A unified system wouldn't harm, but think it would still be compromised to some degree by subjectivity.
For instance, I'd assume Emovieposter would continue to provide unflattering grades, because the approach appears to be to exceed expectations, have pleasantly surprised, returning customers. And with so much sold presumably the last thing they'd want is issues with returns clogging up the machine. Any grading is fine as an overview, but still need to make your conclusion based on a description of flaws. Have found the vast majority of dealers to be very honest with condition descriptions, but you'll never avoid some sellers being disingenuous, and flattering in the description, or unforthcoming with details of flaws. Still think using a set up for colour correct images (with a Pantone colour bar or the like) would be a good idea though. Sent from my iPad > On 11 Mar 2014, at 18:47, Bruce Hershenson <[email protected]> wrote: > > What a brilliant post, completely "on topic" and of vital interest to > everyone who collects movie posters, asking insightful questions that have > never really been answered. > > Therefore, I expect zero replies to the group (but likely a flurry of > off-group personal comments). > > >> On Tue, Mar 11, 2014 at 12:29 PM, Tommy Barr <[email protected]> wrote: >> I am using Heritage as an example, but I hope nobody uses that as an excuse >> for sniping, as I think we all suffer from a mote in the eye here. In a >> recent auction HA had this poster - >> http://movieposters.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=161410&lotNo=52344. >> >> I noticed it was the same poster as previously sold by them - >> http://movieposters.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=161253&lotNo=50302. >> >> The only difference was that the grading had moved from ‘fine’ to ‘fine+’. I >> contacted HA to enquire about that and received a reply from Grey Smith. ‘If >> items are reconsigned with us, we have a team grading and evaluating each >> lot for condition ignorant of its previous sale. Naturally, grading will >> always be subjective to a degree.’ I replied that while I accepted grading >> as subjective I did not think it unreasonable to expect consistency from the >> same source, and it would appear that the present team is more lenient in >> its appraisal than that of the recent past, as is evidenced by yet another >> poster previously rated ‘fine-‘ which has now been promoted to ‘fine’. >> http://movieposters.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=161410&lotNo=52506 >> >> http://movieposters.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=161246&lotNo=53484 >> >> I received no reply to that. >> >> Now I appreciate that we are dealing with quite fine distinctions here, but >> grading is important. Having large images to view is all very well, but it >> does not show everything. Wrinkles do not always show well, and there are no >> images of the back of the poster so the amount of tape or writing there >> relies on description. >> >> The main problem I find, though, is one of comparison. Is HA’s ‘fine’ the >> equivalent of EMP’s ‘good’ (and surely ‘good’ meaning ‘not very good’ is one >> of the worst anachronisms)? HA does at least assign a numerical value to >> the rating, and other sites such as MoviePosterBid and MoviePosterExchange >> do use numbered grading, but there still often appears to be some difference >> in values as, for example, MPX seem to be very critical and often have >> posters as low as 2 or 3 which I expect others might have as a 4 or 5. The >> majority of eBay sellers are quite happy to describe their wares as >> ‘excellent’, and major auction houses such as Christie’s simply have an >> A,B,C rating system. >> >> I like the iguide.net numerical system, and should something like that not >> now be accepted as an approved standard? CGC and third party grading would >> seem to have limited appeal, but there is no reason why a unified system >> cannot be applied. It is surely long overdue, as Alan Adler's post of Jan >> 2006 demonstrates - >> >> A unified grading system would be fantastic. >> It will happen - just a question of when. >> Look to Overstreet's comic guide and the pages on grading comics and >> find a useful and well-organized list of criteria that has worked well for >> the comic world. >> Overstreet even has a book out devoted only to grading of comics. >> It has photos of every grade - using a number scale - 1-100 I think -but >> could be wrong. >> Check it out at the bookstore or library. >> There is no reason this can not be accomplished for movie posters - >> Even though there are a number of sizes - the same rules set forward for >> grading movie paper can work for all with minor notations. >> >> Eight years later but still it hasn't happened, but the idea must be >> appealing. At least we would then be able to view and compare posters based >> on mutual assumptions, and also be able to compare the rigour of the dealers >> in their appraisals. >> >> >> >> >> >> 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. > > > > -- > Bruce Hershenson and the other 29 members of the eMoviePoster.com team > P.O. Box 874 > West Plains, MO 65775 > Phone: 417-256-9616 (hours: Mon-Fri 9 to 5 except from 12 to 1 when we take > lunch) > our site > our auctions > > > Complete Buyer Protection - No time limit on our guarantees & NO buyer beware > Hershenson Help Hotline - Direct line to Bruce (our owner!) for urgent > problems > Also, please read the following three pages of in-depth Customer Reviews of > our company - Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, which shows you in our customers' own > words exactly what makes our company and our auctions so very different from > all others! > > > 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.
