Mastro and Doug Allen

Just so the "Welcome" thread doesn't get highjacked, I'm starting this.

Jim, I suspect that Doug doesn't want to say anything publicly because he doesn't want to be held accountable for anything he says. Doing it privately gives him the chance to tell you what you want to hear, while at the same time denying anything you reveal that he doesn't to be known publicly.

In my book, Mastro has a long way to go to restore their reputation as one of the good guys in the hobby. I've got enough money at the moment that I can bid in major auctions right now and I can gaurentee you that none of it will be spent with Mastro until they prove they have cleaned up their act.

Jay

Just a copy of Kevin's post so there is some continuity and that we don't sidetrack the welcome thread:

Kevin Saucier wrote:

Hi Jim,

Welcome..the respect is mutual!

I was going to
post on your thread but you seem to be doing pretty well. I'll say it
here instead, where there is less friction. To be honest..no friction.

The
fact is Mastro has worked on cards in the past and according to Doug,
the possibility is still there. Rumors in the seedy underground world
of card doctors is that they employed a person (or two) to do the
altering before sending them to an accepting grading company. I have
even been given their names from some very respected sources, one name
is instantly known. Regardless, they are an auction house and have no
business touching the card other than selling them.

I don't
trust them and would never even think about buying a sportscard from
Mastro. If they admit to laying down corners and pressing creases,
imagine what they are not telling us. What few non-sport cards I did
win was by accident...my low bid to keep playing actually won.

As
many know, I have a very extensive Titanic relic collection. In Dec
2006, Mastro had up for auction some very questionable Titanic items. A
quick investigation revealed they were consigned by a well known ebay
fraudster. I called and told them the items were fake and, as a matter
of fact, the survivor who's jewelry piece was being offered was never
even on the ship (living or dead). They still sold with full knowledge
and without a disclosure. Here is a thread about two auctions...with links.


Kevin Saucier

And I pointed out a few on your old board, he's good at blaming his staff also, like a few others in the business! Ken W.Eccles

Kevin,

Wow is all I can say. Would love to get a few more details from you.

Maybe this evening.

Hey Jay - thanks to you, we KNOW Mastro employees one "spooner", as they readily admitted it in their catalogs, until the last one! Starting with their last auction, they omitted the guy's nickname. You might want to remind everyone of your find Jay!

Hi,
Who is the spooner that they no longer use? I do not save my catalogs. Also, Lou Lampson is no longer listed as an authenticator by Mastro. They appeared to have dropped him after the the whole MEARS/audit requirements that only REA signed on for. Would Doug give the real reason they dropped him if asked?

David Davis

Here it is:

It's a little tough to read here, but Louis Ballman has "la cuiller" after his name, which is French for "spoon". Not exactly a nickname I would
want to have published if I'm VP of Vintage Cards.



I tried to enlarge it the best I could



Jay

According to "the spoon" on a recent thread on net54, he worked for Mastro between 98-02, and is currently working as a consultant for a competitor. Either they neglected to remove his name for 6 years, or something is not right.

There are a few of these auction houses (mastro included for certain) that may be competitors, but they are all a little "clique" doing alterations and using the same people to perform these alterations.

Pretty sure Louis Bollman is an active seller on ebay too, no? The name definitely rings a bell and I think I may have purchased cards from him in the past.

Scott, years back that old baseball player"Johnny Kling" sent your daughter a $50.00 bill,I guess from heaven? seems she assisted had few as to a report of a card that had cleaned.her report was sent to many outside your hobby, especially in the Media. This report shocked them all ! My question to this board, is why would you guy's still continue to buy cards or support Auction's like this? Better yet, do you think all the cards would pass a Kevin's test, thats being offered by Doug's next one? If you can answer this, who knows, I might go back into the buying circle!!!

Sorry for the mistakes made.Scott,Jay & Mark knows what I'm pointing out. I care about you guys and your hard earned money!!

Scott, years back that old baseball player"Johnny Kling" sent your daughter a $50.00 bill,I guess from heaven? seems she assisted had few as to a report of a card that had cleaned.her report was sent to many outside your hobby, especially in the Media. This report shocked them all ! My question to this board, is why would you guy's still continue to buy cards or support Auction's like this? Better yet, do you think all the cards would pass a Kevin's test, thats being offered by Doug's next one? If you can answer this, who knows, I might go back into the buying circle!!!

Help...I got the last sentence but not the rest (sorry I'm the village idiot). Something tells me it's an interesting story.

Kevin

Kevin, years ago, when I got out of the Hobby for a while, I sent Ken a lot of my research (into the Wagner PSA 8 being fake and other aspects of the Hobby). I wouldn't take any money from him for this, so he sent my daughter $50, which I put in her bank account (and was a very nice gesture from Ken and his wife!).

BTW - there are SEVERAL cards I pass on - both in auction houses and on eBay - many graded by PSA! A lot of these cards, I would love to have for my collection, but I am not buying a blatantly trimmed card in a PSA holder if I can help it (knock on wood)!

Rob's one a few who's aware of my 3+ years of my dealings with Cancer, he even knows who a few of my Dr.'s are .plus one is a big collector of Baseball things and is one of the Dr.'s for the KC Royal's.Can you guy's see Doug or Josh taking the time to send or do anything like this, as to respecting someone who cares about this Hobby. Hell No!!! And Rob will get even more research from us, because he's been a trusted friend and loves history.

And Rob will get even more research from US ! A story as to the Pennant Cafe. which was actually located in Kling's Dixon Hotel. So much for the Great Bogen and his book. Johnny Kling stating it was in the Sexton Hotel, plus Kling was Jewish, The HOF now has letters to prove what this --- Author really did in Kling's files and more are on the way.

Louis Bollman sells on eBay under the handle louisbollmanllc. Given his nickname, I'd be very leery of anything raw he sells. Hell, even his slabbed stuff might be questionable for all we know, given his nickname.

Jay