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 Friday, May 09, 2008
The Gavel Chat Time Machine
Posted by Chris
Do you remember during the mid-90s when eBay listing rarely had pictures with the item’s description? Remember what it was like before GOOGLE and Wikipedia? Do you remember the card grading company SCD Authentic (I do because I worked for it).  Well, the reason I bring all this up is because Gavel Chat got a hold of a trusty time machine today, and rather than taking the time machine to a tobacco store and going back to open up some old Sweet Caporal packs in search of some T206 cards, stupid, old me decided to go back to the mid-90s to check out what some of my favorite home pages looked like around 10 years ago.  What you are seeing is the actual home pages from the sites GOOGLE, Upper Deck, Robert Edward Auctions, SCDA, PSA and ESPN.com. I really have no point to this blog entry other than that fact that I thought seeing these were really neat and it brought back to some cool memories of when I used to struggle with computers during my early college years.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.   Have a great weekend! Also, here's another Lou Lampson video... In this selection, the game-worn jersey guru is talking about the way he prefers to display his collection.
> -Chris
One last fun thing for Friday:
5/9/2008 4:02:57 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Thursday, May 08, 2008
Are you one of the culprits?
Posted by Chris
 Filling out your Super Bowl pool sheet, checking eBay, bracket time during March Madness, going through personal email, visiting blogs and message boards that have nothing to do with your line of work. How much time do you spend using online features that seem to be more interesting than what you're "supposed to be doing" while on the job? Now, don't get me wrong... I'll take my Gavel Chat readers any way I can get them, and I will say that I can't beleive how popular this blog has actually gotten, but I thought this was an interesting topic that I'm sure your bosses might not be too thrilled about. Have you ever listed or bid on an eBay auction at work? How bout visit the various sports memorabilia message boards at work? Heck, you might be Gavel Chatting at work right now! If you are a die-hard, like most of us are, it's hard not to venture away from the daily grind once in a while, but be careful guys ... Gavel Chat is almost more important than work, but not quite.
5/8/2008 3:12:53 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Authentication takes time
Posted by Chris
In my multi-part interview with Lou Lampson the world-famous jersey collector talked about the steps involved in the authentication process. This is a very big business and everything has to be taken into consideration when analyzing the work of an authenticator.
I would never want to be an authenticator ... The demands, the stress and the headaches would really wear on the hobby that I love. Click below to listen to Lampson's take on this "sometimes controversial" topic.
5/7/2008 2:18:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Every Tuesday will be Gavel Chat's Video Newsbreak
Posted by Chris
 Hello Gavel Chatters ... I am very pumped to announce that every Tuesday, Scott Kelnhofer, the host of Sports Collecting Radio's, will also host Gavel Chat's News Break show. This new card and memorabilia feature will showcase the latest that is happening in the industry that we all love.
Please tune in every Tuesday evening on Gavel Chat to watch this exciting new segment. Also, I just read about this tragic story... Found this on Game Used Forum
5/6/2008 2:59:14 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Monday, May 05, 2008
Keith Olbermann visits Gavel Chat... Well, sort of
Posted by Chris
I know I already posted once today, but I wanted to get this video posted because it is actually a big deal. Keith Olbermann just sent us a fantastic series of articles about rare Topps proof cards, and even if this isn't your cup of tea, you should read the series. Very, very interesting stuff. Click on the video link below to hear SCD editor talk about the sweepstakes that will accompany Olbermann's articles. Also, as promised, here is the URL for the plaques T.S. talks about: http://www.philadelphiaathletics.org/cgi-local/cart.pl
5/5/2008 4:59:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Lou Lampson video Part II and lots of weekend sales
Posted by Chris
5/5/2008 12:24:42 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, May 01, 2008
Gavel Chat to stick with video
Posted by Chris
Due to an overwhelming response to the recent videos I put on the blog, Gavel Chat will be transformed into a video/editorial blog. Now readers will have the best of both worlds. Not only will you continue to read my thoughts nearly every day about the hobby we all love, but the blog will feature many exclusive video interviews and my ugly mug from time to time. Today's video features Super Collector Nicholas DePace. DePace usually flies under the radar of the hobby world, but I was fortunate enough to catch up with him a year ago at Heritage's Signature auction. Enjoy.
