What do people do when the books they want are in private collections?

[skybolt]

tth2,

 

Years I can deal with. It is the decades factor that I fear may be the case in certain issues I am after. This is the price one pays for becoming a GA collector so late in the game.

 

I actually felt the same way when I strated collecting Timely books about 5 years ago. I picked up a few nice issues, but the competition was just too great for everything else. I hated losing 90% of the auctions for these books (as I've mentioned before). Luckily I was able to move on to GGA and pick-up a few semi-HG books on Ebay for the right price. I wasn't the first person to collect good girl art, and certainly won't be the last, but at least I entered the genre at an early stage with the inception of CGC.

[adamstrange]

You need to find out who the "private collectors" are and try to strike up a dialogue with them, with one of the topics being that you would sure love to be considered if they should ever decide to sell this and that book. Many so-called permanent collections do move at some point, sometimes sooner than you expect.

 

I see so many collectors who think the only way to assemble a collection is to passively wait for stuff to come up on the market and then outbid everyone else for them when they do. Obviously you have to do that too, but the networking aspect is really overlooked. You have to network with the dealers and the big collectors, talk to them, cajole them, and most of all, let them know what you're looking for, so you're at the top of the list to be called or emailed when a book comes up.

 

Good advice! My bag is GGA, and I pretty much know who the owners are of a good portion of the books I want. I have corresponded with several of the private owners (three board members in particular), but in the majority of cases, the books are just not for sale, no matter what the offer. As you say though, networking is a good way to get the word out about what you are after...

 

Networking has lead to the acquisition of at least 2 high grade books in my collection. Here's hoping for more.

 

Thanks again for the advice!

What I've advised is not something for anyone needing instant gratification. As you say, a lot of these people have no plans to sell immediately, even if you throw huge amounts of cash their way. But, if you can ingratiate yourself with them, and let them know how much you want the book (and the fact that you'll pay crazy money never hurts), if and when they ever decide to sell (we could be talking years or decades), then hopefully you'll be the first one they call.

 

I've been able to get some very nice books from 3 different collectors who had no intention to sell, no intention to sell, no intention to sell, and then one day, they suddenly decided to sell (for wildly different reasons) and I was the first one they called.

 

It was the photos.

I thought it was my winning personality.

 

Um, yeah... winning personality and incriminating photos (thumbs u

[innocuous]

The same question and resulting advice here could be applied to just about any HTF comic. Hard to Find being defined as the comic you want in the exact grade you're looking for.

 

Since you're willing to spend so much on the high grade stuff, ever think of putting an ad in the Guide? The Superman collectors seem to do fine with those ads.

[pennynike1]

You know that isn't so terrible of an idea to put a page in the guide. However, since OS doesn't seem to factor in internet sales for CGC books, I haven't purchased one in several years. My gut is that the OS's significance is lessened when purchasing CGC books. Perhaps its use is more along the lines of purchasing RAW.

 

I do recall seeing a compelling add in OS #34 or 35 about one guy being a collector and be willing to pay more than everyone else.

 

 

[Crowzilla]

tth2,

 

Years I can deal with. It is the decades factor that I fear may be the case in certain issues I am after. This is the price one pays for becoming a GA collector so late in the game.

 

Be glad it's HG comics you're worried about getting as you have a much better chance than in some other fields. At least with many on your list there are already 2, 3 or 4 HG CGC examples with probably others still not slabbed.

In movie posters, for a few items on my want list you're looking at 2 or 3 known copies period (sometimes even an only known example) and oftentimes they have already been off the market for a decade or longer with no end in sight.

Now that's a long wait.

 

[seank]

In addition to private sales, are there any GA dealers you do significant business with? It's probably worth your while to let them know what books you're interested in. In speaking with one local dealer, he told me he has several customers who get first crack at all his Matt Baker books. I'm not on that list... yet. My LCS owner knows I'm looking for Fight Comics 31 and 35. I suspect if those come into the store, he'll ask me first if I want them before they go up for sale to the general public.

 

The catch with this is that (good) dealers want a track record with you. They're not looking for one or two sales, but many over time.

[pennynike1]

You are right. Securing one of those posters could be quite difficult to have surface. Are the owners of posters you are after widely known, or are they unanimous like I think they are? I do see movie poster sellers at Wizardworld Chicago. I have to think that they get their hands on some pretty rare material

[FlyingDonut]

Fight Comics 31 and 35.

 

Stand in line.

[FlyingDonut]

The sale of the book we've been talking about is being held up by the laziness and slackitude of its owner. Me.

[pennynike1]

In addition to private sales, are there any GA dealers you do significant business with? It's probably worth your while to let them know what books you're interested in. In speaking with one local dealer, he told me he has several customers who get first crack at all his Matt Baker books. I'm not on that list... yet. My LCS owner knows I'm looking for Fight Comics 31 and 35. I suspect if those come into the store, he'll ask me first if I want them before they go up for sale to the general public.

 

The catch with this is that (good) dealers want a track record with you. They're not looking for one or two sales, but many over time.

