Tom, I may as well throw in my inflation-adjusted 16 cents, since you asked...
Like, what does the Academy need it for? They already have plenty of Oscars and your is unplated anyway. They don't need it and would probably just stick in in a box in a back room somewhere. In the vernacular... screw 'em... it's yours. You paid for it. If they want it, let 'em offer to buy it from you at a decent price. Rudy's handling of another unplated Oscar on the latest edition of the Antiques Roadshow on PBS brings up an interesting possibility -- that your Oscar, like the lady's on the Roadshow -- is unplated because it was *never* awarded to anyone. It was either an extra that was ordered and never used which eventually found its way into private hands or one that was perhaps slightly flawed in some way and so not presented. Who knows? If you're correct that it is pre-1949 (and it seems you are), then even as one which was never presented to a person, it is still a valuable piece of movie memorabilia. Anyway, the Oscars do not come with an NSS stamp on them saying something like "This is the property of the AMPAS and is to be displayed only in conjunction with the person to whom it was awarded. When the person to whom it was awarded no longer wishes to keep it, this award must be returned to AMPAS". They have no legal claim on it whatsoever. If you wanted to let them purchase it at less that the $10,000 you were asking (or the $12,000 Rudy appraised the other one at), that would be a nice gesture on your part -- but they should still compensate you in some appropriate way for it if they want it. They clearly have no grounds for demanding that you return it or donate it -- or that you shouldn't sell it to someone else. Of course, that wouldn't stop eBay from pulling your auction if AMPAS filed a VERIO complaint about it... But what if someone who actually *had* won an Oscar were to decide they wanted to sell theirs on eBay? Would the Academy then claim that person had no right to do so? -- JR ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Martin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 16:02 Subject: Re: [MOPO] NEED ADVICE and OPINIONs ON freee OSCAR needed > Hello Folks.. last night I pulled my ad on Ebay for the Oscar award > . > I had been emailed By a person saying they were Academy awards legal > councel. asking me to say how I obtained where the award was from > > I told him what ive said over and Over that ive had it years that it > appears to be pre -49. that theres no serial # at heels they did that > after 49 > > so last night I re-measured and weighed obver and over... I asked My son > what should I do as I really dont know whose it was for certain// > > The peopleI I bought it from may be dead and Im sure wouldnt want the > hassle. this was like 80s- 90s.. > > and I never planned on selling it till I had my recent change of events. > > so My son said.. . why not help the academy...they are just trying to > protect thier rights too.... > > so before i went to bed i pressed .. " end the sale early " > > so now ive consided making it a Gift to the academy.... > . > > My question and what I would like to know is what would other dealers do... > > whats driven me nuts is No one ever seems to have the facts as the > academy wants to scare you into believing its Bogus.. yet to try > > to be as honest we need to have facts.. like sizess and weights... when > i measured this Oscar he was 13 inches and maybe like 1/4 at best > not 13 1/2 and the body is like 10 the base like 3.. On the Academy > website it says that a Modifcation was made in 45 that raised the base > higher . That makes me think it was raised 1/2 inch. also RS Owens has > been makeing them since 1983 But who did prior??? > > So without a Plate its anyones guess whos it was as you have from 45 1st > metal bases priorwas marble and then up to 49 when they began numbering > starting at 501. > > > so If youthink I should Gift It to academy speak Up... as I would > ask Mr. Rudy Franchi to make sure they got it. And i would want them to > > finally put the mystery to rest that its indeed the real thing.. > Personally I think they should have a Fund set aside to reward people > for returning them instead of trying to discredit people with > disinformation. > > so simply send you responces and say Maki it a GIFT ,, Or would you > SELL it... > > Im curious what others would do if they had one.. also without a Plate > how can we verify whose it is ever??? I dont belive it can as there is > a possible five year spread.. as for ifs it genuine.. I beleive it is > how do your raise the height of base without making the award taller > which means the pre 1945 awrds were smaller?? wouldnt it?? how smaller > 13 inches? > > Im am perplexed and want to do the right thing here.. please help me > with this people. Sure i would have liked to sell and have some extra > money but not if it was not right... I wouldnt have advertised on > ebay had I thought t was not proper.. an the plate issue to me devalued it. > > thanks for your time and consideration.. comments please/ > > Tom > > 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.
