P.S. There is one funny aspect to the page I posted below. After the prop expert posted detail summaries of items the LA Prop guys bought on eBay and re-consigned, a toadie on that board wrote a massive rebuttal of what the guy said, just as has been happening with the latest scandal and lawsuit.
Of course, the auction house soon admitted the props WERE fake, and they not only threw all the blame on LA Prop, they even sued them for harming their reputation, and the auction house knew NOTHING of what was going on (even though the expert had been complaining to anyone there he could reach).. So the toadie's defense was completely worthless and wrong, but at the time it served its purpose of muddying the waters for a while while they planned their next move. The same thing happened when Rita exposed their enhanced images. An employee was found to take the blame, and the auction house knew NOTHING of what was going on (even though Rita had been complaining to anyone there she could reach). Bruce On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 5:07 PM, Bruce Hershenson <[email protected] > wrote: > Here is the "smoking gun". > > http://www.originalprop.com/blog/?p=61 > > This blog started writing about LA Prop and their phony items in April > 2007, and gave extensive evidence of the fakes being passed off as real (it > wasn't that hard because the people behind LA Prop simply bought old items > on eBay and then added a fake COA to them, and then consigned them, so for > example, an old hip flask magically became Errol Flynn's hip flask). > > It was talked about and e-mailed about extensively throughout the rest of > 2007 (as I said, many prop sellers were well aware of this), and it was > completely blown off by your favorite auction house UNTIL the news media was > contacted by a buyer. > > In the case of Rita Rooney, she had complete documented evidence that the > image online on the auction was enhanced digitally to take away defects that > were present in the actual poster she received. > > Do you view the above as "no big deal" or the work of "a bit of a > scoundrel"? > > Bruce > > > > > On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM, Bruce Hershenson < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> There are indeed other links to sites that posted about LA Prop well >> before that story, and I will post them later when I have time. >> >> And there is at least one MoPo member who deals in props who knows full >> well they were told many times about the fakes and completely ignored it. >> >> Bruce >> >> On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 4:32 PM, Sean Linkenback < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I am reading your message but I still don't see the name of the auction >>> house you have now hinted at for weeks is denying responsibility and not >>> refunding money. >>> >>> Does this auction house actually exist? >>> >>> I am not an employee of Heritage, and I will bet that even with your >>> continued attacks of them, Grey does not regret sending you the posters, nor >>> denying your $100 offer as he has consistently shown that he cares about the >>> hobby. >>> (Does he care because it affects his bottom line? my guess is he would >>> answer that question the same as you would). >>> >>> I also don't know anything about the prop situation except for the single >>> story you posted (which someone pointed out was written after Heritage >>> initiated a lawsuit), but am certainly open to reading more about it. >>> Do you have any further links to articles/stories? >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> *From:* Bruce Hershenson <[email protected]> >>> *To:* Sean Linkenback <[email protected]> >>> *Cc:* [email protected] >>> *Sent:* Sunday, September 20, 2009 5:22 PM >>> *Subject:* Re: [MOPO] Big auction houses normal or not normal? >>> >>> Since you specialize in excusing away all they do, how about explaining >>> away why they completely ignored the many complaints posted and sent to >>> them about LA Prop consigning fakes to them UNTIL a respected collector >>> called a Dallas TV station, and suddenly THEN they cared and did something? >>> >>> Or how about the time Rita Rooney caught them 100% selling an item to her >>> with a doctored photo, and they completely blew her off for a long time >>> UNTIL she posted the entire story on MoPo (complete with undoctored and >>> doctored photos, and suddenly THEN they cared and did something? >>> >>> I sure hope you are getting paid well for your hard work. >>> >>> Bruce >>> >>> On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 3:43 PM, Sean Linkenback < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> I agree that the appearance of Deep Pockets tends to attract more >>>> attention, both good and bad, so the fact that Heritage is nearly 250X the >>>> size of Bruce's little operation (this year alone) means they have a much >>>> bigger target on their back. >>>> >>>> While Grey certainly can't be expected to police the entirety of >>>> Heritage and it's departments, I believe it speaks volumes that in the >>>> seven >>>> years they have been dealing posters they have already nearly equaled >>>> Bruce's twenty years worth of sales but I have never heard of a single >>>> lawsuit or threat of one, nor have I heard of them not paying a consignor >>>> nor any other complaints (perhaps aside from their "outrageous" buyer's >>>> premium, or the occasional misdescription just like Bruce, >>>> Cinemasterpieces >>>> or any other volume seller is apt to do). >>>> >>>> Despite Bruce's constant attacks on Heritage, when Bruce wanted to see >>>> an example of one of the fake Universal Horror posters, Grey immediately >>>> stepped up and not only provided him with multiple examples, he even >>>> declined Bruce's $100 "bounty" for them. >>>> >>>> It is also interesting that in the article Bruce posted, Heritage is >>>> taking the proactive approach of refunding customers and going after the >>>> bad >>>> guys themselves, NOT telling their customers that they don't have any >>>> liability for the fakes. So I guess we can definitely wipe Heritage off >>>> the >>>> list of auction houses that Bruce has been hinting do this practice. Now >>>> if >>>> only he would finally tell us who that auction house (or houses) is, so >>>> that >>>> we can avoid them in the future. I guess fear tactics work better when >>>> there >>>> are multiple nameless targets or "everyone else but me" rather than naming >>>> any specifics. >>>> >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> *From:* Bruce Hershenson <[email protected]> >>>> *To:* [email protected] >>>> *Sent:* Sunday, September 20, 2009 3:49 PM >>>> *Subject:* Re: [MOPO] Big auction houses normal or not normal? >>>> >>>> I only do $3 million a year which is a pittance compared to the $700 >>>> million Heritage does (but is that with or without N.P. Gresham's >>>> purchases?), but in 20 years I have never had a lawsuit or court case, >>>> either against me or initiated by me. >>>> >>>> I wonder if that means I am doing something wrong? Maybe if I want to >>>> become one of the "big boys" I need to change the way I do business? >>>> >>>> Bruce >>>> >>>> On Sun, Sep 20, 2009 at 2:43 PM, Simon Oram >>>> <[email protected]>wrote: >>>> >>>>> I was just wondering is it normal for big auction houses to have >>>>> multiple lawsuits or court cases going on at the same time - is it also >>>>> part >>>>> of the normal days work at the big houses to be accusing and have >>>>> accusers? >>>>> >>>>> Simon >>>>> 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. >>>> >>>> >>> >> > 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.