5/1/2008 1:16:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
True collectors talking about their game-worn equipment video
Posted by Chris
4/30/2008 5:52:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
For those of you who don't want to wait
Posted by Chris
 You might not have known this, but many auction houses offer a retail outlet on their websites. Auctions can be fun, but sometimes collectors don't want to wait weeks in order to purchase something for their collection. I honestly don't think that most of these venues do a very good job of promoting this retail section of their company. Maybe that's on purpose, but the blog took it upon itself to sort through all sports memorabilia auction houses in order to show which sites have this component. Here you go: American MemorabiliaClean Sweep AuctionsEAC Gallery
Grey FlannelHeritage Auction Galleries Sotheby’s with SCP AuctionsInside the Park Collectibles
Lew Lipset Auctions Mei GrayMEARSTouchdown Treasures**************  Remember these? CLICK HERE. This is an unopened box of 1st Series Garbage Pail Kids packs (48) from Mastro's current auction. I remember taking my bike to the local Marinette, Wis. candy shop to load up on these bad boys at 25 cents a pack. Now Mastro has a box that is selling for more than $650. I guess it is more than 20 years old, but never in my wildest imagination did I think a box of this stuff would approach $1,000. Crazy!
4/29/2008 3:16:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, April 25, 2008
Brett and Bushing
Posted by Chris
Well ... HERE IT IS. The interview that shocked me ... Dave Bushing retired from the game of third-party authentication. Click on the above link to view my entire story. Very interesting stuff and like I said, very surprising. **********
Also, once in a while, on a Friday I like to post a Youtube video on the blog to kind of kick off the weekend. My boy, Brett Favre was on Letterman last night, so in case you missed it here it is. Have a good weekend everyone. -chris
4/25/2008 3:30:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Is there really a market for these?
Posted by Chris
 Kinda looks like it. A lot of these "newspaper clippings" screwed down in a generic holder seem to always get bids. I've seen these things on eBay for at least five years now, and to be honest, I really don't know why I chose today to pick on the products. Pretty sharp holder, don't you think? I don't know if the buyers of this stuff think they're buying a professionally graded card, but who the heck am I to judge, right? ************ For the Gavel Chat readers who don't know this, the company who owns SCD, F&W Publications, is also owner of the National Fantasy Baseball and Football Championships... Our company just announced a partnership for these events with NBC Sports and I'm very proud that we were able to put this deal together. Please CLICK HERE to read the story about our new venture with the major media corporation.
4/23/2008 5:47:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I know it is for charity but this is ridiculous
Posted by Chris
 I’m all for the Jimmy V. fund, and giving to charity on occasion, but what the heck kind of career does someone have when they can pay more than $70,000 for a replica David Ortiz jersey. Supposedly this shirt was buried under the concrete of the new Yankee stadium by a Red Sox fan in order to curse the Yanks, but when the New York organization received word that this went down, the jersey was dug up and donated to charity. **************
I know that this auction wasn’t for charity, but Nodder Exchange just set a record for the sale of a nice 1960s Redskins promo nodder. The very rare doll sold for $17,243 including the buyer's premium, crushing the previous record for a bobbing head doll of  $14,000 and change that was set in the fall of 2005 (for the 1st Redskins doll known). Further proof that the hobby is strong and growing daily. *************
In the next few days I promise to really tap into the spring auctions that are coming up and see if there are some good deals still out there, any possible controversy that may exist and also get quotes from auction house owner and see what they expect results on some of their main items. ************* Here's a picture of Abe and I at the PCCE. I tried to swipe his hat, but didn't get very far. 
4/22/2008 6:18:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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