hire a lawyer after months/years of trying to collect their money on their own. I have sold many items. Sometimes just to thin out my collection. Other times because the car broke down or a payment was due on my kids braces. So not being paid could have potentially caused a hardship. But since I purposefully stay away from deadbeat entities I substantially limit my exposure to not being paid. I suggest we all stay away from deadbeat entities. I have seen the power of this Forum in action. This Forum really does have the ability to determine who stays in business and who does not.
Sarahsdad

I agree entirely.

[suicide_squeeze]

I have never purchased or consigned anything to AMI. And I never will. And I will never do business with any entity that does not pay its consigners. And the reason being is really quite simple. Because the poor individual who consigned their item will probably never get paid for their item. So the next time you place a bid with a deadbeat company think of the poor individual on the consigning end who is not going to get paid. And then determine if you really want to go through with your bid. If you do then you are just as big of a deadbeat as the auction house. You are excited to get your item but the poor guy on the other end has to hire a lawyer after months/years of trying to collect their money on their own. I have sold many items. Sometimes just to thin out my collection. Other times because the car broke down or a payment was due on my kids braces. So not being paid could have potentially caused a hardship. But since I purposefully stay away from deadbeat entities I substantially limit my exposure to not being paid. I suggest we all stay away from deadbeat entities. I have seen the power of this Forum in action. This Forum really does have the ability to determine who stays in business and who does not.
Sarahsdad

I see.

So now, our collections are going to subject to sarahsdad's vehicular maintenance, and based on what everyone else in the hobby is selling to these "deadbeat" auction houses......because, by God, we need to make sure the guys who are selling them the sometimes fraudulent things they pass off as legit.....are GETTING PAID for them! Not to mention the very same "consigners" that are selling these items MAY BE shill bidding their items up because they want us highly honest and integrity-latent bidders to pay through the NOSE for what they're selling.


You can't make this stuff up.


Daddy-O......listen my friend, after all the imformation we have at our fingertips, all of the info displayed in a painstakingly open and honest forum right here, which will pop up in the face of anyone doing a minimal and reasonable amount of research upon deciding which companies to consign with.....I don't feel it's a reasonable request to ask members here to refrain from bidding on an item they may seriously want to add to their collection because "consigners aren't getting paid" by this "deadbeat" auction house.

I commend you for your integrity, and righteous and upstanding feelings on the matter.....you are obviously a good man, a great father, and of the straight and narrow which we so desperately need more of in this country.....but you just can't place that perverbial piano on collectors backs like this. It's not fair. Way too extreme. Too many problems with your well-intended theory.

[sarahsdad]

I can only hope that you are the individual on the other end one day. Given your theatrics and drama over your C&D letter along with your neighbor visiting you, I'll bet you would post one hell of a thread. It is good to know where your morals and ethics stand. You would bid on something from AMI knowing that in all probability the individual who consigned the item would not be paid for it. That is what I read in your posts.
Sarahsdad

[suicide_squeeze]

Suicide - haven't put on the gloves with you at all. Just wanted to hear the story, and your thoughts, and was confused as to why you (someone who is usually very outspoken) weren't sharing. Just curiosity, my friend. I really didn't think that my posts were all that provocative. I've come to expect a certain kind of content from your posts, and was just surprised to not see it with respect to AMI.

As for the Corvette, moving out of the country, etc., the same rules apply. I'm just not an ends-justify-the-means kind of guy... but that's just I. I think it's why I have so much trouble with some of these auction houses.

As for sellers, I trust the folks here at GUU (Chris/Eric/Rob/Mike). I love MeiGray. I think John Taube and Vince Malta are terrific. Sellers like Howard Wolf and Andrew Lang are tops. I could go on. I have some NBA and MLB inside sources who are some very fine individuals. So, when desirable items come up in auction houses such as AMI, it's easy for me to pass. It's just a hobby, not my life. I don't need the items. I just want the items.

Again, not putting on the gloves with you. We're having a conversation about the hobby, that is all.

Nice post....


I'm going to be honest with you. I never intended to stick up for AMI. They have made their bed, and it's impossible for them to sleep in it these days.

I just don't feel the need to kick a man while he's down, so to speak. That's dangerous business.

I will always express my knowledge and experience with the forum, as I would hope the same from everybody. But I do have to make sure that I state things with factual knowledge and back-up...proof, if you will.

Look, I'm not arguing with reason, or integrity, or anything that would add to making our collecting environment better. These bad houses....they are being exposed, busted, and dealing with the fall out as it happens. They have their hands full now. So it would only make sense that they might be looking for a major lawsuit (libel, defamation of character, etc.) to help them along in their plight for survival. I don't want to be involved with it.

I don't disagree with the basis of your comments or even sarahsdad for that matter. I just want to point out that there is a point where doing the right thing on a principle is self defeating. It's not like you have two ropes, one in each hand, and you can't hold the weight of each rock climber any longer, so you need to let go of one to save the other......this is not that serious.

We collect game used/worn/involved items. They are non duplicative. They are one-of-a-kinder's. It's just not a wise decision, as a collector, to go to your auto "NO WAY" predetermined action towards items being offered by questionable sources if it fills a major void in your collection. That's a self defeating practice.

That is my ONLY point here. Past that.......I couldn't agree with you guys more.

I would suggest that we are talking about maybe one, possible two items a year? Is THAT going to keep a large auction house in biz?

