Baker Romance 43 43

[october]

Andy, if it's not too personal to ask, if not a VG, what did you think the grade was, assuming the defects were everything listed in photos and nothing more. And was this going to be for your personal collection or for resale?

 

I would appreciate the educational value of walking through the potential upside on this book in a resale situation - at either $2083 or the bid under yours of $1894.

 

A lot of risk involved with a seller who not only does not sell (or presumably buy) comics nor any other paper collectible and who does not accept returns, I would say. In a selling environment where no returns is not only the exception, but a big red flag these days. How much upside would have to be penciled in to offset that risk, alongside all the other normal risks accompanying the route of the item from seller to slab?

 

I'm not saying buying it for resale would have been a mistake. On the contrary - if so, there was more than one bidder thinking along that line, and it argues for a vigorous repricing of this book - and all Baker romance by extension.

 

 

I put it as a nice 5.0-6.0. Hard to tell without it being in-hand though. Possibly better. Those chips were very small when you look at them on the full cover pic.

 

Absolutely would have been for my collection, with no intention of ever reselling. No upside at that number anyway!

 

I know a lot of people are hesitant to drop big money on eBay, but I do it on a weekly basis. I spend....a lot....on eBay every year and I have yet to be burned. When I get a book with undisclosed resto, interior pieces or pages missing, or that is overgraded, I just send it back. No many people know this, but listing "no returns" or saying so in a listing is 100% totally and completely meaningless. Just open a case for an "item not as described" and eBay forces through the return. The seller has no choice in the matter, as long as the "eBay money back guarantee" is listed, which it always is.

 

People bag on eBay, but it's the safest place there is to buy, provided you know how to spot resto, can grade, and are anal about defects, page counts, etc. They have always, always had my back as a buyer. I regard it as a zero risk environment...though not zero hassle.

[comicnoir]

I don't mean to push it, but there also seems to be a slight subscription "bend", around her collarbone and neck. Quite improvable. I've just seen some of my books hammered by cgc of late, so I err on the side of caution. Gloss and eye appeal don't enter into their grading. It's a nice looking copy, so it got the bids. On the upside, if that's a 5.0/6.0, my copy is now vf.

[Dr. Love]

Andy, if it's not too personal to ask, if not a VG, what did you think the grade was, assuming the defects were everything listed in photos and nothing more. And was this going to be for your personal collection or for resale?

 

I would appreciate the educational value of walking through the potential upside on this book in a resale situation - at either $2083 or the bid under yours of $1894.

 

A lot of risk involved with a seller who not only does not sell (or presumably buy) comics nor any other paper collectible and who does not accept returns, I would say. In a selling environment where no returns is not only the exception, but a big red flag these days. How much upside would have to be penciled in to offset that risk, alongside all the other normal risks accompanying the route of the item from seller to slab?

 

I'm not saying buying it for resale would have been a mistake. On the contrary - if so, there was more than one bidder thinking along that line, and it argues for a vigorous repricing of this book - and all Baker romance by extension.

 

 

I put it as a nice 5.0-6.0. Hard to tell without it being in-hand though. Possibly better. Those chips were very small when you look at them on the full cover pic.

 

Absolutely would have been for my collection, with no intention of ever reselling. No upside at that number anyway!

 

I know a lot of people are hesitant to drop big money on eBay, but I do it on a weekly basis. I spend....a lot....on eBay every year and I have yet to be burned. When I get a book with undisclosed resto, interior pieces or pages missing, or that is overgraded, I just send it back. No many people know this, but listing "no returns" or saying so in a listing is 100% totally and completely meaningless. Just open a case for an "item not as described" and eBay forces through the return. The seller has no choice in the matter, as long as the "eBay money back guarantee" is listed, which it always is.

 

People bag on eBay, but it's the safest place there is to buy, provided you know how to spot resto, can grade, and are anal about defects, page counts, etc. They have always, always had my back as a buyer. I regard it as a zero risk environment...though not zero hassle.

