The Big Fish: The One That Got Away

[mister_not_so_nice]

JesusJon is going to hate this but for me its the Hawkman Kingdom Come page he has. I really, really wanted it but there was something fishy about the auction at the time that bugged me and made me decide not to bid and he got it and had no problems with the transaction. That's my Big Fish so far and I'm reminded of it every time I see it in his gallery.

 

I predict a new thread started in the OA Sale Forum in 5....4.....3.....2..............

[Mister Trent]

Just started collecting art about 2 1/2 yrs ago, watching an auction on Ebay for that famous "bunny slippers' Hulk piece by Dale Keown. I was new to the hobby and didn't really want to

buy anything till i had a better perspective on art and it's pricing......

Piece sold for around 900 and is probably a 5k piece now....or I know people that would pay 5k, let's say that......

 

Board member offered me a piece that I had made a comment about about 2 yrs ago. I was

thinking it's a semi grail for sure, but sure was a lot of money......I passed.....Will most likely never be offered for sale again...and rest assured, if it was, it would be 4-5 times what he offered it to me...

 

Passed on a Bolland GL cover that is simply the best one of the 3 he did on the series...Sold, then sold again....now locked away....

 

 

You can be too cautious . . . and live to regret it.

 

Must admit, I'm having trouble understanding the approach of some of the newbie collectors.

 

 

Here's one reason:

 

The DPS to Xmen 100 by Cockrum! The dealer who owned it kept telling me 100k, 100k....for over a year; one day during emails he informs me he'd take more like 25 to 30k!!!

 

The art market is, too me, a much more complex and tricky one to navigate than the comics market due to less transparency and fewer public comparable sales by which to gauge prices.

 

 

That's an extreme example, Adam.

 

Somehow I can't see the newbie OA collector competing to buy a 100k piece of art.

 

Most seasoned vets would balk at the idea . . . even those with deep-pockets.

 

I was not commenting on a 100K price but on the sales tactic -- using it as one example of the type of sales method that makes it hard for a newbie to navigate through. The methods are not unique to the artwork market, but they exist to a greater degree when compared to the comic book market. Just my

 

For many years, art I was buying was either in auction, through ads or dealers sales lists and personal negotiations (with fellow-collectors). The process was often a long, slow one. From the beginning, my approach was a simple one:

 

How much do I like the artwork that has surfaced?

 

(At that moment in time) is it intended to be a 'keeper' for my collection . . . something I'd cherish?

 

What price can I afford to pay that I'll feel comfortable with?

 

Nowadays, things are different. You have the available Information technology at hand to research comparable prices. Fellow-collectors are only an e-mail away . . . auction results are only a web-search away . . .

 

Just my two-pence' worth . . .

 

 

[Jesusjon]

JesusJon is going to hate this but for me its the Hawkman Kingdom Come page he has. I really, really wanted it but there was something fishy about the auction at the time that bugged me and made me decide not to bid and he got it and had no problems with the transaction. That's my Big Fish so far and I'm reminded of it every time I see it in his gallery.

 

I predict a new thread started in the OA Sale Forum in 5....4.....3.....2..............

 

Heh. Thanks for your vote of confidence. There are a few pieces I have hung onto without fail you know!!

 

And Tom, I don't hate it at all -- it's a great compliment that you think that much of the art to keep it in such high esteem. I am quite attached to it, and would only part with it for another spectacular Kingdom Come page, as it's my beauty of a Ross KC example. Oh, and by the way, you've got a PM...

 

J

[Pirate]

A spectre cover by Charles Vess that a certain cgc head honcho guy has. He told me his high bid later ad I would have paid that much. So, I am still looking for a spectre cover.

Mike

 

send the head honcho an anonymous piece by Vess and under his own rules will be forced to part with the spectre cover as said head honcho keeps one piece per person.

[Sharkey]

I have a story about a page that didn't exactly "get away" but was more or less "stolen away."

