Jerry Robinson art collection for sale intact

[stinkininkin]

I had heard about this earlier in the week, and just saw it confirmed in todays LA Times--Jerry Robinson's original art collection is being sold intact. It will not be broken up or auctioned, so a private sale of some sort. It's a pretty spectacular collection I am told. I know of a few of the pieces he has (and it's not all just Robinson's work, but other pieces he was either gifted or acquired through the years).

 

Anybody have any insight on what all Jerry has? I would of course be interested to find out what the asking or buying price is, whichever the case may be, though I doubt that information will be readily available.

 

Scott Williams

[westform]

The Breman museum put out a booklet that went with their exhibition of Golden Age art, much of which came from Jerry's collection. It was called Zap, Pow, Bam, The Superhero. Maybe you can find a copy to peruse... although from what I know, none of us mere mortals will be able to afford it. A. because there is just too much quality materia, and B. Jerry always wanted a lot, lot, lot for his pieces... maybe that has changed or there will be a package deal, but still..

[westform]

Here's a list of some of his golden age covers; you can look them up if you want a good cry:

 

Superman 14

Leading comics 1

Detective comics 71

Star Spangled 26

Detective comics 67

Action 44

Superman 12

Detective comics 69

Adventure comics 78

Daredevil 6

 

[aardvark88]

I expect Borock to be at Robinson's house this weekend negotiating the final price to do an outright buy for HA.com. The best GA cover OA.

[markseifert]

There's a Timely cover in there too, I think? I hope Heritage does get it, honestly. We'll get nice scans then.

[batman_fan]

Here's a list of some of his golden age covers; you can look them up if you want a good cry:

 

Superman 14

Leading comics 1

Detective comics 71

Star Spangled 26

Detective comics 67

Action 44

Superman 12

Detective comics 69

Adventure comics 78

Daredevil 6

 

What an amazing assortment of items. I can only imagine what they would go for in an auction.

[Nexus]

Thanks for the heads-up. Here's the long version that appeared online earlier this week (as an aside, the "Hero Complex" blog is a fun read):

 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2009/05/joker-creator-jerry-robinson-reflects-on-gotham-and-the-golden-age.html

 

I certainly understand his desire to keep the collection intact. However, whoever gets it, will almost certainly spin-off a few pieces, if not break up the collection entirely at some point. Maybe he's hoping a museum will buy the collection. Whatever he decides to do, I wish him the best of luck. Clearly, not an easy decision and something we'll all have to face eventually.

[spider9698]

My understanding is that Jerry knows full well the market value of the art. The prices I have heard for many of the covers that Dan listed were WELL into the six figures. To be honest I doubt HA.com would be a potential buyer. They would need to hold the art for YEARS before making their money back.

[delekkerste]

I heard a few weeks ago that the asking price was around $10 million. I also heard that it's not all GA - I don't know what issue(s), but I heard there is at least one of Neal Adams' top Batman covers in the collection.

[MutantKeys]

251

[stinkininkin]

I heard a few weeks ago that the asking price was around $10 million. I also heard that it's not all GA - I don't know what issue(s), but I heard there is at least one of Neal Adams' top Batman covers in the collection.

 

Yup, and it's a nice one indeed!

[Bronty]

anybody got $10m I can borrow?

[NelsonAI]

 

The Detective and Batman covers alone are enough to make collectors wet their pants.

 

Anyone want to chip in and buy the lot?

 

Cheers!

N

 

 

[Aman619]

Is 10 million even remotely a good deal? Even at 200K for each killer GA Superman and Batman cover, there dont appear to be all that many. Im basing this on the 50 pieces I saw in the exhibit of Robinsons art collection.... and assuming that this comprised his best stuff...

[PokerKid]

Got to see the Zap Boom Pow exhibition. I could have looked at that Superman #14 all day. Unblievable stuff. The Superman portrait by Shuster with a personal not to Jerry was another stand-out piece.

 

Guess I better save up my money if I want a shot at his original Joker card, and hoping the small piece stays in my price range.

 

[Bronty]

Is 10 million even remotely a good deal? Even at 200K for each killer GA Superman and Batman cover, there dont appear to be all that many. Im basing this on the 50 pieces I saw in the exhibit of Robinsons art collection.... and assuming that this comprised his best stuff...

 

well spider did say that anyone would have to hang onto the collection for years to break even, so I assume its a really bad deal.

 

Trying to get top dollar is one thing, and trying to get the collection sold as a block is one thing... but they happen to be two things that don't work very well together!

[delekkerste]

Right. I know that the collection was shown to some of the usual suspect art dealers and passed on due to price. Not only would it require a syndicate (probably fairly large) to raise that amount of cash, but I don't think they saw much of an opportunity to profit on the break-up.

[spider9698]

I can understand Jerry's desire to want to keep the art together but if his goal is to provide some financial stability to his family (which is what I had heard) then he may need to make a concession and allow a place like Heritage to auction the art over several years to maximize prices.

 

[Aman619]

that would be my plan short of someone meeting my extremely optimistic price. But, coming on the heels of the POW BAM show, why not give it a try?

[Nexus]

I can understand Jerry's desire to want to keep the art together but if his goal is to provide some financial stability to his family (which is what I had heard) then he may need to make a concession and allow a place like Heritage to auction the art over several years to maximize prices.

 

It's amazing that the financial stability he'll eventually provide for his family won't come from money/residuals/benefits from his life's work...but from comic art that had no monetary value when he originally got it and that he probably collected as a lark. Yeah, there was luck involved. But he deserves it. Would have been nice if more veteran creators had done the same.