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Welcome to Behind the Gavel. BehindtheGavel.com
is a not-for-profit website established by the CDA (Collector/Dealer Alliance) to assist in getting out the truth about "self-proclaimed
experts" in the autograph collecting community and the auction houses that let these so-called "experts" use
their good name and credibility to further their propaganda and self-serving agenda. Many of the dealers and collectors
who have contributed to this website wish to keep their names confidential as they are very aware of the intimidation tactics
and abuse of power these individuals, as well as the well-known trade publication Autograph Magazine, use.
Rather than be named, many CDA members prefer to let the facts speak for themselves. One
longtime collector has said, "I tried to take my items to auction to offer them for sale and I was turned away.
I was told I needed a certificate of authenticity from their "approved authenticators." The item I was trying
to sell was signed in front of me and at least 10 other witnesses. Why can't the item stand on its own merit?
I had no choice because I needed the money so I took the item to the "expert" the auction house recommended and
they said it was a fake! Don't the auction houses realize what is going on?" The
Collector/Dealers Alliance
Our Opinion It's
our opinion that the individuals exposed through this website get away with what they do because they hide behind the shield
of credibility of many top auction houses such as Christies, Sothebys, Heritage, R & R, as well as E-Bay.
Unbelievably, several of these "authenticators" actually authenticate their own items, place them in auction without
any additional authentication processes, and some auction houses just stand by and watch this conflict of interest take
place. Why, given the facts, the auction houses continue to deal with these people is incomprehensible. Concerning
the auction houses, perhaps one dealer said it best..."You need a license to give someone an $ 8 haircut, yet you can
authenitcate a $ 50,000 item with no license or certification at all." Our goal is to present the facts to the
public and challenge the auction houses with a simple question...why? A few of the highlights... The
person who backs and defends these people more than any other is Steve Cyrkin, the publisher of Autograph Magazine.
It is the opinion of many in the industry that Cyrkin's agenda is to accuse companies of selling forgeries and to use intimidation
tactics which have created many of the problems that exist in the autograph collecting community today. Could it be
because the individuals he defends are paid advertisers? Why does he look the other way? Why doesn't he cover
stories he is aware of that deal with the many issues brought to light through this website. Perhaps his
brief response calling the owner of a well respected company that is not in his circle a "kike" in an email
exchange with the president of the IADC may shed some light? Self proclaimed
expert Frank Caiazzo admitted during a recent deposition that he has no formal training whatsoever. In addition,
he admitted authenticating an item and issuing a letter of authenticity for a Beatles Sergeant Peppers
Lonely Hearts Club Band album where the signatures were added after removing them from a different item. In
another example, not revealed during the deposition, it was documented by a collector that Caiazzo authenticated
another Beatles album that had signatures taken from two different items - a menu and a clip. It was offered by
sale in an E-Bay auction with a certificate of authenticity issued by Frank Caiazzo. The description of the newly created
item did not disclose the signature transfer technique and even offered a questionable provenance! Even more
insulting, you can see that the signatures were dramatically enhanced to make the signatures look far superior to the actual
original signed items from which they were taken. Roger Epperson considers himself
the rock and roll authority and is used by many auction houses. He recently passed several items as genuine when the
individuals whose signatures appeared on newly released albums had been dead for several years.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE OR JOIN THE CDA |
If
you would like to join the CDA or have an experience or story you wish to share, we welcome your comments. Please know that you are not alone as we continually receive correspondence
from many collectors and dealers. At
your request, we will keep your name and contact information confidential. To join the CDA or share your story or experience,
E-Mail the CDA at comments@behindthegavel.com. |
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