 

Sometime around the early 1990s when I was an avid subscriber to the old newspaper tabloid format Comics Buyers Guide, I got my copy in the mail and was scanning the classified ads. There was an ad for the splash page to the Hulk story from Tales to Astonish 67 -- by Steve Ditko. I was pretty new to original art, but I was a big Steve Ditko fan and the idea of getting a Ditko splash even then sounded awesome and the price seemed very fair. I was living in Iowa and although I attended the Chicago ComicCon each year I had not yet really gotten into purchasing OA. But I had a few pages and was very interesting in more, especially from somebody like Jack Kirby or Steve Ditko. So I called the phone number and got ahold of the guy -- we chatted on the phone and he still had the page so I said I'd send a check to him ASAP, which I did.

 

 

For the next couple days I was in hog heaven thinking about owning a Ditko Hulk splash page. Then, while at work, I get a message left on my answering machine. They guy apologized and said he was returning my check because he was selling the page to someone else.

 

 

So I tried calling the guy several times with no success. Finally I got ahold of him and asked him what was up. He said somebody had offered him more money so he took it. He said sorry, but he ws selling the piece because he needed the money and said that even though he told the person that he had sold it, they offered him too much money for him to say no, and he agreed to sell it to them instead. Even though I pointed out that he had agreed to sell it to me, he said he knew he shouldn't sell it to someone else but they offered to much. He wouldn't even let me know how much more so or let me make a counter offer, he just said they offered a lot more than he was asking and it was sold.

 

 

To this day I am still bummed about it. Whoever got that splash knew exactly what they were doing and should be ashamed of themselves. And the guy who sold it isn't any better.

 

Greedy people suck.

 

:signrant:

[westform]

Hi Steve; I've been screwed in much the same way several times before... the saving grace is... really you (me) were never going to own those pieces anyway. It's really hard to get something from a total crook.

 

Anyway, your cbg story reminded me of a 'Big one' that got away. Years ago, a guy ran a classified selling Buscema Surfer pages. I called him in Florida and turns out he also had the covers to 1 and 2. Boingg! Anyway, I was very interested in the 1 and we talked about a price of 11k as I recall. But, I either had to send this guy a check for that amount or get on a plane with cash. It was a little scary as I had never heard of him so I balked. Instead I bought quite a few pages from him for almost nothing. Really nice pages too! If it was today, I would have hopped a plane, but I was too young in the hobby back then... DF

[westform]

Now I remember another 'fish'... and a big one. Years and years ago as all these stories go, a friend in the hobby offered me the cover to Xmen 59 by (gulp!) Adams. Seemed pricey at 11 or 12k as I recall; thought long and hard but passed. (sniff!) Never seen it again.... (I'm thinking it might be a tad more spensive now)

 

... along the way, I've learned to move a little quicker and leap a little higher...

[Sharkey]

Well, I've had my share of moments...... The Hulk splash is just one that got away that wasn't my fault!

 

 

The classic moments? hm It hurts me to even think of these....

 

Well, I passed on a Ditko Dr. Strange page a few years ago because the seller wanted 8k for it and I thought it was too much. And, y'know, those come around so often I could afford to be so picky.

 

And I passed on a Ditko ASM page (issue 13) because the page didn't really grab me, and at the time the money ($5k as I recall) would have tapped me out.

 

 

[clemso]

Hi Steve; I've been screwed in much the same way several times before... the saving grace is... really you (me) were never going to own those pieces anyway. It's really hard to get something from a total crook.