 

Thanks for the reply. I hear you, but I have also found sellers fighting very strongly against an INAD as it is a scored defect. Overgrading is a hard one to make stick - but that wasn't the case here anyway.

[october]

Andy, if it's not too personal to ask, if not a VG, what did you think the grade was, assuming the defects were everything listed in photos and nothing more. And was this going to be for your personal collection or for resale?

 

I would appreciate the educational value of walking through the potential upside on this book in a resale situation - at either $2083 or the bid under yours of $1894.

 

A lot of risk involved with a seller who not only does not sell (or presumably buy) comics nor any other paper collectible and who does not accept returns, I would say. In a selling environment where no returns is not only the exception, but a big red flag these days. How much upside would have to be penciled in to offset that risk, alongside all the other normal risks accompanying the route of the item from seller to slab?

 

I'm not saying buying it for resale would have been a mistake. On the contrary - if so, there was more than one bidder thinking along that line, and it argues for a vigorous repricing of this book - and all Baker romance by extension.

 

 

I put it as a nice 5.0-6.0. Hard to tell without it being in-hand though. Possibly better. Those chips were very small when you look at them on the full cover pic.

 

Absolutely would have been for my collection, with no intention of ever reselling. No upside at that number anyway!

 

I know a lot of people are hesitant to drop big money on eBay, but I do it on a weekly basis. I spend....a lot....on eBay every year and I have yet to be burned. When I get a book with undisclosed resto, interior pieces or pages missing, or that is overgraded, I just send it back. No many people know this, but listing "no returns" or saying so in a listing is 100% totally and completely meaningless. Just open a case for an "item not as described" and eBay forces through the return. The seller has no choice in the matter, as long as the "eBay money back guarantee" is listed, which it always is.

 

People bag on eBay, but it's the safest place there is to buy, provided you know how to spot resto, can grade, and are anal about defects, page counts, etc. They have always, always had my back as a buyer. I regard it as a zero risk environment...though not zero hassle.

 

Thanks for the reply. I hear you, but I have also found sellers fighting very strongly against an INAD as it is a scored defect. Overgrading is a hard one to make stick - but that wasn't the case here anyway.

 

I haven't had a problem, but usually when I complain about grading it's pretty egregious. Like a NM that's a Fine.

[Mxwll Smrt]

Andy, if it's not too personal to ask, if not a VG, what did you think the grade was, assuming the defects were everything listed in photos and nothing more. And was this going to be for your personal collection or for resale?

 

I would appreciate the educational value of walking through the potential upside on this book in a resale situation - at either $2083 or the bid under yours of $1894.

 

A lot of risk involved with a seller who not only does not sell (or presumably buy) comics nor any other paper collectible and who does not accept returns, I would say. In a selling environment where no returns is not only the exception, but a big red flag these days. How much upside would have to be penciled in to offset that risk, alongside all the other normal risks accompanying the route of the item from seller to slab?

 

I'm not saying buying it for resale would have been a mistake. On the contrary - if so, there was more than one bidder thinking along that line, and it argues for a vigorous repricing of this book - and all Baker romance by extension.

 

 

I put it as a nice 5.0-6.0. Hard to tell without it being in-hand though. Possibly better. Those chips were very small when you look at them on the full cover pic.

 

Absolutely would have been for my collection, with no intention of ever reselling. No upside at that number anyway!

 

I know a lot of people are hesitant to drop big money on eBay, but I do it on a weekly basis. I spend....a lot....on eBay every year and I have yet to be burned. When I get a book with undisclosed resto, interior pieces or pages missing, or that is overgraded, I just send it back. No many people know this, but listing "no returns" or saying so in a listing is 100% totally and completely meaningless. Just open a case for an "item not as described" and eBay forces through the return. The seller has no choice in the matter, as long as the "eBay money back guarantee" is listed, which it always is.

 

People bag on eBay, but it's the safest place there is to buy, provided you know how to spot resto, can grade, and are anal about defects, page counts, etc. They have always, always had my back as a buyer. I regard it as a zero risk environment...though not zero hassle.

