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any low CAF email offers?

Started by buyatari,

63 posts in this topic

comix4fun

comix4fun

Posted
Posted
I'm curious if the guys with Killing Joke and Watchmen pages get offers for $200.

 

Love to hear the stories if there are any.

 

 

I have no doubt there are several stories like that. There are several guys who are well known for doing exactly that.

 

I had a guy make me an offer of $1,500 for a Dark Knight page that was not for sale (and was worth $12k or more at the time).

 

He even gave me all kinds of reasons and "market data" as to why it was a fair price. My reaction was a mixture of "spit-take", laugh out loud, and incredulity.

 

Odd thing was he was a known collector in the hobby, a guy who made loud proclaimations about willing to outpay anyone. A guy like that should know a story like that will get around and your chances of buying a page (from anyone) will go from slim to none in no seconds flat.

 

He's not alone though, there is more than one guy who holds himself out as an "ambassador to the hobby" for all the guys with lots of money and no experience, or lots of art they have had since the 80's-90's and no market knowledge from the last 10-20 years. A really big smile as his hand is reaching into your portfolio/pocket.

 

With all the money and value in art in the last 5-7 years I guess that is to be expected.

 

C

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Nexus

Nexus

Posted
Posted
I'm curious if the guys with Killing Joke and Watchmen pages get offers for $200.

 

Love to hear the stories if there are any.

 

 

I have no doubt there are several stories like that. There are several guys who are well known for doing exactly that.

 

I had a guy make me an offer of $1,500 for a Dark Knight page that was not for sale (and was worth $12k or more at the time).

 

He even gave me all kinds of reasons and "market data" as to why it was a fair price. My reaction was a mixture of "spit-take", laugh out loud, and incredulity.

 

Odd thing was he was a known collector in the hobby, a guy who made loud proclaimations about willing to outpay anyone. A guy like that should know a story like that will get around and your chances of buying a page (from anyone) will go from slim to none in no seconds flat.

 

He's not alone though, there is more than one guy who holds himself out as an "ambassador to the hobby" for all the guys with lots of money and no experience, or lots of art they have had since the 80's-90's and no market knowledge from the last 10-20 years. A really big smile as his hand is reaching into your portfolio/pocket.

 

With all the money and value in art in the last 5-7 years I guess that is to be expected.

 

C

 

Hoo boy. This is a good one.

 

Lowball offers happen all the time and in and of themselves, are no big deal. It's the ones that are accompanied by blatant lies (usually ridiculously low market values and/or how the art is a personal "grail" when all the buyer wants to do is flip it) that really expose the guys making the offers.

 

In a hobby this small, everyone eventually learns who the jokers are.

 

I'd share more stories like Chris, but I just ate dinner. Give me a little time to digest :P

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CollectingFool

CollectingFool

Posted
Posted
ah the grail gambit! :) Followed by the quick sale two weeks later perhaps? :insane:

 

So far the most outrageous lie I've heard about (used in combination with the "grail gambit") is "look, I can't argue with you about price, I'm recovering from a recent heart attack. Just take what I'm offering so I can rest."

 

Once again, from an "ambassador to the hobby".

 

Ruben

http://www.collectingfool.com

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Khazano

Khazano

Posted
Posted
ah the grail gambit! :) Followed by the quick sale two weeks later perhaps? :insane:

 

So far the most outrageous lie I've heard about (used in combination with the "grail gambit") is "look, I can't argue with you about price, I'm recovering from a recent heart attack. Just take what I'm offering so I can rest."

 

Once again, from an "ambassador to the hobby".

 

Ruben

http://www.collectingfool.com

 

:roflmao:

 

man I thought I had it bad. I get LOTS of emails from newbie collectors offering me low balls. But never, in 9 years, have I gotten one from someone who should know better.

 

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westform

westform

Posted
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I've also received lots of lowball offers, some highball offers too...! But, usually the lowballs take the form of trade offers whereby I am supposed to trade away an A piece for a stack of C- material... I'm never insulted and perhaps this works for some but I just politely turn those down. If they keep emailing and emailing I just ignore.

 

However, more often than not we are talking about a piece that is hard to gauge value on. If I make a blind offer on an Al Wiseman Dennis the Menace splash panel (just for instance :grin:), should it be $100? $250? $500? $1000? $1500?? I bet if I asked 10 collectors I'd get 10 different answers of a value somewhere along that scale... How about if someone makes an offer on one of my Larkin Doc Savage paintings?? $1000? $2000? $3k- $4k? 5,000? Maybe $8000? Same thing- 10 answers from 10 collectors... so am I going to get insulted by a 'lowball'? No.

 

I could go on and on with examples, from my collection or others. It's hard to keep abreast of every facet of the marketplace, and when you jump into an unfamilier territory you can flail with the least of them. A few years back I saw Pete Koch at San Diego with several Ed Roth drawings. I literally had no idea of value and he wouldn't put a price on them. I offered him $1000 and was prepared to negotiate to $2k, but he came back with 10k for any of my choosing. Ok, I didn't mean to really lowball him but clearly we weren't going to bridge that gap... I still have no idea what one of those drawings is really worth... You never see them.

