Watchmen Original Art -- more or less desirable now?

[Nexus]

My sense is that it's a bit like an echo chamber in here. Maybe I've been reading too many of Gene's posts but who else is buying these pages? I know of three sales of Watchmen pages (two public - Felix and Albert -- the other private buyer is a known name as well) and all of them to "us" basically. It feels like all of the potential buyers are on this message board. We're our own market and seemingly competing only with each other. I just find it ironic -- but not ironic enough to stop looking for the right page to buy!

 

I can see where it would seem that way. But there have actually been several other private sales in the last year, all for "crazy" money (all cash). A nice (but not great) Nite Owl/Rorschach page for $17K. The two-page Manhattan-on-Mars sequence for $29K (same guy also got a Rorshach page in the mid-20's). A two-page Manhattan sequence for $22K. And others. All to different buyers. None on this board (at least not publicly).

 

Take the page I just got on Ebay...a lot of activity near the winning bid. Any of the underbidders on this board?

 

Wait...a nice page did go to another boardie...I'll let him reveal it (thumbs u

 

Also...you mentioned in the first post that you would be willing to pay "decent" money for the right page, but not over FMV. As with anything in this hobby though, if you are trying to pry something loose from someone, you will invariably have to pay more than FMV. The only way to pay FMV is at auction...and if there are multiple bidders right below you.

[Nexus]

Thanks, Steve. I wouldn't say "steal", but a fair price, especially compared to where it would have been a few months ago. Now...could that be because it was listed on Ebay UK only and was somewhat under-the-radar (I wouldn't have noticed it at all if it hadn't shown up on CAF the day before)...or is this a correction? A regular Ebay auction with full exposure will tell us more.

 

Put it up for sale here and let's find out.

 

You interested, Gene? I'll "broker" the deal for you!

 

[cheekyj2112]

 

 

My sense is that it's a bit like an echo chamber in here. Maybe I've been reading too many of Gene's posts but who else is buying these pages? I know of three sales of Watchmen pages (two public - Felix and Albert -- the other private buyer is a known name as well) and all of them to "us" basically. It feels like all of the potential buyers are on this message board. We're our own market and seemingly competing only with each other. I just find it ironic -- but not ironic enough to stop looking for the right page to buy!

 

 

It may *feel* like all the potential buyers are on this board but I'm sure that's not actually the case. I have talked to a number of collectors looking for pages who aren't on this Board or CAF. It's like people searching CAF for a particular artist/title and concluding that the art is rare/destroyed etc just because its not being displayed there.

Plus there are definitely some people that like to keep things discreet. If you were selling a high end page would you announce it to the world here? Or just go straight to people you know to be serious?

 

[dem1138]

I did not say it is an echo chamber, just that it's a bit like one. Obviously there are more buyers and clearly deals are made privately. I was more referring to Gene's posts about containing the mania that there are all of these new buyers out there or that the rich and famous were after pages -- when in the end, these pages wind up in the hands of the "usual suspects."

 

And I am "serious" and am willing to pay above FMV! Regardless, I'm also willing to be patient on this one. Right now I have three or four major wants -- another great Kirby or Ditko page, a Rorshach Watchmen page, and a Detective #31. None of the above are plentiful and none are readily available - so I'm just going to have to be patient and do what I do. I do believe though, that I will meet all of these goals in the coming year. We'll see...

 

The power of positive thinking

[cheekyj2112]

I did not say it is an echo chamber, just that it's a bit like one. :

 

I didn't say you did; hence prefacing my email with "It may *feel* like.."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[heartened]

My sense is that the hype from the movie will die down and prices will stabilize, and even perhaps there may be some relative bargains (partly also due to the economy and less cash overall). However, my guess is that within a year the prices will start going up again, especially on the great pages. Over time, these pages are worth the investment. There are not many comics that make it mainstream as literature, and this is one of them. Go look at the other top 100 books of the past 100 years on the NY Times list and tell me which one you can get an original piece of? Maus would fall into this category as well, although those pages from what I can tell are not available.

 

You think the economy will have bounced back within the year??

 

Joseph

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=9492

 

No, I don't. But if you read my post you also are aware that I think the economy is only part of the story with Watchmen prices. The economy may not bounce back so soon, but I believe demand for Watchmen pages will. Just a prediction.

 

[heartened]

What about this page and the winning bid?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310127279231&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=&salenotsupported

 

Nice pickup! Glad to see good pages selling for sane prices. (thumbs u

 

Are three of the panels stats?? If so, it explains the price. Nice memorable page, though.

 

[heartened]

 

My sense is that it's a bit like an echo chamber in here. Maybe I've been reading too many of Gene's posts but who else is buying these pages? I know of three sales of Watchmen pages (two public - Felix and Albert -- the other private buyer is a known name as well) and all of them to "us" basically. It feels like all of the potential buyers are on this message board. We're our own market and seemingly competing only with each other. I just find it ironic -- but not ironic enough to stop looking for the right page to buy!

 

 

It may *feel* like all the potential buyers are on this board but I'm sure that's not actually the case. I have talked to a number of collectors looking for pages who aren't on this Board or CAF. It's like people searching CAF for a particular artist/title and concluding that the art is rare/destroyed etc just because its not being displayed there.