 

Anyway, your cbg story reminded me of a 'Big one' that got away. Years ago, a guy ran a classified selling Buscema Surfer pages. I called him in Florida and turns out he also had the covers to 1 and 2. Boingg! Anyway, I was very interested in the 1 and we talked about a price of 11k as I recall. But, I either had to send this guy a check for that amount or get on a plane with cash. It was a little scary as I had never heard of him so I balked. Instead I bought quite a few pages from him for almost nothing. Really nice pages too! If it was today, I would have hopped a plane, but I was too young in the hobby back then... DF

 

Hi Dan,

I remember that ad, I believe a fellow comicart lister ended up with the 2 and the 1 eventually went for sale at Heritage. That cover probably made their auctions back then. I have a story regarding the cover to Silver Surfer 1. It reads a bit like a UFO sighting. In the mid 80s, i started collecting comics big time and over here in the UK we have Comic marts which happen every 2 months or so. Think con only a 20th of the size. Anyway at one dealers store. I saw what appeared to be the original cover art to SS 1 for £200 ($400) I didn't think much about it because I was really focused on comic books, but i remember thinking , wow the actual cover to SS1. I've later heard other collectors suggest it was the splash and it was so long ago, its hard to remember, but it did not have any text balloons and also what would it be doing in the UK? but a while back I had a conversation with a french collector and he was telling me a similar story involving the cover to SS 3 and he ended up buying it so these Buscema SS covers somehow ended up in europe.

 

Clem..

[comicartfan]

Just started collecting art about 2 1/2 yrs ago, watching an auction on Ebay for that famous "bunny slippers' Hulk piece by Dale Keown. I was new to the hobby and didn't really want to

buy anything till i had a better perspective on art and it's pricing......

Piece sold for around 900 and is probably a 5k piece now....or I know people that would pay 5k, let's say that......

 

Board member offered me a piece that I had made a comment about about 2 yrs ago. I was

thinking it's a semi grail for sure, but sure was a lot of money......I passed.....Will most likely never be offered for sale again...and rest assured, if it was, it would be 4-5 times what he offered it to me...

 

Passed on a Bolland GL cover that is simply the best one of the 3 he did on the series...Sold, then sold again....now locked away....

 

 

You can be too cautious . . . and live to regret it.

 

Must admit, I'm having trouble understanding the approach of some of the newbie collectors.

 

Unless you're obsessed with investment potential as your main criterion for collecting art, I would have thought that most of us buy the art because (cue oft-repeated adage) . . . we like it.

 

If you can live with paying the asking price . . . and the art is a 'must-have' example . . . go for it.

 

It wasn't about investment or even the price, it was more of a "I am going to look around and see what's out there rather than pull the trigger on something that I will either

A.) Regret and wonder why I bought it

B.) Buy it, only to realize a week or two down the line something even better comes along

C.) Pay too much.....which for me, was an experience that I had with comics and didn't want to repeat those mistakes....

 

 

Course, it's easy to play Monday morning quarterback and say how I would do things differently.....

[Mister Trent]

Just started collecting art about 2 1/2 yrs ago, watching an auction on Ebay for that famous "bunny slippers' Hulk piece by Dale Keown. I was new to the hobby and didn't really want to

buy anything till i had a better perspective on art and it's pricing......

Piece sold for around 900 and is probably a 5k piece now....or I know people that would pay 5k, let's say that......

 

Board member offered me a piece that I had made a comment about about 2 yrs ago. I was

thinking it's a semi grail for sure, but sure was a lot of money......I passed.....Will most likely never be offered for sale again...and rest assured, if it was, it would be 4-5 times what he offered it to me...

 

Passed on a Bolland GL cover that is simply the best one of the 3 he did on the series...Sold, then sold again....now locked away....

 

 

You can be too cautious . . . and live to regret it.

 

Must admit, I'm having trouble understanding the approach of some of the newbie collectors.

 

Unless you're obsessed with investment potential as your main criterion for collecting art, I would have thought that most of us buy the art because (cue oft-repeated adage) . . . we like it.

 

If you can live with paying the asking price . . . and the art is a 'must-have' example . . . go for it.

