All-Star Dealers reality show

[sylbry]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

But I just found it a little off-putting how often he seemed to be rubbing his hands together waiting for the big payday on the items. Again, I know he is in a business and this show is no different from other shows I enjoy like American Pickers where part of the interest is what the item is worth. The difference to me is Mike and Frank don't constantly put it in the audiences faces exactly how much money they stand to make.

After Mike and Frank leave a pick they summarize what they paid and what they think they can make. If Russek was on American Pickers you would hear nothing but "I will lose $XXXX if he doesn't sell it to me." You never lost anything Rich, you just didn't gain something.

After a pick Russek's summary would be something like this:

Item A: worth $10k, wouldn't sell for $5k, lost $5k
Item B: worth $5k, wouldn't sell for $2k, lost $3k
Item C: worth $20k, bought for $8k, profit $12k

But then again to be a picker you have to take on risk in the order of spending your own money to make money. Russek doesn't even do that. He make money by having other people spend theirs.

I swear the guy used to work in government because he certainly has that governmental accounting mentality where a tax break is lost revenue.

Personally I don't care how interesting the topic is. I can't stand watching someone with the personality of a used car dealer.

He might be good at what he does, he just never should have shown the world how he does it.

[sylbry]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

I think they have the same amount of pressure to determine if the item is bogus. Grey Flannel has made mistakes, but it seems this show makes their methods more transparent.

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=39323&highlight=mantle+hat

I posted about a Kansas City Blues "Mantle" hat they auctioned off. Wrong year, wrong logo, altered sweatband & fake number tag. Took me five minutes of web surfing to find a picture of Mantle in a Blues uniform. Even the pic Grey Flannel posted along with the auction shows the different logos.

Further, there was a documentary done on Mantle (HBO I think) that contained more photos of Mantle in a Blues uniform showing him with the hat. Again, block logo, not rounded.

[kprst6]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Please try to disprove this research... but from what I can see, the Armstrong shirt that was auctioned off doesn't match any of his pictures from the 2005 Tour De France. I'm not looking through 75 pages of pictures, but randomly checking out pages 75, 50, 25, 10, 5 etc shows there are huge "DISCOVERY" logo's on the front and back of every shirt Lance wore during the 05 Tour De France:

http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&p=Tour+De+France+2005&assetType=image#

There is NO DISCOVERY emblem on the shirt Grey Flannel auctioned off!!!

http://catalog.greyflannelauctions.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=26698

This should have been auctioned off merely as a Tour De France style jersey, and to me, it looks like Grey Flannel made money off of Lance Armstrong's name by decievingly calling it an Armstrong shirt. If it had the DISCOVERY logo, I would have less issues with it, but without the DISCOVERY logo, this shirt would not have been "issued" for Armstrong to wear.

[TFig27]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Well, I was there for almost two years between 05-07ish. As for stories...there are many. Wore the million dollar Ruth jersey in the office one day. I would have to say that one of my favorite items was swinging around Aaron Boones HR bat.

I wouldn't say my time there was bad, it was something different everyday and I worked with good people (from what I understand the entire staff has changed over since my time there besides rich and his boys). I'm sure a lot of these reality show people do a lot of acting, Rich is pretty much the same on TV as he is in real life as I'm sure some of you know via phone or personally.

Guy is a good business man, I will give him that.

This bat in the HOF?

[blackbeard]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

This bat in the HOF?

Yea that looks like it.

Not so sure how it ended up here, id be interested to know what year it was put in the museum. I had this bat in my hands late in 05.

In case you think that I'm bs'ing you. Here's me in the '32 Ruth road uni, it fit perfect

[xpress34]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Well, I was there for almost two years between 05-07ish. As for stories...there are many. Wore the million dollar Ruth jersey in the office one day. I would have to say that one of my favorite items was swinging around Aaron Boones HR bat.

I wouldn't say my time there was bad, it was something different everyday and I worked with good people (from what I understand the entire staff has changed over since my time there besides rich and his boys). I'm sure a lot of these reality show people do a lot of acting, Rich is pretty much the same on TV as he is in real life as I'm sure some of you know via phone or personally.

Guy is a good business man, I will give him that.

Were these items OWNED by GF at the time or on consignment?

The reason I ask is there have been many heated debates on these pages about do or don't ever wear your GU jerseys.

If the jersey was on consignment and people were wearing it around the office, I just lost a lot more respect for GF. What if it tore when you or someone else was putting it on? Who takes the blame - especially on a $1m jersey?

Not jumping on you specifically - I wear my GU jerseys sometimes - but if that is policy at GF with items, it makes me cringe.

Just my .02

- Smitty

[JeffB]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

I would expect a race worn Lance Armstrong Yellow jersey to have any number of obvious indicators, such as, say, a LARGE US Postal Service or Discovery Channel logo covering both the front and back, and failing that, some evidence of some adhesive that once held it in place.



Additionally, you'd also think there'd be some sort of evidence of a race number having been pinned or otherwise affixed to the lower back of the jersey. Seriously, those things have to stay on for hours at a time on a sweaty athlete in constant motion, often in the rain. Once one is on there, even if taken off, it's got to leave a mark, such as fuzziness in the shape of the number plate, if not pilling or adhesive left behind, which would later attract some dirt, such as the case of a game used baseball jersey I once saw that had a three game only patch removed.