 

I have no doubt that certain dealers give certain elite customers first crack at books. Why not give the ones with deap pockets first crack?

 

The vast majority of my purchases have come from auctions. In general, those allow the book to realize its FMV at the time.

 

There is one seller in particular that I have established a relationship with in that I have purchased a couple of high grade books from him. I have provided him with a list of "must haves" that he agreed to keep a look out for.

 

My LCS owner knows I purchase high grade GGA, but since his store mainly sells moderns, there is unfortunately nothing ever turned up over there that interests me. It is actually a shame, because the comic owner himself is quite a stand-up guy.

 

The vast majority of books I am after have likely already been sold in Heritage's past auctions at one time or another. It is nice to be able to view the archives over there, but it also serves to create somewhat unrealistic goals of purchasing books that may never surface.

[pennynike1]

The sale of the book we've been talking about is being held up by the laziness and slackitude of its owner. Me.

 

No problem. You have got your hands full with your successful selling thread. We will conclude the deal eventually. My goal is perhaps by the end of the month?

[FlyingDonut]

Sounds reasonable. My damnable JOB keeps getting in the way too.

[adamstrange]

I find myself waiting for books to come up constantly!!! Usually without sucess!!!!

 

I, at times feel like I don't want to intrude on someone's privacy!!!

 

So I am probably too patient, and not getting books I want!!!!!

There is definitely a fine line between expressing enthusiastic interest and becoming pushy and intrusive. Be too passive and subtle, and the collector will never realize how genuinely interested you were. Be too pushy, and the guy will refuse to sell to you just out of dislike. The best is if you can actually strike up a friendship, provide occasional gifts of large amounts of cash in small denominations and talk regularly about different things, particularly any public sales of a book that you're interested in, as that gives you the best opportunity to drop reminders that you're still interested in his particular copy.

 

Fixed it for you.

[pennynike1]

 

If nothing else, tonight has been quite entertaining

 

[adamstrange]

In addition to private sales, are there any GA dealers you do significant business with? It's probably worth your while to let them know what books you're interested in. In speaking with one local dealer, he told me he has several customers who get first crack at all his Matt Baker books. I'm not on that list... yet. My LCS owner knows I'm looking for Fight Comics 31 and 35. I suspect if those come into the store, he'll ask me first if I want them before they go up for sale to the general public.

 

The catch with this is that (good) dealers want a track record with you. They're not looking for one or two sales, but many over time.

 

I have no doubt that certain dealers give certain elite customers first crack at books. Why not give the ones with deap pockets first crack?

 

The vast majority of my purchases have come from auctions. In general, those allow the book to realize its FMV at the time.

 

There is one seller in particular that I have established a relationship with in that I have purchased a couple of high grade books from him. I have provided him with a list of "must haves" that he agreed to keep a look out for.

 

My LCS owner knows I purchase high grade GGA, but since his store mainly sells moderns, there is unfortunately nothing ever turned up over there that interests me. It is actually a shame, because the comic owner himself is quite a stand-up guy.

 

The vast majority of books I am after have likely already been sold in Heritage's past auctions at one time or another. It is nice to be able to view the archives over there, but it also serves to create somewhat unrealistic goals of purchasing books that may never surface.

 

In general it's somewhat easier to find nice copies since the advent of CGC and the proliferation of internet auction houses, consignment sites and eBay. I do know a few collectors who set their goals so high and so narrow that they did eventually get frustrated and leave the hobby.

 

D27kid is an example of a collector who's (to my thinking) relative impatient but who has set his goals low enough to enable him to achieve them within what he considers to be an acceptable time frame. And he seems to have fun. I don't collect at anything like the pace he does but I find compensating enjoyment with other aspects of collecting and I'm not a completist.

[pennynike1]

From what I have seen of D27kid, a completist he definitely is. He completes some insane sets of some truly remarkably rare books, but like you indicated, he does set what appear to be realistic goals (collecting nice looking mid-grade books - sometimes even restored).

 

He is definitely collecting at a completely different level than the vast majority.

 

As for myself, I have a very limited scope of books I am after, collecting only certain titles, so that really does narrow the field and make a goal of completing high grade runs somewhat of a reasonable goal. Or, at least I like to think so.

[Crowzilla]

You are right. Securing one of those posters could be quite difficult to have surface. Are the owners of posters you are after widely known, or are they unanimous like I think they are? I do see movie poster sellers at Wizardworld Chicago. I have to think that they get their hands on some pretty rare material

 

Sometimes they are well known, and sometimes they are anonymous.

For example, there are 3 copies of the style "F" 1931 Dracula poster known to exist. One belongs to Nicolas Cage, one to Kirk Hammett and one to Stephen Fishler. Have fun trying to get any one of the three to sell their copy.

 

But sometimes you can get lucky. In 2005 I was able to track down a previously unknown copy (now a total of 6 known) of an insert poster for The Wolf Man nearly a week before Heritage was set to sell another heavily-restored example. The seller and I were able to work out a deal and I ended up paying very close to what the restored copy sold for the next week making me a happy camper indeed.

