- initially, mastro didn't know that the facemask was changed. they even said the 2-bar and 3-bar mask were the same. the change hadn't even occurred to them. once made aware, they had to "investigate" what happened. this seems to indicate that they weren't the ones who initiated or requested the change nor were they even aware that it had occurred.

- it was then either the consigner or lou who took the initiative and neither of them told mastro.

- mastro said it was lou who changed the facemask.

- the facemask change occurred after the helmet arrived in mastro's possession, after mastro took the pics and after lou wrote the loa.

- they said lou has no financial interest in the helmet.

it would be insane to think lou could've changed the facemask without letting the consigner know beforehand. (it's apparent he didn't let mastro know until after he did it).

all of this begs the question of why? if lou realized, after the fact, that the facemask was incorrect why would he even care to change it? he's already authenticated it, he's been paid for the authentication and yet wants to change the facemask for some reason? why? there's a complete lack of motive. who paid for/obtained the new facemask?

it's one of the most bizarre things i've heard in this hobby. sorry but i don't believe lou was sitting around, having completed his work and been paid, and suddenly, without telling the auction house, decided to see if he could dig up and apply a 3-bar facemask to a helmet that didn't belong to him and that was already in mid-auction.
the only story that seems plausible to me is that the consigner realized the issue after they had submitted it and asked lou to see if he could change the facemask. given that the pics and description were already online for a 2-bar mask i don't really see the point.

very, very strange. lou has no motive for changing the mask yet was purportedly the one to do it. mastro had no clue he did it. so you've gone a rogue authenticator changing items without informing the auction house and the best scenario is a consigner with a weak motive? maybe the consigner is a mastro employee? after all, if lou's not the consigner, can't change it without the consigner's consent, and the helmet was in mastro's possession the whole time....

something tells me i'd never make it on Law & Order.

rudy.