Why was REA tied to the FBI's recent investigation?
Morgoth
Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
Currently completing the following registry sets: Cardinal HOF's, 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, 1980 Pittsburgh Pirates Team, Bill Mazeroski Master & Basic Sets, Roberto Clemente Master & Basic Sets, Willie Stargell Master & Basic Sets and Terry Bradshaw Basic Set
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Im in before the poof!
Did REA sell any of Halper's stuff? If so and anyone is being sued, they will name every possible party in a lawsuit.
Lifson is stated in the article to have admitted to have been caught stealing from a museum before. The problem with this article is that there are no sources for his statements linked to it so you don't know how much of it is corroborated other than the lots being pulled by REA.
In short, take everything that Nash says about Lifson with a boatload of salt.
The part about Lifson admitting he stole items, I have heard from a few sources but I haven't seen it in print directly quoting him yet.
Also Halper had tons of bad items. All the Ty Cobb stuff from his biographer has proven to be a bad. The HOF has removed a lot of Halper stuff from its displays. Lifson did sell the remainder of the Halper stuff for his widow.
Yeah it probably is tainted but there is some smoke there.
Edited to add: That article doesn't paint either of them in a good light. If Lifson knew the items were fake but passed them on he is as guilty as Nash is. It seems that anyone connected to Mastro ends up like this.
Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.
<< <i>Mastro and Lifson split a long time ago and are at odds, aren't they? I've read the book, The Card, and it puts Lifson in a favorable light and Mastro in an unfavorable light in regard to the history of the PSA 8 T206 Wagner. I may be wrong/naive, but I have always believed Lifson and REA to be honest. Also, as someone else posted, the accusations against Barry Halper and REA are coming from unreliable sources. >>
These are not allegations, the HOF had material stolen and it ended up in REA's auction, that's a fact. No matter how it happened, it happened. Also Lifson has had it happen before when selling the Halper collection (which is IMO more of an indictment on how crappy the Halper collection really was than it is of Lifson).
The other stuff on how much each player knew is up for judgement calls. The FBI is interested in stolen goods being sold through their auctions and REA cannot deny that it happened. I wouldn't doubt that some big time collectors get knocks at their doors and have to give back items bought from a lot of auction houses to their proper owners. I don't think this is just an REA thing but they are right now under more of a spotlight.
<< <i>Hey Mike!
Im in before the poof!
Did REA sell any of Halper's stuff? If so and anyone is being sued, they will name every possible party in a lawsuit. >>
Hey Barry!
Its all a convoluted mess it appears. I don't think anyone here is completly innocent. I wish there were more oversight into these things and the HOF and museums need a much better cataloging system.
Also, it doesn't take much detective work on REA's part to figure out that the cabinet card was "damaged" to hide museum markings. So I don't view their pulling the auction as a good gesture. I think they just got caught with their pants on the ground.
If I tell you , I'll have to kill you
<< <i>"WHAT HAPPENED?"
If I tell you , I'll have to kill you >>
Sad to see the avatar change
Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.
<< <i>Lifson, addressing the rumor of the library theft publicly for the first time, confirms that a kernel of it is true: Thirty-two years ago, he says, he was a precocious minor with too much money and freedom; one day while doing research at the library, high on a mix of drugs and alcohol, he secreted two photographs under a piece of cardboard attached to the outside of his briefcase. He was caught before he could leave the room. Other than one group school trip to the library, Lifson says, he had never been there before, and he has never been there since. The incident is embarrassing to talk about, Lifson continues, but it was also a life-changing experience. Now he is a virtual teetotaler. He has served as a consultant to the FBI in a number of memorabilia-related cases and is proud to have played a role in bringing at least some reform to the hobby. "Even I can't believe what is possible to do from my basement sometimes," Lifson says. >>
Quote from a sports illustrated article. It appears Lifson has had issues with stealing in the past, maybe the far past but it still doesn't look good for the owner of an auction house.
<< <i>
<< <i>"WHAT HAPPENED?"
If I tell you , I'll have to kill you >>
Sad to see the avatar change
HH
all of a sudden it went POOF
when they allow us to upload avatar's I'll try to bring her back