The overall problem I see is them calling something what they want and wish it to be, and not what the evidence says it is.

I've never trusted Grey Flannel since seeing them sell what I believe were customized team issued blank baseball jerseys as game worn, even though the team tagging was a generic "2007", rather than a player specific "4-97-2" format. When I wrote them to raise my concerns, I got the unfortunate and expected "If you don't like it, don't bid" response. Then they happily saw the auctions end for thousands of dollars for something I believe worth $200 tops.

[blackbeard]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Were these items OWNED by GF at the time or on consignment?

The reason I ask is there have been many heated debates on these pages about do or don't ever wear your GU jerseys.

If the jersey was on consignment and people were wearing it around the office, I just lost a lot more respect for GF. What if it tore when you or someone else was putting it on? Who takes the blame - especially on a $1m jersey?

Not jumping on you specifically - I wear my GU jerseys sometimes - but if that is policy at GF with items, it makes me cringe.

Just my .02

- Smitty

I hear ya. I put the shirt on for about 3 minutes 'very carefully' and snapped off a few pics, not a big deal. I'm a major Yankees fan and no way would I let a authentic Babe Ruth shirt go out the door without trying it on first. Shirt is also in incredible shape...no chance of ripping by putting it on over a dress shirt. LOL, uniforms are a daily dealing with the people over at GF, they see these rare items on a daily basis and definitely do not wear them around the office. I think the only other uniform I ever tried on there was a shaq jersey...the bottom hit the floor like a dress and im 6'1.

Not sure why someone would not want to wear a gamer. These items are not fine china - its a used shirt and meant to be worn, just dont spill your morning coffee on it, wash it or play a game or tackle football with it on and everything will be just fine.

[primeradriver]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

I hear ya. I put the shirt on for about 3 minutes 'very carefully' and snapped off a few pics, not a big deal. I'm a major Yankees fan and no way would I let a authentic Babe Ruth shirt go out the door without trying it on first. Shirt is also in incredible shape...no chance of ripping by putting it on over a dress shirt. LOL, uniforms are a daily dealing with the people over at GF, they see these rare items on a daily basis and definitely do not wear them around the office. I think the only other uniform I ever tried on there was a shaq jersey...the bottom hit the floor like a dress and im 6'1.

Not sure why someone would not want to wear a gamer. These items are not fine china - its a used shirt and meant to be worn, just dont spill your morning coffee on it, wash it or play a game or tackle football with it on and everything will be just fine.

Hmmm. I can't say I agree with that.

Not sure if I'm the minority but I consider any use after the player as de-valuing; excluding proper handling. I deal mostly in shoes so you can see why my POV is slightly more skewed.

In any event, I'm positive the owners and buyers would be less than pleased that the staff of auction houses were trying-on items. If I were to send GF an item it doesn't mean I give them permission to handle my item in ways not related to selling.

[blackbeard]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

I deal mostly in shoes so you can see why my POV is slightly more skewed.

Rest assured. Nobody at any auction house is walking around the office in the game used sneakers you consign to them.

[aeneas01]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Assuming the Marino and Lott are legit, is that really how an auction house would get its first look? You just throw 2 HOF jerseys in a box and ship to GFC w/o any heads up or signature confirmation. Hey, lets go check and see if there are any $5000 items in these boxes that have been sitting outside our shop. Jackpot!

a prolific collector once shipped me a vintage football helmet valued at $5k-$10k - he wanted my opinion but gave me no firm date when he would be sending it. after about a month or so i finally discovered his package sitting in the corner of my office among other packages for my business that i typically don't open right away (printer cartridges, paper supplies, etc.) - further, i had not received any emails from the collector saying that it was on the way, or asking if i had received it. when i opened the box not only did i find the helmet poorly packed, but stuffed inside the sweat-stained and smelly thing was a vintage football jersey. when i unrolled the jersey i immediately recognized it - it was a high-profile nfl jersey that had recently sold at auction for tens of thousands of dollars - it wasn't folded, wasn't in a protective plastic bag, just stuffed in the helmet. not once did the collector ever mention anything about this shirt, that he won it, owned it, or would be sending it along with the helmet, nothing. anyway, the collector heard that i had a huge photo database of vintage nfl photos and was hoping that i could help him research his jersey as well. point being, collectors (even experienced collectors) handle their items with varying degrees of "respect"....

as far as all-star dealers is concerned, what's not to like? i mean does anyone here believe that television audiences are pining for the esoteric nuances of sports memorabilia collecting? heck, given this nation's apparent lust for rejection television (you're fired, simon, etc.), i'm surprised the producers of all-star dealers didn't ratchet that angle up some more! instead of "that helmet is crap!", the show should introduce mr. bobo's table where "crap" is publicly flogged a la sam malone's red sox jersey!

anyway i think the show works and, ultimately, is good for the hobby. i also liked seeing nick cappola do his thing - easily one of the most passionate and knowledgeable collectors out there, and a very nice gentleman to boot. and imo the grey flannel "offices" present very well, as a safe place to send valuable collectibles.

