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Who is Harold?

Started by TheSurgeon,

29 posts in this topic

TheSurgeon

TheSurgeon

Posted
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While looking at a copy of the newer OS Comic Book Grading Guide, I came across a comic I bought last year, Police Comics #1 in 5.0. Given the number of graded comics out there, the odds of seeing something I owned is pretty low. The name "Harold" is written in cursive on the cover. I have seen other comics with the same signature, including a CGC 5.5 graded 1940 New York Worlds Fair comic that has been for sale on both comiclink and ebay (currently on comiclink.) Does anyone know anything about "Harold"?

 

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48366-WorldsFair1940.jpg.d84916b8fc7566ff3acc23793ffc49c9.jpg

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TheEyeSees

TheEyeSees

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Judging by the signature style, it is Harold Curtis (see SILVER STREAK below) ...don't have any history or info on him or his collection, but DM, you are not alone in your quest for info on this pioneering collector!!

 

Waiting for others to chime in ... this is the only book I own from his collection. Its not high grade or anything, but its a nice example nonetheless!

 

(I know Centaurman has a few "Harold" SILVER STREAKS as well ... check out the SILVER STREAK thread)

 

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selegue

selegue

Posted
Posted
While looking at a copy of the newer OS Comic Book Grading Guide, I came across a comic I bought last year, Police Comics #1 in 5.0. Given the number of graded comics out there, the odds of seeing something I owned is pretty low. The name "Harold" is written in cursive on the cover. I have seen other comics with the same signature, including a CGC 5.5 graded 1940 New York Worlds Fair comic that has been for sale on both comiclink and ebay (currently on comiclink.) Does anyone know anything about "Harold"?

 

 

Welcome to the boards.

 

I'm no handwriting analyst, but could it possibly be Harold Giehne, who wrote his name on these books? Not exactly the same, but similar enough that they could have been written a few years apart. A little more likely because your address says Madison, WI, and I bought these two books from a seller in Madison, who got them at the Chicago con in (I think) 2006. Apparently a very large "Harold Giehne" collection was up for grabs there.

 

I've been looking for information about this Harold and found a little. Use the search function to find for my posts including the word "Harold" going back about a year if you want to see more.

 

PS: RyanH's post about Harold Curtis appeared while I was typing. Looks like I'm identifying the wrong Harold -- that signature is much more similar. Sorry to misdirect.

 

Jack

 

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BangZoom

BangZoom

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The Harold Curtis collection was sold by Heritage last year.

 

The following is from one of their press releases.

 

According to Ben Samuels, Consignment Director for Heritage, "The Harold Curtis collection hails from Rhode Island, and is a very impressive original-owner assemblage consisting primarily of DC, Quality, and Lev Gleason titles. Highlights include long runs of Detective, Batman (including a Batman #33, CGC-graded NM 9.4 with a Double Cover!), Sensation, World's Finest, Police Comics, Smash Comics, and Boy Comics. Other titles of note include Comic Cavalcade, Silver Streak, Crime Does Not Pay, Boy Commandos, Daredevil, and Wonder Woman. Most are high grade and have excellent paper quality. Many are at the top of the CGC census."

 

"Harold Curtis grew up in Danielson," Samuels continued, "a small, rural town in northeastern Connecticut. He began reading comic books, probably starting in the 1930's. On Saturdays, he and his younger brother and sister got up early in the morning in order to complete all of their weekly household chores before noon. Following lunch, their father rewarded each of them with an allowance payment of twenty five cents. It was with this financial windfall that Harold bought his weekly supply of comics, candy and movie theater tickets."

 

"Many of the earlier issues have 'Harold Curtis,' 'Harold,' 'H.E.C.,' 'Curtis,' or 'H. Curtis' written in ink on the cover," Samuels said. "Most issues have a distributor's 'p' mark in pencil or ink, others have a 'w', and a few of the war comics have a 'k' mark. While a few of the earliest issues show considerable wear, most of the comics appear to have been read once, and were stored well."

 

"Titles featuring Batman were Harold's main interest," Samuels said, "but he also collected other heroic titles, and even a few selected romance comics as his interest in girls began to grow.... and understandably, as his interest in girls continued to develop, he eventually stopped buying comics -- but even after marriage he refused to ever get rid of his beloved collection! Until now."

 

 

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TheSurgeon

TheSurgeon

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Very interesting. I wonder how many comics he has out there, an why he is not a pedigree designate. When I searched for Harold Curtis on the Heritage site, only 2 books came up, both high grade GA books, but neither had his name on it. Thanks for the info.

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

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I wonder how many comics he has out there, an why he is not a pedigree designate.

 

Not by CGC maybe, but just wait for the upcoming Pedigree book...IIRC, he's listed.

 

Really? :popcorn: I own two of his GA Detective Comics. :cloud9:

me too...
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nearmint

nearmint

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I wonder how many comics he has out there, an why he is not a pedigree designate.

 

Not by CGC maybe, but just wait for the upcoming Pedigree book...IIRC, he's listed.

 

Really? :popcorn: I own two of his GA Detective Comics. :cloud9:

me too...

 

Hopefully not the same two. :o

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nearmint

nearmint

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I don't know Harold, but I subscribe to ancestry.com, and I found his phone number there.

 

Planning on giving Harold a call?

 

Maybe. Hard to know if he'd enjoy the call or just be annoyed with some stranger calling to talk comics. He'd be 79 years old now. A year older than my Dad.

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