comicnoir

I'm starting to think the 4.0 that SC sold last March may turn out to have been a bargain at $2,577. I'll venture a guess that this one goes above $8K but less than $10K. A lot depends on whether it generates enough crossover interest from non-romance/non-Baker collectors. It's the most important romance book in the hobby. Never shows up in unrestored nice.

Which was the Lloyd Jacquet copy with Light tan to off-white. I was an under-bidder. I think it went to Geppi.

I just got wind there'll be a Giant Comics Edition #12 in cgc 7.0 in the next ComicLink. I've seen a pic, it's stunning.

One of my favorites.

I like those Hawks, and they're tough in grade. Nice copy.

I'm happy to hear it's finally available. This might be an appropriate time to repost a couple of old scans of mine. Brundage's first published cover. Oriental Stories (Spring 1932) and her first Weird Tales cover. Weird Tales (September 1932) Gorgeous. I've been looking for a decent copy of that Oriental Stories issue for some time now.

Nice. Very nice! All-Picture All-True Love Story 1 Rebounds are always interesting. You never know what you're going to get - could be a Canteen Kate story. True Love Pictorial 4 is a great book. Four Baker stories for a big 41 pages of original art. And I think the cover is the bomb - the composition, framing, perspective, coloring - all of it is first rate. One of my top 20 favorite covers from St John romance. And the only cover with just two women talking to each other and they're friends. The 25 cent Giants from True Love Pictorial (3-5) and Pictorial Romances (17-20) are awesome. Squarebounds - a challenge. Thanks for the compliment. I love squarebounds, just their heft and volume, but they've got to be square, not flattened by time. That TPL #4 was an early ebay purchase from Alanna before either of us found the boards.

Some squarebound love.

I believe Schomburg only did an interior story, but the cover was done by another, not Norm Saunders, but his assistant who's name escapes me..

Which completely goes against how Overstreet prices Baker romances. The more Baker interior the pricier the book. If there's a Baker cover and interior - pricier. Baker cover and no interior, not so much. Earlier issues are more costly than later. We know that that is all wrong. At one time I insisted on interiors with my covers, but I was buying before CGC. I realized that covers were VERY important, more than interiors, though I love his stories. Also more important than anything is scarcity. TAR #1 doesn't fetch big, because it's fairly common. Later issues get more because thay are harder to find.

A gift from a friend who picked it up on ebay. I use to see others, with the same cover, not any more.

How about a Teen-age Romances cigarette case?

Goog luck on getting your 8.0.

A nice pair.

One nice 4.0.

Great pickup. Tied with the one currently for sale on Metro for highest graded. Thanks. I was the underbidder at ComicConnect when that other copy was at auction. I finally got a copy. My copy presents a little better on the front cover, but it has a miscut.

With a title like Teen-age Temptations, St. John's was definitely trying for a darker, more adult take on the romance genre.

A recent acquisition.

APC's are a good way to get Baker GGA. They seem to be common (in most cases) except in grade, of course. Did some great interiors as well.

I always wondered if any OA that survived from this. It would be interesting to know. Is there much Baker OA around? I haven't seen much since I began paying attention, but I haven't been paying attention that long. There isn't much for sale. How much exists remains to be seen.

I always wondered if any OA that survived from this.

True that. Now it looks as if I get to potentially eat certain rash statements I made earlier about the completeness of the Baker Index. Those hands on that Lovelorn #3 cover are Baker hands. The 3rd and 4th fingers "webbed" together, that recognizable pointiness? Now whether Baker drew them or not is one thing...but Baker hands they are! Baker experts? As somebody who draws for a living, those "webbed" fingers are actually the way hands are when relaxed. They naturally rest together. Baker didn't trademark that, he observed anatomy and use it in his figures. It's also easier to draw hands that way, kind of like the 3 fingers used in a Flinstones cartoons.

I wish more romance covers had buzzsaws whirling in mid-air like this one.

Have any of the Church Baker's been graded? I can't recall seeing one. The Church TR's 1,2 and 3 were sold on Heritage, raw, years ago.Then they were CGC'd and sold on ComicConnect years later. The CGC grades were significantly lower than Heritage's grades.

Happy Easter Michael (and to everyone here).