Ray Haradin RIP (1 Viewer)

Brad,
This is very sad news. I appreciate you letting us know. 60 is indeed way too young. May Ray rest in blessed peace. Prayers for his family and friends.
 
Very sad when I found this out last week. I had held off publishing it here until the family had put it out publicly. I was fortunate to enjoy a very good relationship with Ray and his family over the years while enjoying this crazy hobby. Ray was a very personable and likeable guy with a wealth of knowledge about collectibles. I enjoyed our many visits, phone conversations and working with him on OTS. I really enjoyed OTS and cataloging soldiers, it was a great addition to my own enjoyment of the hobby, but Ray's input and ideas made it even better.

RIP Ray.

Tom
 
This is very sad! I knew Ray had been ailing the past couple of years; he had Kent Kline represent OTS at our show for several years. But didn't think he'd pass yet. He's actually a year younger than I am.
Between his auctions and publishing Old Toy Soldier, he was a great promoter of the hobby. And not just toy soldiers, but classic toys as well.
Very sad indeed.
 
I just me5 him for the first time in Chicago last year. A very nice gentlemen. A pillar of the hobby.
 
Realized it had been awhile since I saw an auction notice, so decided to see what was going on...not the news I wanted to read. I've bought many lots over the years and loved the videos he did with Bri. He was such a valuable part of the community.
 
I also knew Ray through the OTSN Auctions. He was a gentleman and will be missed. My condolences to his family.
 
Not to be crass about it but Ray was OTSA and OTSA was Ray. Without him it is no more.
 
jazzeum said:
Not to be crass about it but Ray was OTSA and OTSA was Ray. Without him it is no more.
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The new auction format under Morphy is very different. From observation, it is going to be more of the higher end lots and in order to get to that, will be much larger lots. In the last auction, Aeroart was listed mainly in 5 to 15 figure lots. As a cataloger for Ray, we did more individual lots which allowed for more IMO widespread bidding. These larger lots will attract fewer bidders IMO unless you are looking for quantity. Again, this is just an observation.

Now, one thing I should also say is that Morphy Auctions are first rate and first class to deal with. Very good photographs, very understandable auction process, fair fees (compared to Live Auctioneers!) and options to pick up or ship. They are a very well run business. Ray was an innovator in toy soldier auctions, he built a great business, hopefully at least part of that survives under Morphy.

Tom
 
tdubel said:
The new auction format under Morphy is very different. From observation, it is going to be more of the higher end lots and in order to get to that, will be much larger lots. In the last auction, Aeroart was listed mainly in 5 to 15 figure lots. As a cataloger for Ray, we did more individual lots which allowed for more IMO widespread bidding. These larger lots will attract fewer bidders IMO unless you are looking for quantity. Again, this is just an observation.

Now, one thing I should also say is that Morphy Auctions are first rate and first class to deal with. Very good photographs, very understandable auction process, fair fees (compared to Live Auctioneers!) and options to pick up or ship. They are a very well run business. Ray was an innovator in toy soldier auctions, he built a great business, hopefully at least part of that survives under Morphy.

Tom
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I don’t like the big lots concept. To me, that smacks of laziness in identifying what you have. In addition, it leaves a buyer with purchasing more than what they need. For example, one of the auctions had a figure I wanted but I wasn’t going to purchase 10 or 15 figures just to get one. Not financially astute.
 
tdubel said:
The new auction format under Morphy is very different. From observation, it is going to be more of the higher end lots and in order to get to that, will be much larger lots. In the last auction, Aeroart was listed mainly in 5 to 15 figure lots. As a cataloger for Ray, we did more individual lots which allowed for more IMO widespread bidding. These larger lots will attract fewer bidders IMO unless you are looking for quantity. Again, this is just an observation.

Now, one thing I should also say is that Morphy Auctions are first rate and first class to deal with. Very good photographs, very understandable auction process, fair fees (compared to Live Auctioneers!) and options to pick up or ship. They are a very well run business. Ray was an innovator in toy soldier auctions, he built a great business, hopefully at least part of that survives under Morphy.

Tom
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Unfortunately, this is how these auction houses work a lot of the times, they bundle "lots" together vs selling individual figures. Not to throw stones, but based on what I've seen, they do this as it does not appear that they really know what they have/what the items are actually worth.

Case in point, I am selling a collection for the executor of an estate of one of my customers, he sent me all the items and I am selling them for the estate and rotating the proceeds back monthly minus a commission.

He directed me to an auction house he was going to use as they had a listing of toy soldiers for sale and thought I might be interested; they bundled together First Legion Napoleonics, ACW and Crusaders, some nice retired figures mixed in with current production figures, many of which are on sale through First Legion, the bidding on all of the lots got to the point of no return for me as a reseller.

The real issue was in addition to the cost of the lots, there was also a buyers premium that had to be paid, plus shipping and the shipping was explained as follows "We use a company that packs and ships for us, you as a buyer have to pay a fee for the items to be packed plus a shipping fee which will be determined at the time the items are packed."

So I buy a lot, have to pay the buyers premium, then pay someone a fee to pack and ship and I have no idea what that fee is going to be, won't know until the items are packed and shipped.

No thanks, not a very good way to do business.


Just my .02.
 
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