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Spider-Variant

Spider-Variant

Posted
Posted
I've also received lots of lowball offers, some highball offers too...! But, usually the lowballs take the form of trade offers whereby I am supposed to trade away an A piece for a stack of C- material... I'm never insulted and perhaps this works for some but I just politely turn those down. If they keep emailing and emailing I just ignore.

 

However, more often than not we are talking about a piece that is hard to gauge value on. If I make a blind offer on an Al Wiseman Dennis the Menace splash panel (just for instance :grin:), should it be $100? $250? $500? $1000? $1500?? I bet if I asked 10 collectors I'd get 10 different answers of a value somewhere along that scale... How about if someone makes an offer on one of my Larkin Doc Savage paintings?? $1000? $2000? $3k- $4k? 5,000? Maybe $8000? Same thing- 10 answers from 10 collectors... so am I going to get insulted by a 'lowball'? No.

 

I could go on and on with examples, from my collection or others. It's hard to keep abreast of every facet of the marketplace, and when you jump into an unfamilier territory you can flail with the least of them. A few years back I saw Pete Koch at San Diego with several Ed Roth drawings. I literally had no idea of value and he wouldn't put a price on them. I offered him $1000 and was prepared to negotiate to $2k, but he came back with 10k for any of my choosing. Ok, I didn't mean to really lowball him but clearly we weren't going to bridge that gap... I still have no idea what one of those drawings is really worth... You never see them.

 

Very level headed approach. Thanks for sharing your experiences. (thumbs u

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spider9698

spider9698

Posted
Posted

Dan

Valid point. I am always suprised when a dealer contacts me wanting a particular piece in my CAF and they make a ridiculously low offer. It's one thing when a collector doesn't know a niche market, another thing entirely when it's a dealer and they know full well what the market will bear.

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comix4fun

comix4fun

Posted
Posted
Dan

Valid point. I am always suprised when a dealer contacts me wanting a particular piece in my CAF and they make a ridiculously low offer. It's one thing when a collector doesn't know a niche market, another thing entirely when it's a dealer and they know full well what the market will bear.

 

 

I completely agree on that.

 

I was talking about the dealers, well known collectors, and guys who have earned a rep for this type of thing.

 

We have all had difficulty in valuing pieces in areas were aren't familiar with, I usually tell people upfront when they ask for an offer on a piece that I have no frame of reference of experience in the hobby.

 

It's the guys who know full well what piece is worth and still treat you as if you just fell off a turnip truck. Those are the guys that get the ulcer working.

 

C

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westform

westform

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Why not? My advice is always make an offer on anything you are interested in.... they can always say no. And, more importantly they will remember you later when it comes time to sell. When you rack up many years in this hobby you will come to see many, many nfs pieces that you coveted quietly change hands... *sob*... the early bird (or in this case the vocal bird) often gets the worm... Keep in mind though, if you are really, really interested, telling someone that is not the same as saying 'I will give you $x for it.' May sound like a small distinction, but it is actually huge.

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invisibleghosts

invisibleghosts

Posted
Posted

Good topic.

 

Can't say I've had too many low offers, but for the few I've had I've politely declined. No sense getting too mad. Those have come from private collectors, if they were well know dealers that might be another story. :mad: I've had a few good offers on pieces, people looking for particular pieces to fill their collection and have had no problem letting a few go. (thumbs u

 

I've also offered on a few and had decent luck buying some really nice pieces! So, I guess "you don't know if you don't ask" holds true! :)

 

 

 

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Spider-Variant

Spider-Variant

Posted
Posted
Why not? My advice is always make an offer on anything you are interested in.... they can always say no. And, more importantly they will remember you later when it comes time to sell. When you rack up many years in this hobby you will come to see many, many nfs pieces that you coveted quietly change hands... *sob*... the early bird (or in this case the vocal bird) often gets the worm... Keep in mind though, if you are really, really interested, telling someone that is not the same as saying 'I will give you $x for it.' May sound like a small distinction, but it is actually huge.

 

This is dead on. I sold an ASM page to the guy who (a) first contacted me about it (b) made a decent offer © was polite and patient (d) and did not pressure me in the least.

 

I actually sold it to him about a year later. But I was fairly certain the guy wasn't out to flip it either. He still has the peace after 2 years.

 

So yes, if you offer me on an "NFS", I won't be offended.

 

 

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mrpunch0

mrpunch0

Posted
Posted
Why not? My advice is always make an offer on anything you are interested in.... they can always say no. And, more importantly they will remember you later when it comes time to sell. When you rack up many years in this hobby you will come to see many, many nfs pieces that you coveted quietly change hands... *sob*... the early bird (or in this case the vocal bird) often gets the worm... Keep in mind though, if you are really, really interested, telling someone that is not the same as saying 'I will give you $x for it.' May sound like a small distinction, but it is actually huge.

 

I've picked up a few choice pieces because I inquired about one that was marked NFS (why, just today as a matter of fact).

 

What is insulting is when you contact me about a piece marked "NFS" and you insist that I name a price. I already did - it's "NFS." If you want to make an offer - do that - don't make me do it unless you want me to add a couple of extra zeros to the high end of what I'd part with it for!

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