 

It looks like a 5.5 -6.0 to me but what do I know. I'm curious about the differential/ possible subscription crease that runs from the cheek bone down to the collar bone (I would have totally missed that hadn't it been recently pointed out here by another boardie).

 

[Mxwll Smrt]

I don't mean to push it, but there also seems to be a slight subscription "bend", around her collarbone and neck. Quite improvable. I've just seen some of my books hammered by cgc of late, so I err on the side of caution. Gloss and eye appeal don't enter into their grading. It's a nice looking copy, so it got the bids. On the upside, if that's a 5.0/6.0, my copy is now vf.

 

I didn't even notice that until you pointed it out... wow.

[Moondog]

The images in Gerber of All-Picture Adventure 1, All-Picture Comedy 1, All-Picture All-True Love Story 1 and All True - All Picture Police Cases 1 were my Windy City copies. My notes on AP/AT 1 state "VF - Browning". My notes on AT/AP/PC 1 is "NM - Beautiful!" Ernie wanted to shoot my copies because the covers were so perfect. One can tell the difference by looking at the APA 2 which shows tons of creases and wear.

 

I'm not sure who ended up with these but they're nice!

Edited March 10, 2016 by Moondog

[Sqeggs]

The images in Gerber of All-Picture Adventure 1, All-Picture Comedy 1, All-Picture All-True Love Story 1 and All True - All Picture Police Cases 1 were my Windy City copies. My notes on AP/AT 1 state "VF - Browning". My notes on AT/AP/PC 1 is "NM - Beautiful!" Ernie wanted to shoot my copies because the covers were so perfect. One can tell the difference by looking at the APA 2 which shows tons of creases and wear.

 

I'm not sure who ended up with these but they're nice!

 

The All-Picture Comedy 1 is tricky because not all copies include a Baker reprint. Metro had a copy that they were advertising contained Baker art, but I pointed out to them that none of the stories reprinted in that copy actually were by Baker. They ignored me and kept the listing unchanged.

[sacentaur]

Wish I could go back in time for so many of these comics.

 

I've come to realize that I've missed the proverbial boat in regards to Baker books, similar to how I overlooked Hulk 1 for decades (could have easily owned a dozen or so nice copies), and now it's too late.

 

I have the funds available to purchase Baker books, but finding copies has proven to be much more difficult than I imagined.

[Dr. Love]

And finding the "right" copies is even more difficult

 

So far, since the beginning of this year, there have been 39 St. John romance books slabbed. The average grade on these books is 4.16. However, of the 39, only one was a 9.0 and two were 7.0's. If we take these out of the mix, that leaves 36 books with an average grade of 3.87.

 

The common hypothesis is that a rapidly escalating market flushes out books. If so, what kind? It could be that they are predominately undercopies, to give eager collectors a chance to own Bakers at more affordable entry points. Which could drive high grade Bakers up even faster.

 

 

[jimjum12]

And finding the "right" copies is even more difficult

 

So far, since the beginning of this year, there have been 39 St. John romance books slabbed. The average grade on these books is 4.16. However, of the 39, only one was a 9.0 and two were 7.0's. If we take these out of the mix, that leaves 36 books with an average grade of 3.87.

 

The common hypothesis is that a rapidly escalating market flushes out books. If so, what kind? It could be that they are predominately undercopies, to give eager collectors a chance to own Bakers at more affordable entry points. Which could drive high grade Bakers up even faster.

 

 

I just don't think the books in grade even exist...... 50's Romance books are notoriously absent from most pedigree groups..... GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Sqeggs]

And finding the "right" copies is even more difficult

 

So far, since the beginning of this year, there have been 39 St. John romance books slabbed. The average grade on these books is 4.16. However, of the 39, only one was a 9.0 and two were 7.0's. If we take these out of the mix, that leaves 36 books with an average grade of 3.87.

