Grey Flannel question

[kingjammy24]

Grey Flannel sells jerseys on it's Website. (From the "Sales Inventory", not the auctions). Are these jerseys that have been purchased by Grey Flannel or consigned to them? If they're jerseys that have been purchased, do they come with a Grey Flannel LOA? That is, have they been authenticated by Grey Flannel?

I've never bought from them so I was curious how they work.

Rudy.

[trsent]

Grey Flannel sells jerseys on it's Website. (From the "Sales Inventory", not the auctions). Are these jerseys that have been purchased by Grey Flannel or consigned to them? If they're jerseys that have been purchased, do they come with a Grey Flannel LOA? That is, have they been authenticated by Grey Flannel?

I've never bought from them so I was curious how they work.

I know how to find your answer, Rudy!!!

Grey Flannel

8 Moniebogue Lane
Westhampton Beach, NY 11978
Business - 631-288-7800
Fax - 631-288-7820
Toll Free - 800-242-8647
gfcsports@aol.com

Now, you can call them and pay for the call, you can fax them and pay for the call, or you can call them toll free, and you don't even have to pay for the call. Wait, if you wish, you can email them at the email address just by clicking the gfcsports@aol.com found above. Oh wait, look, again you can just click the underlined email address in my previous sentence. Oh wait, if you have .39 cents, you can also write them a letter via US Mail, but I would include a SASE to receive your answer or you may never receive a reply. I guess then it will cost an extra .39 cents.

I'm so silly when I am just waking up and getting ready for a 3AM date.

I'll bet all their game used items come with their letter, even though I can't find anywhere on the web site that states as such.

[metsbats86]

Don't mean to digress from the initial thread posting but..

We hardly hear of any positive stories about Grey Flannel on this forum. Back in the early ninties Frank Barning featured me in his Barnstorming column in SCD as I wanted to correspond with fellow 86 Met collectors. The column mentioned that I was having a hard time acquiring an Ed Hearn GU bat. Rich Russek sent me an unsolicited email stating he had Ed Hearn and Roger McDowell GU bats available and offered them both to me for $75 each. The Hearn bat was even an 86 NLCS orange ring bat!

Needless to say I immediately took him up on his offer and he even include a GF LOA. This is something I'll always be grateful for and thought it was a nice gesture for an auction house to go out of it's way to contact a collector to help fill a need.

Rich if you are reading this Thanks Again!

Regards,
David Louie

[trsent]

David, what is funny is very rarely is this forum used to discuss positive experiences in the industry. I have had many great workings with Grey Flannel myself. We often only hear the negatives because so many people just like to dwell on them because why talk about the positives?

Great story, by the way!

[EndzoneSports]

David, what is funny is very rarely is this forum used to discuss positive experiences in the industry...

Having been involved in the collectibles hobby for about 30 years and collecting/researching game-used jerseys for nearly 20 of those years now, I can share a brief review of my experiences:

• I've had several wonderfully, positive experiences dealing with Grey Flannel (mostly with Andy I.) and have added a number of their pieces to my personal collection; I've also found myself VERY disappointed with them at times for some of the blunders that have slipped through the cracks.
• I've had positive experiences with Lou Lampson at times, and at others, I've beat my head against the wall wondering what planet he was from
• I've bought a number of quality pieces from American Memorabilia's auctions and have received top-notch service from Vic M & Co., then again, I've also butted heads with them in frustration on a number of occasions when they were proved dead wrong, but refused to budge
• Etc, etc (fill in the name of dealer/authenticator)

So what does this tell you? On any given day a person may have positive or negative encounters with any given dealer/authenticator and no one single experience makes or breaks a reputation.

This forum (and others like it, I have found) tends to be a refuge for people to air their petty gripes and frustrations. As someone immersed in a business heavily dependant upon quality, I find that this board is a micro chasm of society in general in terms of views on quality/service.... When someone is treated well, they may very likely tell someone else; when they're treated poorly rest assured that they'll tell 10 people.

