Excellent piece of investigative reporting, Bruce! Although it is also
clear why you would want to bring this to light. Part consumer
protection, part self-interest. NEVERTHELESS, will LAMP now take action
to either clarify the "vested interests" of these experts (The Franchi
Family) or will they remove the reference completely from the LAMP
website?
Saul
On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 8:12 AM, Bruce Hershenson wrote:
What if a person finds an old movie poster, and wants to get a fair
unbiased opinion as to its value and how to best sell it? Well, one
might go to Google and type in "movie poster value" or some similar
phrase, and one of the links you get is to a site that is called www.
poster appraisal.com <http://www.posterappraisal.com/> There is also a
prominent link to that site at the top of Learnaboutmovieposters.com's
page called "Sources and Resources for Movie Poster Collectors".
Going to that site, near the very top of the page is a disclaimer that
reads, "Nothing is bought or sold on this site". and "but if you do wish
to sell, I will be happy to suggest the best way to market the item you
own" and even better, "I do not charge for this service or for the
actual evaluation"
Great! A completely free and unbiased appraisal of your old movie
poster. The page says that "The site is owned and run by rudy franchi"
and a list of his credentials are given, including that the owner and
his wife (Barbara) "have organized poster auctions for Skinner of
Boston, Heritage Galleries of Dallas and Christie's, New York and
continue to appear on Antiques Roadshow" (note the past tense on the
poster organizing, and the present tense on the Antiques Roadshow).
Later on the page is the promise that "And to repeat, I do not make
offers for the material you inquire about nor do I get involved in its
eventual disposition". It seems that one could not ask for a more expert
opinion, and you have an absolute promise of impartiality from people
who promise to not "get involved".
But perhaps all is not exactly as is stated above? When one goes to the
"Meet our Experts" page on Heritage's movie poster section of their
website at http://movieposters.ha.com/common/consignment_directors.php
<http://movieposters.ha.com/common/consignment_directors.php> , Grey
Smith is listed as "Director", followed by Bruce Carteron as "Auction
Coordinator" and then there are two "Consignment Directors" (both of
whom can be contacted through e-mails or 800 phone numbers that are
housed at Heritage's headquarters) and these "Consignment Directors" are
Barbara Franchi and Rudy Franchi. That clearly directly contradicts the
statement on the posterappraisal.com <http://posterappraisal.com> site.
<http://posterappraisal.com>
<http://posterappraisal.com>
Or are perhaps these different people who happen to have the same name
as the owners of the posterappraisal.com <http://posterappraisal.com>
site? If so, they should clear up this confusion, so no one could think
they are being deceptive, or hiding a major conflict of interest.
<http://posterappraisal.com>
<http://posterappraisal.com>
Hmmmm.... <http://posterappraisal.com>
<http://posterappraisal.com>
Bruce Hershenson <http://posterappraisal.com>
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
___________________________________________________________________ How
to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF
MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
___________________________________________________________________
How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List
Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L
The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