 

The common hypothesis is that a rapidly escalating market flushes out books. If so, what kind? It could be that they are predominately undercopies, to give eager collectors a chance to own Bakers at more affordable entry points. Which could drive high grade Bakers up even faster.

 

 

Here's the recent 9.0. Happy about the grade, although I sure wish that shadow along the edge wasn't there. But can't get too picky about such a tough book.

 

[Sqeggs]

Not a St John romance, but just back from Sarasota. Thought this one would be a 5.0.

 

[archiefan]

And finding the "right" copies is even more difficult

 

So far, since the beginning of this year, there have been 39 St. John romance books slabbed. The average grade on these books is 4.16. However, of the 39, only one was a 9.0 and two were 7.0's. If we take these out of the mix, that leaves 36 books with an average grade of 3.87.

 

The common hypothesis is that a rapidly escalating market flushes out books. If so, what kind? It could be that they are predominately undercopies, to give eager collectors a chance to own Bakers at more affordable entry points. Which could drive high grade Bakers up even faster.

 

 

Here's the recent 9.0. Happy about the grade, although I sure wish that shadow along the edge wasn't there. But can't get too picky about such a tough book.

 

 

Beautiful book Tony

Edited March 11, 2016 by archiefan

[Sqeggs]

And finding the "right" copies is even more difficult

 

So far, since the beginning of this year, there have been 39 St. John romance books slabbed. The average grade on these books is 4.16. However, of the 39, only one was a 9.0 and two were 7.0's. If we take these out of the mix, that leaves 36 books with an average grade of 3.87.

 

The common hypothesis is that a rapidly escalating market flushes out books. If so, what kind? It could be that they are predominately undercopies, to give eager collectors a chance to own Bakers at more affordable entry points. Which could drive high grade Bakers up even faster.

 

 

Here's the recent 9.0. Happy about the grade, although I sure wish that shadow along the edge wasn't there. But can't get too picky about such a tough book.

 

 

Beautiful book Tony

 

Thanks. I should give a shout out to Mike at Hero's. The book had a badly cocked spine and Mike did a great job of uncocking it!

[Sqeggs]

A bit disappointed in this one. A really pretty book. I thought it had a shot at a 9.0. (Apparently, you should never trust my grading of raw books!) CGC seems to be taking a harder line with the cover staining that St John's were often prone to. That's the only real defect other than a bit of wear at the bottom of the spine.

 

Edited to add: Actually, on closer inspection, there is probably too much spine wear for a 9.0 grade (although an 8.0 would have been reasonable). You definitely shouldn't trust my grading of raw books.

 

Edited March 11, 2016 by Sqeggs

[adamstrange]

That Pictorial Romance is beautiful

 

The Authentic Police Cases was probably downgraded for reasons other than the transfer stain. It still has very nice eye appeal.

[sacentaur]

Here's the recent 9.0. Happy about the grade, although I sure wish that shadow along the edge wasn't there. But can't get too picky about such a tough book.

 

 

That's just killer, Tony (be careful with that uncocking)!

[comicnoir]

And finding the "right" copies is even more difficult

 

So far, since the beginning of this year, there have been 39 St. John romance books slabbed. The average grade on these books is 4.16. However, of the 39, only one was a 9.0 and two were 7.0's. If we take these out of the mix, that leaves 36 books with an average grade of 3.87.

 

The common hypothesis is that a rapidly escalating market flushes out books. If so, what kind? It could be that they are predominately undercopies, to give eager collectors a chance to own Bakers at more affordable entry points. Which could drive high grade Bakers up even faster.

 

 

Here's the recent 9.0. Happy about the grade, although I sure wish that shadow along the edge wasn't there. But can't get too picky about such a tough book.

 

 

Gorgeous. Was that the former 7.0? There's a story there.

[Ltpink2002]

Not a St John romance, but just back from Sarasota. Thought this one would be a 5.0.

 

 

Definitely looks nicer than the stated grade. Congrats on the copy!