Plus there are definitely some people that like to keep things discreet. If you were selling a high end page would you announce it to the world here? Or just go straight to people you know to be serious?

 

I picked up a nice page a last month, just no time to scan/post.

 

[Nexus]

Here's an interesting case:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330315496359

 

A Rorschach page! But...four stat panels. An OA Catch-22. Will the former outweigh the latter? Or vice-versa? Has the end of movie hype (along with the recession) depressed interest/values? Or will people bid like before?

 

Also, despite being on CAF (and now here ), it still won't get the full exposure it would have gotten if it was listed on the main Ebay site and not just Ebay UK. There will still be people who will miss it who might have otherwise bid.

 

No matter what, kudos to the seller for listing it without a reserve and a nothing starting bid (thumbs u This sucker will get sold. Let's see what happens on Wednesday

 

 

 

 

[heartened]

On the plus side, the three initial panels are GREAT Rorschach panels. The last four are stats, as you point out. I would suspect this hits at least 8K. If the entire page were art, it'd be a 15K page in my opinion. What do you think, Felix?

 

[cheekyj2112]

What about this page and the winning bid?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310127279231&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=&salenotsupported

 

Nice pickup! Glad to see good pages selling for sane prices. (thumbs u

 

Are three of the panels stats?? If so, it explains the price. Nice memorable page, though.

 

 

Yep, seller told me they were stats which obviously factored into the price.

 

[heartened]

What about this page and the winning bid?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310127279231&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=&salenotsupported

 

Nice pickup! Glad to see good pages selling for sane prices. (thumbs u

 

Are three of the panels stats?? If so, it explains the price. Nice memorable page, though.

 

 

Yep, seller told me they were stats which obviously factored into the price.

 

Right. Personally, not a fan at all of having stats on a page. This one on ebay may be an exception, though, because the Rorschach panels are quite nice and it's a memorable scene. Curious to see where it ends.

 

[Nexus]

On the plus side, the three initial panels are GREAT Rorschach panels. The last four are stats, as you point out. I would suspect this hits at least 8K. If the entire page were art, it'd be a 15K page in my opinion. What do you think, Felix?

 

This is a tough one, which is why it will be very interesting to see where it finishes at. Personally, I believe your values are very realistic (albeit on the high side, imho). But it all depends how motivated people are, and if they'll overlook the stats.

 

I have a feeling there are lots of collectors doing a lot of soul-searching on this one!

[Nexus]

Right. Personally, not a fan at all of having stats on a page. This one on ebay may be an exception, though, because the Rorschach panels are quite nice and it's a memorable scene. Curious to see where it ends.

 

My own feelings aren't so black and white (obviously, since I bought the page with stats). It's never ideal, but it really depends on the overall page. In the case of the page I got, there's one full stat, and two partial stats...out of nine panels. I can live with that. On the Rorschach page, almost half the page is stats...that's a little tougher.

 

I'll consider other factors such as if there's art under the stats and what the images are on the stats. If it's simply some background that's being replicated, it's not that big a deal to me. It's still preferable to what goes on in modern art...if a panel is repeated, there is no stat. Just a blank space where the panel is digitally superimposed.

 

Finally, I'm not entirely sure the page I got would have sold for more without stats. I think that's simply the new market price. Whereas it might have gotten more during the mania last year, this is a new reality we're in. I think interest has leveled off somewhat...and hence, values have as well. Objectively, I've never thought any pages were "worth" $20K, even if a few people were willing to pay it. It would take a pretty damn special page for people to go over $10K these days. What this all means for the Rorschach page...I guess we'll find out on Wednesday!

[Jesusjon]

I was hoping none of you guys would notice this page. Guess there are no bargains in OA land!!

 

Then again I was hoping that about the last page that popped up on Ebay UK and it went for 8K anyhow, so guess we'll see what happens here.

[Jesusjon]

Incidentally, I believe there was an approximately 400GBP reserve on the piece initially.

[cheekyj2112]

Incidentally, I believe there was an approximately 400GBP reserve on the piece initially.

 

Jon

 

I believe it was about £200 when I saw it and pretty sure no reserve not met sign.

 

And no, there are no bargains to be had although I did avoid posting it publicly so people like you weren't cursing my name.

[Nexus]

I don't believe there was ever any indication of a reserve.

 

And, for those cursing MY name (and it'd better not be any of you mofos I've helped out before...others, feel free:P), just realize that this auction was already all over CAF and the hits had jumped up exponentially before I even posted about it. I'd love for there to be bargains, too...but the odds are long with seven day auctions on Ebay, Ebay UK, or otherwise. (The only exceptions would be miscategorized auctions or undervalued "buy-it-nows".) A public sale is a public sale...I had two people write me as soon as it went up and I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

 

[malvin]

I was watching this auction, the reserve was 250 pounds. I was like, what's the poitn of putting a reserve like that?

 

Good luck to whoever wins it, I'm out of the running!

 

Malvin

 

 

[Jesusjon]

I knew there was a reserve because the seller mentioned it when I sent my customary "If someone asks you to end this auction early, please drop me a line so I can try to beat their offer" email. I didn't see when the auction passed it but yeah, it was a low number.

 

Well, a few weeks ago I was complaining there were no pages hitting ebay and now this is the second to be up in an auction that's hit reserve, so I can't say we aren't living in slightly more interesting times!!