 

 

 

[adamstrange]

You are right. Securing one of those posters could be quite difficult to have surface. Are the owners of posters you are after widely known, or are they unanimous like I think they are? I do see movie poster sellers at Wizardworld Chicago. I have to think that they get their hands on some pretty rare material

 

Sometimes they are well known, and sometimes they are anonymous.

For example, there are 3 copies of the style "F" 1931 Dracula poster known to exist. One belongs to Nicolas Cage, one to Kirk Hammett and one to Stephen Fishler. Have fun trying to get any one of the three to sell their copy.

 

But sometimes you can get lucky. In 2005 I was able to track down a previously unknown copy (now a total of 6 known) of an insert poster for The Wolf Man nearly a week before Heritage was set to sell another heavily-restored example. The seller and I were able to work out a deal and I ended up paying very close to what the restored copy sold for the next week making me a happy camper indeed.

 

 

 

You make very good points about the relative ease of comic collecting. I have a family member who collects in a different field where even finding out what was ever produced, much less what still exists, is extremely difficult.

[G.A.tor]

From what I have seen of D27kid, a completist he definitely is. He completes some insane sets of some truly remarkably rare books, but like you indicated, he does set what appear to be realistic goals (collecting nice looking mid-grade books - sometimes even restored).

 

He is definitely collecting at a completely different level than the vast majority.

 

As for myself, I have a very limited scope of books I am after, collecting only certain titles, so that really does narrow the field and make a goal of completing high grade runs somewhat of a reasonable goal. Or, at least I like to think so.

 

sorry folks, had too much football to watch yesterday!

 

I do have that all to common disease "completistitas".... not sure how I got it, or why...and those that are closer to me and my collecting insaness know that "patience" is not one of my virtues

 

that said, I have never been a high grade kind of guy (but I like that some are), so it is much easier for me to collect, put runs together, and, on a rare occasion, even throw money at a book I need to complete a run, and have someone (usually a good friend!) accept it!

 

but ultimately for me, it really is more about the people, than the books...I have made some incredible life long to be friends, many right here on this board...so Tim's advice of "getting to know" those in the field, with similar collecting interests, etc, will pay huge dividends...not just in potentially getting a copy of a book you want, but in getting to know some great folks that share the same passion and interest you do!

 

that said, money doesn't always do it...many have said before, you can have all the money in the world, but if someone isn't selling what you want, you just have to accept it (as hard as it is)... if nothing else, that is what this board and my friends have taught me, and I am slowly trying to cure my "completistitas" disease

[skypinkblu]

From what I have seen of D27kid, a completist he definitely is. He completes some insane sets of some truly remarkably rare books, but like you indicated, he does set what appear to be realistic goals (collecting nice looking mid-grade books - sometimes even restored).

 

He is definitely collecting at a completely different level than the vast majority.

 

As for myself, I have a very limited scope of books I am after, collecting only certain titles, so that really does narrow the field and make a goal of completing high grade runs somewhat of a reasonable goal. Or, at least I like to think so.

 

sorry folks, had too much football to watch yesterday!

 

I do have that all to common disease "completistitas".... not sure how I got it, or why...and those that are closer to me and my collecting insaness know that "patience" is not one of my virtues

 

that said, I have never been a high grade kind of guy (but I like that some are), so it is much easier for me to collect, put runs together, and, on a rare occasion, even throw money at a book I need to complete a run, and have someone (usually a good friend!) accept it!

 

but ultimately for me, it really is more about the people, than the books...I have made some incredible life long to be friends, many right here on this board...so Tim's advice of "getting to know" those in the field, with similar collecting interests, etc, will pay huge dividends...not just in potentially getting a copy of a book you want, but in getting to know some great folks that share the same passion and interest you do!

 

that said, money doesn't always do it...many have said before, you can have all the money in the world, but if someone isn't selling what you want, you just have to accept it (as hard as it is)... if nothing else, that is what this board and my friends have taught me, and I am slowly trying to cure my "completistitas" disease

 

OK, OK, *sniff* ((Rick)))...I'm scanning that book...(I forgot:)

 

Seriously, this is a hobby where you can make friends, and it makes the hobby a lot of fun, I think I helped Rick with his Sensations and Wonder Womans and it was great, I enjoyed it. He's so happy to get books, that it makes you smile. I often shop for my friends at conventions, I go with lists, it keeps me busy and it saves me money (cause I COULD be a shopaholic;) . I don't charge commission, I just have fun searching...I've done the same thing for people with some of the contacts I've made over the years. I get the same kick out of finding a book that a friend is looking for, that I do for myself. I've handed my cell phone to dealers a few times at shows:) with a friend on the other end.

 

Networking is the key...and building good relationships. I filled my want list on Sensations here last year, because someone was kind enough to PM me about a live auction and I had never spoken to him and try to pass on kindness to others. Patience is a key, things do pop up, eventually.