Will_K

My item was ready for pickup on Tuesday and I went on Wednesday, it was gone. In the past, I've gone for weeks without picking up my items. This seems like a "crime of opportunity" but it could have a snowball effect.

In my case, I had a comic delivered to my PO Box. But it just as easily could've been OA (which would've been even worse). If I have an item that won't fit in the PO Box, they put a yellow card in the box so I know to ask for it at the window. Now most of the people that work at the window know my name and/or face. But it seems someone just peeked to see which PO Boxes had a yellow card and just went up to the window. I was going to talk to someone that may know better or would take my report, but that person is not available today. It might be nice but I doubt the Post Office is going to ask for an ID every time someone has a pickup. So it looks like "porch pirates" have found another way to steal. I can't have items delivered to me at work. Getting another PO Box may yield the same results. I can imagine the same problem at a Mailboxes, Etc. Can anyone offer any suggestions ??

I've read where some collections (non-comic art) were bequeathed to a museum or university on the condition that the collection is never broken up (and/or sold off). And then years later, it's discovered the collection was no longer intact due to fundraising or whatever..

11x14 and 9x12 art goes in appropriately sized Itoyas. For original art (or similar size), in general… If I only have 1 piece by an artist, those artists are grouped / sorted alphabetically. Generally fills 1 Itoya. If I have more than 1 piece by an artist, those artists are grouped / sorted alphabetically. Multiple Itoyas. Up to 3 pieces in one “view”, e.g. 48 views per Itoya. Artists get shifted to new Itoyas as the collection grows. For some artists that I have “in quantity”, I’ll reserve space in the Itoya. Or they have their dedicated Itoyas. For commissions, those pretty much go in Itoyas. I use a few hardsided artcases instead of Itoyas. The art is generally loose in a large bag (no Mylar, backing, bags). Those artcases (pretty much freestanding) are pricey and/or hard to find, I think because so much art is digital now. I use those for original art, strips and other large art. Complete stories kept together. Unsorted art kept together.

Instead of "sold", how about "no longer available" ?? And for those collectors that part with a piece and then acquire it again... @delekkerste 's Miller DD/Byrne X-Men swap example in the other thread takes on a life of its own.

I've cut my own mattes but never put the money into one of those matte cutting rigs. They're several hundred dollars. I've used a hand-held matte cutter with a 4 foot long wide aluminum ruler and "C" clamps. Be careful and patient when measuring and marking where to cut. Draw a diagram of how you'll make your cuts, fill in the measurements and do the arithmetic, you should do that no matter how you cut the mattes. Otherwise, my "system" has worked out pretty well. You need to be able to cut with a beveled edge for the matte opening and a straight edge to cut to size. So you may need 2 matte cutters. Try to get a 4 ply acid-free board on the back. Lineco makes all kind of archival products for mounting. It's good to be familiar with those.

I try to understand all the opinions. But it doesn't seem like any opinions will really change. There is the Wally Wood maxim: "Never draw anything you can copy, never copy anything you can trace, never trace anything you can cut out and paste up." Some people are just better at it than others. And some can better capitalize on it than others. Has Lichtenstein ever done anything based on Wood's work ??

People should go here if only to find the link to your friend's obituary.

I keep telling myself this stuff is a luxury.

In the past, I've used rolling suitcases. If you buy a set of 3 nested together, you might accommodate those different sizes you mentioned. You can't stack the suitcases and they take up some floorspace. But you can stand them up, lay them flat and move them around. In a pinch, they also hold clothes. I've used the middle size for 13 x 19 Itoyas. And the smaller one for 11 x 14 Itoyas. Label your Itoyas and alternate them (spine on left, spine on right). It may seem tempting to keep those desiccant ("do not eat") packets in the suitcase but eventually they'll break open and you've have silica gel balls rolling around with your art.

Respectfully disagree... All of the major auction houses have their biggest sales during tax refund season and Christmas gift-buying season -- like clockwork. You can probably lose 1-3 bids during the summer -- about 10-20% -- that might've been there in the spring and fall. August 13 and 14 fall on a Tuesday and Wednesday. How will that affect the auction??

Allow me, @Mmehdy @Bird 2019 August 13 - 14 The Glynn and Suzanne Crain Science Fiction Collection Illustration Art Signature Auction - Dallas #5442 https://fineart.ha.com/c/auction-home.zx?saleNo=5442 Glynn Crain on CAF https://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=62356

Where's @delekkerste when you really need him ??

A collector once told me that he wasn't interested in the cover art to certain issues of Superman/Action. He said Superman was always getting his butt kicked. There are some exceptions, but I think he was basically referring to Superman 250 - 300 and Action Comics 400 - 435. A prime example is the cover where Superman is kissing Star Sapphire's boot. Here's a story from Tony Isabella: http://tonyisabella.blogspot.com/2013/11/nick-cardy.html

A number of items are credited as being part of the "IRI Collection". Does anyone know anything about the IRI Collection ??

Yeah. I like Giordano and the Black Canary... but W O W !!!

My buddy Steve Mannion has just started his 6th Kickstarter project. I've backed all of them. He's gotten them done in good time. That includes printing, commissions and mailing. The art for his comic is pretty much done before he launches. He keeps all the backers updated and keeps things light. Steve's latest Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevenmannion/fearless-dawn-shorts-1-comic-by-steve-mannion

Although JLGL has made his mark drawing superheroes, he prefers not to. He loves drawing the other genres where he's also excelled. For example, sci-fi (Twilight) and westerns (Jonah Hex). So although you may not be into the story, I think JLGL would've loved the opportunity. The story looks great. And JLGL inks himself, the rendering has a different look than you'd usually see. There aren't many complete JLGL stories out there. I think there would be a premium on that, not a discount. The final price will probably surprise you even more. I doubt the bidders are really big Phantom Stranger fans, they're JLGL fans.

Out of curiosity, outside of comics, are there any ongoing debates about Lichtenstein ? If so, what are those topics ?

Well, Bob Kane did sign his name to other artists' work...

OK, so now we have a way to fish out the benefactor. Who wants to contest ownership? One can show their "bill of sale" and receipt that were signed by "Jack Kirby" and "Charles Schulz".

It has never been reported stolen. A technicality perhaps but an important one. No. But the LoC does have that base covered. Quoting the article : For Amazing Fantasy #15, the Library of Congress has any of a number of valuable pieces in its archives. For its part, it makes sure it has its legalities covered. “We have what’s called an Instrument of Gift,” Duke says. “We ask that the donor sign that they own legal right to the art, manuscript, books, or whatever they’re donating, that they possess the legal property.” And Duke says that’s the best they can do. Many of the Library’s pieces are hundreds of years old. “We’re not going to go chasing through the halls of time trying to figure out how did it get from point A to point B,” she says.

I've always wonder about the "why" about the anonymity. Is it just to avoid having collectors come out of the woodwork asking for "more" ? It seems like the donation was made while the benefactor was still living. Was there a danger of being sued ? The LoC seems to be OK with the art having been stolen. They just accept the benefactor's word that it wasn't. It seems like making the donation was an easy way of getting rid of a stolen property. There was also the option of making the LoC donation upon death, just put it in your Last Will Unless you didn't trust your Executor. The benefactor supposedly got the "OK" from Ditko. So was Ditko told who had the art? What if Ditko said he wanted his art returned to him? What if Ditko did give his blessing but then changed his mind? Did Ditko sign something where he gave up any rights to the art ?

Why did HA even list this ? Does the seller pay a listing fee even if it doesn't sell ?

That kind of goes along with the... "untold" part.