Has anybody ever gotten an OA bargain at auction?

[Mighty Hal]

A few nights back, I found myself the leading bidder on a very nice piece of OA -- and, in the closing seconds, it takes a huge jump, tops my high bid, and I miss out on the artwork.

 

While I've gotten several pieces from the 'bay and one (or was it two?) from HA, I've always paid pretty much what I thought the piece would go for on the open market. This most recent experience made me wonder: Has anybody out there ever found a screamin' deal on OA in an auction setting?

[malvin]

The one word answer is:

 

YES!

 

Many times.. and no, I won't cite examples, sorry!

 

The "trick" is that it can't be an A piece, those just get too much attention. But a very good B piece could fly under the radar and be available at far less than FMV, even on an auction setting. Especially if there is a similar A piece on at the same time that gets everyone's attention.

 

Malvin

[bocaratondefense]

I have found deals on ebay but not in Heritage. Oftentimes, dealers are bidding on the same lots. I know this because on many occassions I am underbidder on art and the same pieces will be offered on ebay or dealer websites at mark up prices on days later.

[Mephisto]

I was pretty happy with the price I paid for my Sienkiewicz painting especially compared to what it was listed at on the dealer site.

[malvin]

I have found deals on ebay but not in Heritage. Oftentimes, dealers are bidding on the same lots. I know this because on many occassions I am underbidder on art and the same pieces will be offered on ebay or dealer websites at mark up prices on days later.

 

Depending on the lag time between when it was on Heritage and when it shows up on dealer sites, it is possible that the winner simply traded it with the dealer.

 

Malvin

 

PS Rhetorical quesiton - If the artwork does sell at the dealer sites at marked up prices, does that mean the closing price on Heritage was a bargain?

[jbud73]

I was pretty happy with the price I paid for my Sienkiewicz painting especially compared to what it was listed at on the dealer site.

 

That's very true compared to the dealer sites most OA auctions are all bargains. Unless there is an Uber reserve on the piece.

[Bronty]

I have found deals on ebay but not in Heritage. Oftentimes, dealers are bidding on the same lots. I know this because on many occassions I am underbidder on art and the same pieces will be offered on ebay or dealer websites at mark up prices on days later.

 

Depending on the lag time between when it was on Heritage and when it shows up on dealer sites, it is possible that the winner simply traded it with the dealer.

 

Malvin

 

PS Rhetorical quesiton - If the artwork does sell at the dealer sites at marked up prices, does that mean the closing price on Heritage was a bargain?

 

To answer your rhetorical question with a rhetorical question:

 

Is there such a thing as a bargain anymore?

[Meeley Man]

Is there such a thing as a bargain anymore?

 

As far as OA and online auctions? I'd have to say "no way in hell!"

 

If anything, prices seem to be getting higher, than in the past, which given the economic climate, simply mystifies me. I mean, I get sellers asking more (because they might need it), but where is the money coming from by those who pay those prices?

 

Unless the marketplace crashes (which I wouldn't rule out entirely, given how high prices have gone within the last several years), don't expect any kind of "bargins" on OA.

[Bronty]

my point exactly. he was asking about where to get bargains.. I'm saying... "10 years ago!"

[Mephisto]

I was pretty happy with the price I paid for my Sienkiewicz painting especially compared to what it was listed at on the dealer site.

 

That's very true compared to the dealer sites most OA auctions are all bargains. Unless there is an Uber reserve on the piece.

 

1K versus 6K is pretty big difference and considering another piece that was listed at 4K sold for 2K during the same time at auction it's even better.

[batman_fan]

For me it has been mixed.

 

For some pages, probably over market such as a Buscema Hulk splash, but my Buscema Submariner splash and Andru Submariner splash, definitely a bargin. I also think I got a great deal on the Breyfogle Batman cover.

[comicartlinks-migration]

Has anybody out there ever found a screamin' deal on OA in an auction setting?

 

It seemed like it used to happen a fair bit in the early days of eBay (10 years or so ago). One time I remember in particular, I placed my bid early and left it alone. I guess eBay's servers went down with just less than an hour to go. They had a policy at the time (not sure if it still exists) that if their servers were down for more than an hour, they would extend out to auctions but if not the auctions just ended. More than a few snipers missed their chance that night...

 

Best,

Shawn

[Brian Peck]

I have gotten some great deals off ebay and heritage. The best one off ebay was a Bryan Hitch X-Men splash for $50 because the seller credited the inker as the artists with no mention of Bryan. On Heritage Sunday auctions are the best. My two best deals of last year:

 

This sutton page was $12 on heritage

 

This was $150 also off heritage

 

[chromium]

I did....I won this at a Heritage auction about 5 years ago, not one of the weekly ones, but the big tri-monthly ones.

 

Dave Cockrum did some recreations of his best Uncanny X-men covers and I won this one.

 

 

It's only a recreation, but not bad for $130.00

[comicartlinks-migration]

This sutton page was $12 on heritage

 

Wow, what a find. I have to start paying more attention to Heritage...

 

Nice show!

 

Best,

Shawn

[Claudio]

I did....I won this at a Heritage auction about 5 years ago, not one of the weekly ones, but the big tri-monthly ones.

 

Dave Cockrum did some recreations of his best Uncanny X-men covers and I won this one.

 

 

It's only a recreation, but not bad for $130.00

 

[Khazano]

To this day Ive still bought art for on Ebay less than it originally sold for years ago...

[r1982rhoads]

I have gotten deals in the past. They are not as plentiful on the art I collect anymore, but if you keep your eyes open, you find stuff on ebay and Heritage...believe it or not, some good pieces don't drawn dealer interest or competitor interest. Ebay is a pain, I lose a lot of auctions in the last minute...and nothing hurts more than losing to the Donnellys. But that is why we play the game. Ebay is great for lower end pieces...under $200...

 

Heritage Sunday auctions are a great place to get pieces...they are definately not as watched as the quarterlies. I bought one page at the last Heritage quarterly auction, and got it for 500 less than what she was worth...

 

 

[Khazano]

and nothing hurts more than losing to the Donnellys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

uugghh tell me about it.

[malvin]

Let's look at this another way, when you win at auction, is it sometimes alot less than your max price? I've won auctions where my max was hundreds higher.

 

I'm not that weird =) If I was willing to pay that so were others, they just didn't bid that time (on vacation, some other auction caught their interest, etc).

 

Or, before ebay started blurring the winning bidders, was anyone ever approached to sell something they just won? It must have been a bargain for you if someone is offering you more already.

 

Malvin