Regards,

[kingjammy24]

Patrick,

During your numerous dealings with GF, did you purchase items from them which they owned (as opposed to auction/consigned items)? Were these items authenticated by GF and include a GF LOA?

If the answer to my original thread question is yes, then I'd like to pose a follow-up question. (Just to make sure my intentions aren't misinterpreted, rest assured I genuinely want to know the answer. I'm not trying to fan any flames here). My follow-up question to all forum members:

- Is it not a huge, irreconcilable conflict of interest when a dealer directly sells items that only they themselves (or their directly employed authenticators) have authenticated?

It's a fundamental tenet that appraisers shouldn't sell or buy items they have appraised. I think the reasons are obvious. Most professional auction houses, antique stores, art houses, etc are aware of this basic rule. GF is in a 'challenging' situation because they're one of the few businesses that states it's both a dealer and authenticator. Most are either dealers or authenticators or auction houses but not all 3 at once. In an arrangement of this nature, it would require a good amount of effort to ensure the different sides don't affect each other. When substantial profits come into play there may be a good deal of 'subtle' pressure from the Sales dept on the Authentication department. I imagine the only way to ensure an ethical business of this nature is to refuse to sell or buy any items submitted for authentication and conversely to sell only items which have been authenticated by a third party. Note: LOA's are different than warranties. Warranties outline the buyer's recourse. LOA's state authenticity.
Does GF really sell items they've authenticated?

Rudy.

[trsent]

- Is it not a huge, irreconcilable conflict of interest when a dealer directly sells items that only they themselves (or their directly employed authenticators) have authenticated?

Does GF really sell items they've authenticated?

Rudy, common, you are going to lose this one.

Doesn't MEARS publish which items they have a finical interest in major auctions somewhere?

What is the difference. They authenticate an item and then they sell it with their letter. I do not believe this to be a conflict. If it is, then Upper Deck Authenticated would be out of line selling merchandise with their letter of authenticity, right?

I like having debates, but I do not find much point to your issues with this topic. If a buyer has an issue with an item from Grey Flannel, they can send it to MEARS or Lou Lampson to have them authenticate it. I believe all items in the GF Auction come with a Grey Flannel letter, why is this a conflict to you?

They authenticate an item, find it valid and sell it - What are they doing wrong?

[EndzoneSports]

Patrick,

During your numerous dealings with GF, did you purchase items from them which they owned (as opposed to auction/consigned items)? Were these items authenticated by GF and include a GF LOA?

If the answer to my original thread question is yes, then I'd like to pose a follow-up question. (Just to make sure my intentions aren't misinterpreted, rest assured I genuinely want to know the answer. I'm not trying to fan any flames here). My follow-up question to all forum members:

- Is it not a huge, irreconcilable conflict of interest when a dealer directly sells items that only they themselves (or their directly employed authenticators) have authenticated?

It's a fundamental tenet that appraisers shouldn't sell or buy items they have appraised. I think the reasons are obvious. Most professional auction houses, antique stores, art houses, etc are aware of this basic rule. GF is in a 'challenging' situation because they're one of the few businesses that states it's both a dealer and authenticator. Most are either dealers or authenticators or auction houses but not all 3 at once. In an arrangement of this nature, it would require a good amount of effort to ensure the different sides don't affect each other. When substantial profits come into play there may be a good deal of 'subtle' pressure from the Sales dept on the Authentication department. I imagine the only way to ensure an ethical business of this nature is to refuse to sell or buy any items submitted for authentication and conversely to sell only items which have been authenticated by a third party. Note: LOA's are different than warranties. Warranties outline the buyer's recourse. LOA's state authenticity.
Does GF really sell items they've authenticated?

Rudy.

Rudy-

I have both purchased items outright and through their auctions. If I remember correctly, all itmes that come from GF will come with their LOA, regardless of method of sale.

As to your follow-up question, I'll leave that one alone. I have my own personal opinion of LOAs in general and since the parties involved in this debate appear to also be entrenched with their minds already made up, thowing out my biased opinion will only add fuel to the fire.


Regards,