 

It wasn't about investment or even the price, it was more of a "I am going to look around and see what's out there rather than pull the trigger on something that I will either

A.) Regret and wonder why I bought it

B.) Buy it, only to realize a week or two down the line something even better comes along

C.) Pay too much.....which for me, was an experience that I had with comics and didn't want to repeat those mistakes....

 

 

Course, it's easy to play Monday morning quarterback and say how I would do things differently.....

 

Doesn't sound as though those 'must-have' examples are materialising for you.

 

If indecision/niggling doubts are prevelant in your would-be purchases, you're right to keep on looking.

[Nexus]

Hi Steve; I've been screwed in much the same way several times before... the saving grace is... really you (me) were never going to own those pieces anyway. It's really hard to get something from a total crook.

 

Anyway, your cbg story reminded me of a 'Big one' that got away. Years ago, a guy ran a classified selling Buscema Surfer pages. I called him in Florida and turns out he also had the covers to 1 and 2. Boingg! Anyway, I was very interested in the 1 and we talked about a price of 11k as I recall. But, I either had to send this guy a check for that amount or get on a plane with cash. It was a little scary as I had never heard of him so I balked. Instead I bought quite a few pages from him for almost nothing. Really nice pages too! If it was today, I would have hopped a plane, but I was too young in the hobby back then... DF

 

Hi Dan,

I remember that ad, I believe a fellow comicart lister ended up with the 2 and the 1 eventually went for sale at Heritage. That cover probably made their auctions back then. I have a story regarding the cover to Silver Surfer 1. It reads a bit like a UFO sighting. In the mid 80s, i started collecting comics big time and over here in the UK we have Comic marts which happen every 2 months or so. Think con only a 20th of the size. Anyway at one dealers store. I saw what appeared to be the original cover art to SS 1 for £200 ($400) I didn't think much about it because I was really focused on comic books, but i remember thinking , wow the actual cover to SS1. I've later heard other collectors suggest it was the splash and it was so long ago, its hard to remember, but it did not have any text balloons and also what would it be doing in the UK? but a while back I had a conversation with a french collector and he was telling me a similar story involving the cover to SS 3 and he ended up buying it so these Buscema SS covers somehow ended up in europe.

 

Clem..

 

Mystery solved. Here's the cover to SS#1:

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=299079&GSub=46261&GCat=25305

 

The whole gallery is a must-see (it belongs to Heritage head honcho, James Halperin). Be kind to your keyboard, don't drool too much.

[clemso]

Sweet scan! I love the Giant Size Defenders 1 cover too!

I wonder if he had to pay the juice to Heritage for the SS1 cover?

Luck man either ways.

 

Clem..

[Dumur]

Dark Knight Returns #2 Cover...Dealer wanted $200.00 for it a few years ago, I told him it was overpriced and I walked away with my head up high and patting myself on the back for passing on an overpriced piece of art.

 

How many years ago??? Are you serious? Even when the book came out, the signed A/P hardcover was going for more than that. Ouch. I would kick myself over that one every day...

[matewan1990]

Dark Knight Returns #2 Cover...Dealer wanted $200.00 for it a few years ago, I told him it was overpriced and I walked away with my head up high and patting myself on the back for passing on an overpriced piece of art.

 

How many years ago??? Are you serious? Even when the book came out, the signed A/P hardcover was going for more than that. Ouch. I would kick myself over that one every day...

 

Kevin76,

When I saw the art right after Dark Knight came out, pages were selling for upwards of $1000 ... I had the opportunity to buy several of the pages when a guy set up at a convention in Charleston, W.Va. (the second comic convention the state had ever hosted), and offered them to me for sale. I was still in high school and he had splashes for, I think, $1700, and I thought "Wow, all that money for just black and white drawings on paper. Nobody will ever buy those. Heh, what a sucker to get stuck with all that."

Are you sure it was $200 or $2000 (still seems low in light of the story I just related)? The guy had a whole portfolio full of Dark Knight pages and I never saw any of them for sale for less than $800.

Mike B.