Ontario Museum buys fake German vehicles

[James P]

This lawsuit looks like the Ever Ready bunny that just keeps going and going and..................

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/...Foundation_Inc

[James P]

The hard (and expensive) way.

https://www.apnews.com/82da84d96ca54e65839dcf65e9caad4d

[45jim]

That's a big hit. So, now what to do? Is it worth the money and effort to turn these into running pieces for the Ontario Reg't Museum to use in their annual displays?

[Ed Storey]

Who in their right mind would spend 250K on vehicles sight-unseen? I'd be looking for a new Museum President.

[James P]

More. Rather sad tale really

https://scholar.google.ca/scholar_ca...=2006&as_vis=1

[Harry Moon]

wait for the other shoe to drop, in Canada loser pays the defendants legal bills. thats why there are so few comparatively legal cases like this in Canada.
I was associated with a company that sued another and lost, ordered to pay a few hundred thousand, meetings, tighten belt change a few purchases to down the road, we will survive.... then the million dollar legal fees and after bankruprtcy there wasn't a dime left....

[Alex van de Wetering]

Who in their right mind would spend 250K on vehicles sight-unseen?

Well said!

By the way.....how did the bids go that high anyway......I mean, there had to be at least one other bidder that was willing to pay top money for these vehicles, right?......otherwise the price would have been much lower???

Alex

[jdmcm]

I started this thread, probably with a little too much guilty joy at others expense, that I regret and I apologize for. All in all it's a shame, I certainly would not go casting aspersions on the ONTARS president. Alan is a smart, successful businessman who has been a real benefit to the museum and the Canadian military vehicle community.

I will admit in my earlier collecting days I made some major mistakes, mostly born from a lack of knowledge, unbridled enthusiasm and misplaced trust. Who of us hasn't at one time or another got little excited and bought a bag of magic beans?

No matter what we are all on the outside looking in and in the end it is a very interesting and sad event, but the reality is I am sure we don't know all the circumstances surrounding the case.

What I am glad to see is this has not seemed to effect the momentum the Ontario Regiment Museum has gained in the last few years. Lessons learned, onward and upward!

John

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by jdmcm

....

I will admit in my earlier collecting days I made some major mistakes, mostly born from a lack of knowledge, unbridled enthusiasm and misplaced trust. Who of us hasn't at one time or another got little excited and bought a bag of magic beans?

...

Bean? I got some of those right here! Come on over and let me tell you about them.

And I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments. The museum got a punch in the nose for its excitement. Time to lick their wounds, make a few new plans, and get on with the season. As for the boss named in the decision, I wouldn't be too harsh. A famous hockey player said, you miss 100% of the shots you never take.

[James P]

Originally Posted by jdmcm

I started this thread, probably with a little too much guilty joy at others expense, that I regret and I apologize for. All in all it's a shame, I certainly would not go casting aspersions on the ONTARS president. Alan is a smart, successful businessman who has been a real benefit to the museum and the Canadian military vehicle community.

I will admit in my earlier collecting days I made some major mistakes, mostly born from a lack of knowledge, unbridled enthusiasm and misplaced trust. Who of us hasn't at one time or another got little excited and bought a bag of magic beans?

No matter what we are all on the outside looking in and in the end it is a very interesting and sad event, but the reality is I am sure we don't know all the circumstances surrounding the case.

What I am glad to see is this has not seemed to effect the momentum the Ontario Regiment Museum has gained in the last few years. Lessons learned, onward and upward!

John

I tend to agree with what you say John and while the guy may be brilliant, successful and competent in what he does for a living he did make an ill thought out purchase on this one sight unseen. Sadly the plaintiffs should have done the due diligence and had some knowledge of what they where throwing money at. The Victory Memorial Museums collection of vehicles (later Kruse Foundation) had a reputation of being made up and often incomplete so when the guy bought these as is/where is and sight unseen it just shows a breathing taking lack of study, or knowledge, regarding the vehicles purchased. That all said I have to salute the guy for moving the OntR museum so very far forward and giving it a bright future and potential. A costly mistake made for sure and no doubt many lessons learned along the way that will not be repeated .

[daninnm]

While I feel for the OntMuseum - the judge had it right - sometimes the words that are missing in a description are as important as the ones that are there....like "original" "WWII battlefield relic" etc.: had those words been used rather than the 'puffery' words ('museum quality,' 'appears to be,' 'great condition,') all would be well with that purchase.
Had there been a single communication where Krause said this is an original vehicle in answer to a question of the same content - Krause would have lost the suit! IF the seller had said 'I don't know' or 'as is' than that must be taken to mean the WORST CASE - not original
This case is the same as the one where someone recently purchase Patton's WC57 Dodge Command Car - not! No good provenance and lots of innuendo that it was ever Patton's; more likely he ever even road in it or that it was on the same continent as Patton!!!!

[peter simundson]

Instead of barking and snapping at Allan Duffy who has singlehandedly turned the Ontario Tank Museum into a World Class display of vehicles and equipment the same people keep taking shots. It was a solid try at introducing foreign vehicles into the herd. If they can't be used for what they are, they would make great background for a diorama. And based on past price performance if they hold on to them for five years regardless of their history they could sell them for 30% more than they paid. AND you can thank Allan Duffy alone for a far sighted vision of what that Museum should look like. That new building is a blessing for anyone who works and toils there. Cheers for Mr. Duffy. And his visions.

My uncle served in the Ontario Tank through WW2. When I asked an ex vet in the Regiment how he did (waiting to hear he was a good soldier) the reply was....he was the best dancer we ever had.

Peter Simundson

[Harry Moon]

why don't we at least change the title to this thread.

[James P]

Originally Posted by Harry Moon

why don't we at least change the title to this thread.

Why ? They did just that.