Profiles in History - Auction #56

Don: I do applaud you for reaching your correct final opinion regarding the authenticity of the phaser; and I concur that it is very appropriate to heavily scrutinize auction house offerings - especially on high end items such as this - but to do so while simultaneously hurtling mean-spirited insults and attempting to tarnish reputations in the process is truly distasteful and unworthy conduct, IMO, that can only undermine your own credibility as opposed to that of your targets. I can't help but believe that you are being intellectually dishonest in the way you portray the Profiles description as asserting on-screen usage of the phaser in four specific TOS episodes; which it clearly does not. No one else at all has misinterpreted the write up the way you portray it; but many have applauded the level of detailed, comprehensive analysis contained in the description that genuinely attempts to provide the reader with meaningful evidence of authenticity for the prop. When in the past have you ever seen a single, let alone multiple, composite images contained in a major auction house catalog that shows the prop for sale side-by-side with a similarly positioned screenshot from a relevant episode filled with annotations about matching geometry and matching unique scratches, paint blemishes, etc? Yet you attempt to assign a malicious and dishonest intent to the auction house for presenting the write up - by unfairly twisting the information presented therein. I have no doubt whatsoever that PIH would have rejected the phaser for consignment if they honestly felt it was not genuine; and that they are not the solely profit driven entity you portray them as with little or no concern for integrity. You should applaud the effort to present meaningful evidence of authenticity in the catalog, IMO. I believe this is the first time that a TOS phaser pistol which has been screen matched to an episode (Assignment: Earth) has ever been offered at auction - and it should definitely not be an occasion to chastise the auction house. I must say that I do agree that in general all auction houses should try to continuously enhance their prescreening / investigative measures on incoming consigned memorabilia - though logistically in a sale involving hundreds or more items I can see how it might be difficult to devote sufficient time and attention to every piece. Also, if a consignor is able to present an auction house with high integrity authenticating information - which is of course always subject to scrutiny by other informed analysts - that should not be considered inappropriate. The excellent screen-matching work you performed in the past on one of your Scotty Maroon jackets - I believe - to some PR photos - would be invaluable inclusions to a catalog description if you ever consigned that costume to auction, IMO. Your article reviewing this phaser offering - filled with so much malice and unfair commentary that fools no serious readers - fails miserably to compare with the Scotty Maroon effort.

I will pay no more than $10 for the 1979 captain america costume.



.....take it and go.

gbg1701 said:

Your article reviewing this phaser offering - filled with so much malice and unfair commentary that fools no serious readers - fails miserably to compare with the Scotty Maroon effort.

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If that's how you react when I agree with you, this ain't gonna be pretty.

There's also a "Walking Tribble" in the PIH auction. Unlike the Phaser, this one has severe problems:

The Trouble With This Tribble

Just wanted to say thanks to Profiles for sending me about $150 worth of catalogues. Really quite impressive to see all those items across the four catalogues turn up in a little box.

newworld said:

If that's how you react when I agree with you, this ain't gonna be pretty.

There's also a "Walking Tribble" in the PIH auction. Unlike the Phaser, this one has severe problems:

The Trouble With This Tribble

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Don, the tone of your first sentence makes things sound like you're questioning the tribble because you don't like my reaction to your earlier bogus phaser analysis.

I told you your tribble was not authentic some time ago, that isn't news to anyone. And I would look more into the original source of your Klingon disrupter (not Bob Miller, who I don't doubt believed it was genuine). There is an interesting back history there I've heard from a close long time collector, in addition to info sent to me about that and another piece.

On my walking tribble, both in the Profiles flippable online catalog, and on the Artfact site, one can easily see a larger annotated photo. One can zoom on the pic at Profiles site and the Artfact pic is quite readable ... so your assertion that just a postage stamp size photo is visible is not consistent with the facts.
I think the large side view of my tribble could have been color corrected somewhat as it really doesn't appear so orange at all in person. The view in the annotated photo is much more accurate. When Profiles examined the tribble, they pointed out some interesting tells I wasn't aware of that validated it even further. And my annotated photo shows at least 6 exact color and pattern matches, actually there are more than that - others which aren't specifically annotated but are still visible. I haven't seen anything inconsistent about the color pattern ... and with so many matches I am confident that it's the one on the bridge railing.
What are the odds of more than one having so many color and pattern matches to the screenshot?

Here's the annotated pic again, for clarity. Just click the thumbnail to see a larger version. Again, the photo below is spot on for true color appearance, IMO.

Have any members here actually been to the auction, on site? Also, if an item sells for $100, what else is charged to the buyer (I can't seem to find it on their website). I go to a local auction house, and they charge a 12% buyer's premium.

Terms of sales are shown in every lot in the online catalog and in the front of the printed one. It is very much recommended that if you chose to bid that you read each paragraph. People assume guarantees and conditions that do not exist.

