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- The iPod 'Nanny', a Few Thefts, and a $52M Car
Hey there, Collectors.
The collectibles world can be a serious place- heck, in today’s newsletter we cover two major thefts and a car that may sell for as much as $52M (serious money!). But there’s never a shortage of humor, either. Take for instance, MLB Hall of Famer Wade Boggs ‘authenticating’ his own signed items via tweets, or The Athletic covering promotional cards made for then-TV-commercial ‘Ted Lasso’… cards which are now trading for thousands of dollars (if you can even find one).
I guess it’s that mix that keeps this hobby from ever becoming boring.
via NYT/RM Sothebys
A rare 1954 Mercedes W196 R, once driven by F1 legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, is set to be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s and could fetch over $52 million, making it the most expensive grand prix car ever sold. This historic car, which helped Mercedes dominate F1 in the mid-1950s, has been housed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum since 1965. Its storied racing history includes victories under Fangio and a record lap by Moss at Monza. The auction is slated for this weekend.
Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin was the guest on Guy Raz’ podcast, ‘How I Built This’ in an episode that dropped on Monday. The interview starts from the very beginning- his childhood, and the businesses Rubin founded as a high schooler where he made and lost his first fortune. Listeners looking for candor from the sports merchandise and collectibles mogul will find it in spades- from Rubin admitting to not having read a book since ~1986(!) to the local sheriff presenting him with multiple lawsuits when he was a 16-year-old in-debt while running a ski equipment business. He also touches on how he approaches running his business, and the future of Fanatics in the hour episode. A good listen.
via AppleInsider/Sothebys
Late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld was known for his work as creative director of Chanel, Fendi, and his eponymous label, Karl Lagerfeld, as well as his distinctive personal style (insanely high collar, stark white hair, sunglasses on, always). But as Sotheby’s auctions off his estate this week, it’s his iPod collection that’s turning heads. Lagerfeld amassed a collection of ~500 iPods, 45 of which are part of the sale ending tomorrow. Not included in the sale? Access to Lagerfeld’s ‘iPod Nanny’, a person on his payroll tasked with ensuring the fashion legend always had the best music ready to go on a fully-charged Apple music device.
A former USPS employee, Shelby Dozier, pleaded guilty to stealing valuable sports cards and memorabilia from packages intended for a consignment auction house. Working at a post office in New Jersey, Dozier allegedly intercepted at least 10 packages containing high-value collectibles, including Michael Jordan and Mickey Mantle cards. Investigators linked him to the thefts through work records, phone activity, and financial transactions, and now Dozier, who will be sentenced this April, faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The New York Times recently published a fascinating long-read about two art fraud rings in Thunder Bay, Ontario, which produced thousands of counterfeit paintings falsely attributed to Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau, selling them for millions. The operation fooled collectors, galleries, and even a rock star. A cold-case murder investigation unexpectedly led police to the forgers, who have since been convicted. The scandal, spanning decades, highlighted exploitation, drug use, and the long-overdue reckoning with Canada’s biggest art fraud. A compelling weekend read with a strong cup of coffee.