Is THAT going to help them in their plight to obtain more consignments with all the bad press out there available to educate potential consigners as to what's going on? I mean, you'd have to be in a cave with no electricity to not know what's going on there....

With the exception of the great guys here running this GUU forum (haven't found anything offered here yet that fills a void in my collection), I have boughten from all of the guys you mentioned, Andrew Lang being most recent here. He filled a MAJOR void in my collection, and I will always be greatful to him for it. But you mention John Taube and Vince Malta.....they have worked for and with Victor at AMI for many years.....so what's up with that?

My point is, where do you draw the line in the sand that you absolutely will not cross?

You need to be objective, use common sense, and make clear educated and well-thought out decisions in each and every case. To throw a blanket statement that you'll "never" buy from an auction house because of this and that....just doesn't work.

I will leave it at this......I truly hope you understand where I'm coming from. I'm with you on 99% of the issues being discussed here. I just can't say "never" to the whole package, because I would be lying to myself and all of you if I did, as explained.

Keep up the good fight, you guys are on the correct path. Our hobby, and the industry, is improving every day. You can't say that about a lot of industries in our world, it's something to be proud of.

[suicide_squeeze]

I can only hope that you are the individual on the other end one day. Given your theatrics and drama over your C&D letter along with your neighbor visiting you, I'll bet you would post one hell of a thread. It is good to know where your morals and ethics stand. You would bid on something from AMI knowing that in all probability the individual who consigned the item would not be paid for it. That is what I read in your posts.
Sarahsdad

Sadly.....that is what you would read in my posts.

And for what it's worth, my so-called "neighbor" that came to visit me? It was anything but a friendly visit. There were other things at play there I am not at liberty to discuss.

If I am bidding on anything that AMI is auctioning off these days, dad, I am smart enough to know that it is either:

A) Listed from a friend or aquaintance of someone at AMI;

B) Supplied to AMI by one of the many "sources" that feed items to AMI to auction off;

C) Is something consigned by an individual who is using AMI as a last resort because the item has either been turned down by other auction houses based on authenticity, desirability, or otherwise.

If you don't understand these things, then all I can recommend to you is to stick around and keep reading, my friend. Education is a wonderful thing.

I would also urge you to reread my posts on this thread, because you missed something.....the meaning of all my words.......the first time around.

[earlywynnfan]

I see.

So now, our collections are going to subject to sarahsdad's vehicular maintenance, and based on what everyone else in the hobby is selling to these "deadbeat" auction houses......because, by God, we need to make sure the guys who are selling them the sometimes fraudulent things they pass off as legit.....are GETTING PAID for them! Not to mention the very same "consigners" that are selling these items MAY BE shill bidding their items up because they want us highly honest and integrity-latent bidders to pay through the NOSE for what they're selling.


You can't make this stuff up.


Daddy-O......listen my friend, after all the imformation we have at our fingertips, all of the info displayed in a painstakingly open and honest forum right here, which will pop up in the face of anyone doing a minimal and reasonable amount of research upon deciding which companies to consign with.....I don't feel it's a reasonable request to ask members here to refrain from bidding on an item they may seriously want to add to their collection because "consigners aren't getting paid" by this "deadbeat" auction house.

I commend you for your integrity, and righteous and upstanding feelings on the matter.....you are obviously a good man, a great father, and of the straight and narrow which we so desperately need more of in this country.....but you just can't place that perverbial piano on collectors backs like this. It's not fair. Way too extreme. Too many problems with your well-intended theory.

Do you go out of your way to be arrogant and abusive towards those with differing opinions? Half of your posts seem intelligent and positive towards the purpose of the forum, but the other half only seem to exist to belittle those who don't agree with you. Maybe you might want to re-read what you've typed before hitting "submit," asking yourself "how am I coming across here?" I work with children all day long, and I wouldn't dream of talking to them like you talk to some of your fellow collectors.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[sarahsdad]

He is what he is. We have all read his posts and have all drawn our own conclusions. AMI has already admitted not being able to pay their consignors yet they still continue to take consignments and people continue to bid on them now knowing that the consignors will not be paid. And Suicide Squeeze, in his posts, will buy their items knowing all of this. Enough Said. I am not a legal scholar, some would argue that I am not even a scholar but in my opinion that puts stolen property in your possession. You would not want me on the jury sitting in judgement of you. But to each his own. I, for one,will not participate in that. This is a hobby. Not bread on my table.

[suicide_squeeze]

Do you go out of your way to be arrogant and abusive towards those with differing opinions? Half of your posts seem intelligent and positive towards the purpose of the forum, but the other half only seem to exist to belittle those who don't agree with you. Maybe you might want to re-read what you've typed before hitting "submit," asking yourself "how am I coming across here?" I work with children all day long, and I wouldn't dream of talking to them like you talk to some of your fellow collectors.

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

No, Ken, I'm good, thanks.

I don't need to reread anything. Obviously you have no knowledge of sarahsdad's previous attacks directed ONLY at me, so I'll take that into consideration in your mistakingly accusing me of "going out of your way to be arrogant and abusive towards those with differing opinions?" If he were simply posting here because he had a different opinion, it would read that way. But it doesn't. He is posting because he wants to pick up the sword again...

Maybe you should reread sarahsdad's post where he is not-so-subtlety refers to anyone who doesn't agree with his view as a "deadbeat". Or, if we want to be men about this whole thing and call it on it's face value, he is ONLY referring to me.

In the meantime, have a nice day.