[MOPO] Aw: Re: [MOPO] Heritage fees

[Helmut Hamm]

Rich,

 

every major auctions tends to have it's number of 'freaks', posters that sell way above their market value. Problem is, with the massive fees you actually NEED at least a couple of those to make it worth your while.

 

It's been a long time since I have been selling at auction, but looking back, I mostly had mixed results. One example: I sold several copies of the large Italian LA DOLCE VITA dancer style over the years directly. Heritage has auctioned this for around $48,000 once, which (give or take) should've left about $30,000 in the consignor's pocket. I sold a couple of top condition ones directly in the same ballpark. On the other end, they also auctioned this poster for about $18,000, so the consignor probably got about $12,000. I got a good deal more than that for the worst condition copy I ever had. I still have one in stock, and since I'm in no desperate need for money right now, I prefer to keep it around for at least another while.

 

That said, I have recently sent a number of super-rare but also super-obscure early posters to Bruce, but this is all material that needs a huge audience. As always, some will fail, some should do great and in the end I'm sure it will be worth the effort.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Helmut

 

Here's what I say about Heritage:

when I can get the prices they get, which are in general - better than what can be achieved by myself, or in ANY other auction house in the USA - then I will stop sending them posters to sell for me.

There's no chance that another US auction would have gotten $12,000.00 for a 1949 international style Casablanca one sheet, and the proof is the $106 that one auctioneer got for the same poster 3 weeks later. Considering I had it for sale for $2000, I don't care if HA took 1/3 of the result.

HA under Grey's tenure also got me $1680 for a Pulp Fiction regular style one sheet, $600 for a 1989 Batman one sheet or a variety of other incredible results since I started consigning material to them.
Recently they even got $10,000 for a Star Wars one sheet I sent in.

When other sellers can match these results, I think they have a box to stand on and chirp. Until then, they're blowing farts in the wind

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