Kylberg collection observation in the upcoming Heritage Auction

[The Troll King]

Got my Heritage catalog in the mail and as I was going through the Kylberg collection which is listed in it's own special supplement I noticed something kind of interesting.

 

The article in the beginning that has a discussion with Kylberg talks about how he collected the best looking copy he could find whether it was restored or unrestored didn't matter to him. Now, what I've noticed though is that sure many of the books are restored but a very large percentage of the restored books have the exact same amount and type of restoration.

 

That struck me as being a little odd. If you got the book in the mail see if you don't notice that most of them say "Color touch, pieces added, tear seals, cleaned, reinforced"

 

Not to mention that they are all "Moderate (P)"

 

Seems to me that Kylberg wasn't buying these things already restored as he states in the article but rather was buying copies and had the exact same work done to them to have that "eye appeal" (his words) that he was looking for.

 

I don't have a problem with restored books mind you, I just thought the story vs. type of restoration done on these books just doesn't add up nevermind the fact that there is a huge question of why the heck is he selling?

[pennynike1]

Good point. I also looked over the catalogue tonight. I was suprised to see how many moderately restored books there were in there. Granted there was a restored Action #1 in there (along with several other restored major keys), but I was taken a back by the number of restored books in the collection to warrant his own flyer. There was an unrestored ASM 129 in there...

[The Black Hand ®]

It will be interesting to see how the market handles these books.

[esquirecomics]

Seems to me that Kylberg wasn't buying these things already restored as he states in the article but rather was buying copies and had the exact same work done to them to have that "eye appeal" (his words) that he was looking for.

 

I don't have a problem with restored books mind you, I just thought the story vs. type of restoration done on these books just doesn't add up nevermind the fact that there is a huge question of why the heck is he selling?

 

No disrespect but I don't particularly follow the evidentiary logic that supports the conclusion that simply because many of the books have the same level or similar stated restoration they could not have been purchased in that manner. I suppose you could be correct but nothing within the supplement really supports such a conclusion.

 

In any event, even if correct no doubt Heritage is solely responsible for the text included in the auction and they simply could have gotten it wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

And if so, does it really matter whether he purchased the books restored or had them restored?

 

Nor. IMHO, do I really see the particular relevance as to why he is selling his books, except to the extent the supposition could be used as the pretext to academically debate whether this sale, or any other, signifies some downward trend in the hobby.

 

Of course, depending upon the prices that may be realized from the sale of these books we could also discuss the academic debate that this sale signifies an upward trend in the hobby.

[pennynike1]

Whether the books hit record highs or lows, I don't think many would argue that the books weren't marketed well, that is for sure

[G.A.tor]

while in NY, I talked to a friend of mine from CO that is good friends with Kylberg...

 

he had seen the collection many times while raw, and confirmed for me that they were bought "knowingly" restored (some had speculated that because he had purchased many of the books 10-15 years ago, that he didn't "know" they were restored)...but, Mike confirmed that they were, and that kylberg knew he was buying restored books, though he was concious of buying books with "less" restoration is possible, so likely the reason only a few extensive ones (thumbs u

[The Troll King]

I mainly just found it odd that most of the restored books have the exact same degree and amount of restoration. I can't really be the only one that finds that a little peculiar. It would be completely different if there was color touch here, a tear seal there and a cleaned over there.

[adamstrange]

I mainly just found it odd that most of the restored books have the exact same degree and amount of restoration. I can't really be the only one that finds that a little peculiar. It would be completely different if there was color touch here, a tear seal there and a cleaned over there.

 

Two things:

 

CGC uses fairly broad categories

He was a picky collector getting books with the look he wanted and for that look it would have been easiest/cheapest for him to find ones with similar level of resto.

[comicparadox]

I mainly just found it odd that most of the restored books have the exact same degree and amount of restoration. I can't really be the only one that finds that a little peculiar. It would be completely different if there was color touch here, a tear seal there and a cleaned over there.

 

conspiracy theorist...

[Bonds25]

Regardless of the grades, I was in awe of his collection while viewing the catalog last night. I would love to own every book in the catalog!

 

The Action Comics #1 is by far the best issue I've seen, and it will be really interesting to see what it sells for. $1.1 million maybe?

[G.A.tor]

Regardless of the grades, I was in awe of his collection while viewing the catalog last night. I would love to own every book in the catalog!

 

The Action Comics #1 is by far the best issue I've seen, and it will be really interesting to see what it sells for. $1.1 million maybe?

that is so funny...having seen that action 1 up close and in hand, I would rank it behind the 5.0 ext and the 8.0 mod I saw last year (both up close and in hand)...it is nice, but generously graded IMHO

 

[Bonds25]

Regardless of the grades, I was in awe of his collection while viewing the catalog last night. I would love to own every book in the catalog!

 

The Action Comics #1 is by far the best issue I've seen, and it will be really interesting to see what it sells for. $1.1 million maybe?

that is so funny...having seen that action 1 up close and in hand, I would rank it behind the 5.0 ext and the 8.0 mod I saw last year (both up close and in hand)...it is nice, but generously graded IMHO

 

Interesting. All I'm going by is what I see in the scan, and it looks pretty nice to me.

[G.A.tor]

Regardless of the grades, I was in awe of his collection while viewing the catalog last night. I would love to own every book in the catalog!

 

The Action Comics #1 is by far the best issue I've seen, and it will be really interesting to see what it sells for. $1.1 million maybe?

that is so funny...having seen that action 1 up close and in hand, I would rank it behind the 5.0 ext and the 8.0 mod I saw last year (both up close and in hand)...it is nice, but generously graded IMHO

 

Interesting. All I'm going by is what I see in the scan, and it looks pretty nice to me.

Oh, I hear you... I was SOOOO excited when I first saw the scan too.... folks on this board know I was excited... I had planned to bid MUCH stronger for it, until I saw it in hand in NY...that lowered my desire by about $20K

[greaterfool]

Whether the books hit record highs or lows, I don't think many would argue that the books weren't marketed well, that is for sure

 

based on the results, i think kylberg should be ecstatic - heritage's marketing efforts paid off very handsomely for both of them!

[ft88]

I just like esquires legal-ese.

 

It's also probable that he bought many books from dealers who used the same restoration person (Susan Cicconi perhaps) resulting in very similar results on the restoration.

 

Occams razor?