PREMIUM:

1. Final Bid Price, Purchase Price and Payment: The term, "Final Bid Price" means the amount of the highest bid acknowledged and acceptable to Profiles. The term, "Purchase Price" means the sum of (1) the Final Bid Price; (2) a premium payable by the successful Bidder (also referred to throughout these Conditions of Sale as "Buyer") equal to twenty-three percent (23%) of the Final Bid Price; (3) applicable taxes (including California and local sales tax and/or compensating use tax based upon the purchase price unless exempted by law and/or where Buyer presents an original, valid resale certificate with a copy for Profiles' records from the California State Board of Equalization); (4) shipping, handling and insurance coverage if requested by Buyer and agreed upon by Profiles. Profiles may accept current and valid VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit or debit cards for payment but under the express condition that any property purchased by credit or debit card shall not be refundable, returnable, or exchangeable, and that no credit to Buyer's credit or debit card account will be issued under any circumstances. The last sentence constitutes Profiles' "official policy" regarding returns, refunds, and exchanges where credit or debit cards are used. Delivery will not be made unless and until full payment has been actually received by Profiles, i.e., credit or debit card funds fully obtained.
Profiles has been authorized by the seller or consignor to retain, as partial remuneration, the premium set forth as number (2) in this paragraph. Unless otherwise agreed in a writing signed by Profiles, payment in full is due within seven calendar days of the auction or within five calendar days of the invoice date, whichever is later. PROFILES SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT, AND THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY AND IRREVOCABLY PRE-AUTHORIZES PROFILES, TO CHARGE FROM AND COLLECT ALL AMOUNTS OWED FROM ALL CREDIT AND/OR DEBIT ACCOUNTS IDENTIFIED TO PROFILES BY THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER PRIOR TO BIDDING IN THE EVENT THAT THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER DOES NOT MAKE TIMELY PAYMENT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS OF SALE. IN SUCH EVENT, THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER AUTHORIZES PROFILES TO COLLECT ALL AMOUNTS OWED FROM ANY OF SAID ACCOUNTS, AND THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER SHALL NOT CONTEST ANY SUCH CREDIT OR DEBIT ACCOUNT CHARGE ON THE GROUND THAT PROFILES WAS NOT SO AUTHORIZED.

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WOW! 23%!!! I assume that is the industry standard for such auctions. But, yikes, that's more than the government wants in taxes out of the transactions!

A few are at 25%. PIH was one of the last to raise it, but it can really add some dough to your final price. Nearly a quarter more that you think you're going to pay. Some online bidding platforms add it in as you bid so you can see the depths of your bankruptcy before your very eyes.

Stairstars said:

Some online bidding platforms add it in as you bid so you can see the depths of your bankruptcy before your very eyes.

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lol

Stairstars said:

Terms of sales are shown in every lot in the online catalog and in the front of the printed one. It is very much recommended that if you chose to bid that you read each paragraph. People assume guarantees and conditions that do not exist.

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On that subject, here's the text that Profiles has cited in the past when confronted with the fact that their descriptions were either misleading or plain wrong:

"10. Warranties: Profiles does not provide any warranties to Bidders or Buyers, whether express or implied, beyond those expressly provided for in these Conditions of Sale. All property and lots are sold “as is” and “where is”. By way of illustration rather than limitation, neither Profiles nor the consignor makes any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to merchantability or fitness for intended use, condition of the property (including any condition report), correctness of description, origin, measurement, quality, rarity, importance, exhibition, relevance, attribution, source, provenance, date, authorship, condition, culture, genuineness, value, or period of the property."

I think they should include a decoder ring with each catalog. Read the bold text to get the hidden meaning! This text is basically legalese for "buyer beware – we won't stand by anything we say if it's inconvenient to do so".

D

Exactly. And that is pretty standard throughout the Industry. The only exception that comes to mind is RR Auctions in NH who guarantees every lot, but they are only just now getting into film memorabilia sales.

rick

FYI, my own article regarding Screen Matching the TOS "Assignment: Earth" mid-grade Phaser Pistol:

Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Authority: Screen Matching the Star Trek: Original Series "Assignment: Earth" Type 2 Phaser Pistol at Profiles July 2013 Hollywood Auction 56

Some of the auctions I have bid in have been 18% and 20% premiums. 25% is pretty scary. That's one of the reasons I didn't even think of bidding in the last auction for Christies

theronstang said:

Some of the auctions I have bid in have been 18% and 20% premiums. 25% is pretty scary. That's one of the reasons I didn't even think of bidding in the last auction for Christies

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Yes, you definitely have to factor in the buyers premium when coming up with your bidding strategy these days.

So the auction house gets a cut from the 23% buyer's premium, but do they also get a cut from the sale on the seller's side? If so, what percent do they charger the seller?

Room8 said:

So the auction house gets a cut from the 23% buyer's premium, but do they also get a cut from the sale on the seller's side? If so, what percent do they charger the seller?

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Typically, the auction house gets all (100%) of the 23% buyer's premium and also 15% of the high bid amount. I believe that is pretty standard across the major auction houses. So the seller/consignor gets 85% of the high bid; or approx. 67% of the total sales price including premium.

When do these auction coming up start showing bids placed? Cant wait to see the madness that some items will draw.

Monkey67 said:

When do these auction coming up start showing bids placed? Cant wait to see the madness that some items will draw.

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Bids will show up now on items if someone has placed an early absentee bid. Here's an example of an item in the Profiles auction that already has a bid on it: Faber College pennant from Animal House. - by Profiles in History

Most of the time, I think alot of people like to wait for the live streaming bidding session on auction day to place their bids.

gbg1701 said:

.........Most of the time, I think alot of people like to wait for the live streaming bidding session on auction day to place their bids.

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I've always wondered about that. Whenever I've bid on an item, I just send in the form with my max bid and leave it at that. I've always thought that live bidding leads to impulse decisions and the further draining of one's finances (beyond placing that first bid).

But I guess that's the point, right?

Gene