[TFig27]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Yea that looks like it.

Not so sure how it ended up here, id be interested to know what year it was put in the museum. I had this bat in my hands late in 05.

In case you think that I'm bs'ing you. Here's me in the '32 Ruth road uni, it fit perfect

Did this bat come up for sale?

[gingi79]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Those of you who know about JeffB who runs Third String Goalie (a very informative blog about awesome milestones in history with the jerseys that correspond to them) or belong to the hockey game worn site might have seen this but if not, I thought I'd share some of his insight:

"I've seen Grey Flannel auction off a trio of Twins jerseys from Mauer, Santana and Molitor that all lacked the correct team tagging as "game worn" when, to me, they were clearly team issued blanks customized with star players.

For example, a proper Molitor should have been tagged 4-97-1 (for his number, year and set) NOT "1997".

It just seems like they want it to be right so much, they invent reasons to call it good and ignore any evidence to the contrary, such as a jersey being tagged two years prior to when they want it to be from. I'd think if they were going to recycle a 1966 jersey, it would be by sending it down to the minors for them to use, not sitting on it for two years, but that's just me."

However, it was this gem that I really though should be implemented:

"It's too bad a show like that doesn't have a rebuttal option so collectors like those here could have a chance to reach the same audience with their concerns so the average Joe watching the show could hear both sides."

Now THAT would make for a show where we see awesome material and get real insight. (His blog BTW is you are interested is: http://thirdstringgoalie.blogspot.com/ They are Hockey jerseys but the stories are interesting if you follow sports)

[aeneas01]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

Those of you who know about JeffB who runs Third String Goalie (a very informative blog about awesome milestones in history with the jerseys that correspond to them) or belong to the hockey game worn site might have seen this but if not, I thought I'd share some of his insight:

"I've seen Grey Flannel auction off a trio of Twins jerseys from Mauer, Santana and Molitor that all lacked the correct team tagging as "game worn" when, to me, they were clearly team issued blanks customized with star players.

For example, a proper Molitor should have been tagged 4-97-1 (for his number, year and set) NOT "1997".

It just seems like they want it to be right so much, they invent reasons to call it good and ignore any evidence to the contrary, such as a jersey being tagged two years prior to when they want it to be from. I'd think if they were going to recycle a 1966 jersey, it would be by sending it down to the minors for them to use, not sitting on it for two years, but that's just me."

However, it was this gem that I really though should be implemented:

"It's too bad a show like that doesn't have a rebuttal option so collectors like those here could have a chance to reach the same audience with their concerns so the average Joe watching the show could hear both sides."

Now THAT would make for a show where we see awesome material and get real insight. (His blog BTW is you are interested is: http://thirdstringgoalie.blogspot.com/ They are Hockey jerseys but the stories are interesting if you follow sports)

i think hockey collectors are among the most knowledgeable and passionate group of collectors out there, with very active forums and great auction sites that fetch big dollars. although i'm not a hockey fan, i would love to own one of those cool big-ticket custom goalie masks...

as far as "getting it right" is concerned, i think we all know that every auction house gets things wrong, even when it comes to lots that strike some of us as no-brainers. the good news is more and more auction houses are pulling lots when presented with reasonable concerns, not all auction houses but many. at least that's my take.

i'm not giving auction houses a free pass, but the notion that they have the time (let alone sufficient expertise) to research and attempt to photomatch each lot is a pipe-dream, especially not when they accept lots a month before they expect to go live. fortunately for the guu community we often have each other's back, and other experienced collectors tend to know what to look for. as for the others, the less experienced collectors? welcome to the university of collecting where the tuition, the price of learning a lesson, can often be quite pricey.

as far as the show having a rebuttal fourm is concerned, nice idea but in what perfect world might that work? how would you squeeze that into 48 minutes of air time? how would you censor every huckleberry that fancied himself an expert, who called in only to give their erroneous take on an item? i think the show is hitting the entertainment mark they've set, and wouldn't be surprised to see the cast become even more emotive and animated as the show progresses.

although i'd like to see it, i'm not sure a cspan washington journal format would prove to be that compelling to a broad audience, a format where a representative from the auction house displayed a lot, and then fielded calls from the public for 30 minutes, to discuss and debate the merits of the item.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Re: All-Star Dealers reality show

It just seems like they want it to be right so much, they invent reasons to call it good and ignore any evidence to the contrary, such as a jersey being tagged two years prior to when they want it to be from. I'd think if they were going to recycle a 1966 jersey, it would be by sending it down to the minors for them to use, not sitting on it for two years, but that's just me.

Gingi,
I realize this isn't a quote from you. The jersey in question is the Nolan Ryan flannel. LTC Dave Grob wrote a detailed, four page analysis of this jersey for Grey Flannel. After reading Grob's worksheet, any collector would agree that it is more than a "stretch or a "leap of faith" to tie the shirt to Ryan. I have Grob's finding in a PDF and am unable to post them.
Grey Flannel has indeed made mistakes in the past. Now, a lot of folks are watching their dealings.