Please Inquire...

[Mephisto]

Of course, the pieces become stale. Especially when offered at 2-3X value!

 

I agree with this. Not even with just one dealer. Seeing the SAME piece on multiple dealer sites for around the same price over and over again hurts a piece IMHO. There is no rush for someone to buy it if it's sat. There are pieces I wanted in in 04 that are still sitting on the same dealer sites. At this point I've lost interest.

[artcollector9]

Agreed, plus it shows the dealer doesn't really know how to price his inventory...these dealers want a HOME RUN on EVERY sale, which is ridiculous except perhaps on so called 'grail' pieces... When a dealer has a piece more than 8 months-1 year, it is priced TOO HIGH.

[Eric Seffinga]

I'd agree with you, but I have to ask my brother first.

 

-e.

[William Vuk]

I heard that they formally requested EBay to add an "inquire it now" option

[comix4fun]

I heard that they formally requested EBay to add an "inquire it now" option

 

 

[Eric Seffinga]

Interesting. So if you bid on a piece and meet their reserve, does the reserve now automatically move up by a third, and then read Reserve not met?

 

And did they finally add the link under the seller's ID that reads

"Ask the seller a question"

"Ask my brother a question"

 

 

-e.

[comix4fun]

Interesting. So if you bid on a piece and meet their reserve, does the reserve now automatically move up by a third, and then read Reserve not met?

 

And did they finally add the link under the seller's ID that reads

"Ask the seller a question"

"Ask my brother a question"

 

 

-e.

 

 

Jeez Eric....that's not accurate at all.

 

The link is "Ask me to Ask my Brother a question."

 

 

C

[robert frey]

having said all of this, how the heck did they wind up with as much art as they have? i am sure not all of these were gotten back in the day- there are still people dealing with them now......

[wurstisart]

I have seen them winning many ebay auctions.

Winning means they put the highest bid in !

 

So if the piece shows up on their website with a price....(assuming there is a price) and it is higher than the auction....I guess they can do whatever they want !

 

And we can't do anything about it.

 

Can't blame them. If someone wanted that piece so badly in the beginning, but did not bid accordingly, what do you want to do.

 

Sure you are upset about seing the price jump, but you had the chance to buy it on ebay, but didn't.

 

Just my 2 cents...

 

Sure this does not apply to the topic of this post, but I saw this happening in the past. Also with other dealers from one of the latest Heritage Auction.

And it explains the prices to some of the pieces on their website.

 

But there is nothing you can do about it.

If you wanted the piece so badly, you should have put a higher bid in !

[DiceX]

having said all of this, how the heck did they wind up with as much art as they have? i am sure not all of these were gotten back in the day- there are still people dealing with them now......

 

The reason they have so much art is because nobody bothers to inquire, so they have to sit on it.

 

 

[bocaratondefense]

The reason they have so much art is because nobody bothers to inquire, so they have to sit on it.

 

 

That is true about the Donnellys for sure, as their prices are ridiculous, but this might be the case for other dealers as well. The turnover rate on many dealer websites seems to have slowed to a crawl.

[robert frey]

my point was that not all of their art was purchased- a lot of it has come from trade as well. if everyone thinks this way of them and they know they are going to get hammered in trade, then why do people even do it?

[artcollector9]

I did ONE deal with them, I really wanted something they had, and what I gave them I was into for very little...my good fortune. But, since then, we've tried a few times and 1) they keep changing their asking price, and 2) they want me to give them gold in exchange for their fool's gold!!

[DStorm]

Can't blame them. If someone wanted that piece so badly in the beginning, but did not bid accordingly, what do you want to do.

 

Sure you are upset about seing the price jump, but you had the chance to buy it on ebay, but didn't.

 

 

I agree! That's actually what I think is hilarious about their pricing. As an example lets say they are the high bidder at $2K on EBAY for a Frank Miller Daredevil interior. No one else outbids them and therefore they didn't want it that badly, as you say. Now they mark it up to say $5K! Now if I didn't outbid you at $2K or anyone else for that matter, what makes you think you're going to get me or anyone else to pay $5K for it !!!!? If I wanted it that badly, I would of just outbid you at $2K ! I mean sure you might regret letting something go down the road and maybe at some point you might even consider paying more than when you missed out on something, but not double or triple, which is what they mark it up to!

 

Stupid.

 

 

 

 

[Royd]

Well, you could always ask Liam Sharp how they held onto his artwork and would probably have kept it for their own purposes except for the fact that they were challenged with legal action and eventually returned most of it.

 

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, Warren Ellis featured a long column on Liam's behalf where Liam spoke of the dangers of being represented by and dealing with the Donnellys. Dubious business practices at best! Best,

 

Royd

 

having said all of this, how the heck did they wind up with as much art as they have? i am sure not all of these were gotten back in the day- there are still people dealing with them now......

[Brauny]

I think they have to list most of their art as "Inquire" because otherwise it would be totally obvious that the piece they just bought on Ebay last week was being marked up 3X cost and it would be too easy to track back and expose them more than what most of us know already.

 

I also like the way they try to mislead potential buyers on many of their Ebay postings, like listing artwork as "Starlin/Lim" with the reality being it was written by Starlin and drawn by Lim. I have to think that this is done deliberately to try and confuse a potential novice buyer.

 

Its a shame they are sitting on so much good artwork. Personally, I couldnt imagine dealing with them.

 

The best thing about the brothers is the fodder they provide for so many of us. Gotta love the stories that are shared. I understand that the show they put on at SDCC is classic when someone inquires about a piece of art!

[comix4fun]

I think they have to list most of their art as "Inquire" because otherwise it would be totally obvious that the piece they just bought on Ebay last week was being marked up 3X cost and it would be too easy to track back and expose them more than what most of us know already.

 

I also like the way they try to mislead potential buyers on many of their Ebay postings, like listing artwork as "Starlin/Lim" with the reality being it was written by Starlin and drawn by Lim. I have to think that this is done deliberately to try and confuse a potential novice buyer.

 

Its a shame they are sitting on so much good artwork. Personally, I couldnt imagine dealing with them.

 

The best thing about the brothers is the fodder they provide for so many of us. Gotta love the stories that are shared. I understand that the show they put on at SDCC is classic when someone inquires about a piece of art!

 

 

 

When you ask them by email if a piece of art "has any non-logo stats".

 

Make sure to ask them at least twice and then a third time add in, "Are you SURE?" Maybe you'll get an correct answer. Which is more than I got.

 

C

[DiceX]

Gotta love the stories that are shared. I understand that the show they put on at SDCC is classic when someone inquires about a piece of art!

 

Please...go on...