Stan Lee File copies????

[deathlok]

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

That being said, I would agree with you in the sale of their raw books. If they have book for auction that is later determined is restored then you might have a case against them.

[Timely]

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

That being said, I would agree with you in the sale of their raw books. If they have book for auction that is later determined is restored then you might have a case against them.

 

In the front of each Heritage catalog there's 4 pages of legal mumbo-jumbo regarding this. I believe all sales are final UNLESS something you bought from them IS misrepresented. In this case I'd say the book being trimmed (restored) is a case of misrepresentation and the buyer SHOULD have the right to a refund, assuming the time limit has not expired.

 

Timely

[deathlok]

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

That being said, I would agree with you in the sale of their raw books. If they have book for auction that is later determined is restored then you might have a case against them.

 

In the front of each Heritage catalog there's 4 pages of legal mumbo-jumbo regarding this. I believe all sales are final UNLESS something you bought from them IS misrepresented. In this case I'd say the book being trimmed (restored) is a case of misrepresentation and the buyer SHOULD have the right to a refund, assuming the time limit has not expired.

 

Timely

 

So then they would refund the buyer for the book, and then turn around and put it up in the next auction.

[Timely]

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

That being said, I would agree with you in the sale of their raw books. If they have book for auction that is later determined is restored then you might have a case against them.

 

In the front of each Heritage catalog there's 4 pages of legal mumbo-jumbo regarding this. I believe all sales are final UNLESS something you bought from them IS misrepresented. In this case I'd say the book being trimmed (restored) is a case of misrepresentation and the buyer SHOULD have the right to a refund, assuming the time limit has not expired.

 

Timely

 

So then they would refund the buyer for the book, and then turn around and put it up in the next auction.

 

I doubt Heritage is dumb enough to take that book in again.

 

Timely

[deathlok]

Why not, they already made money of it from the BP. Which is something I'm sure they wouldn't refund, only the bid price. Then they turn around and auction it off again.

[Timely]

um...BAD PRESS...actively selling a known hack job...

 

Timely

[blowout]

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

What an incredibly naive statement, Heritage is out to make money, plain and simple and the way they sometimes go about is, IMHO, very unethical at times.

 

Heritage employees can bid on their own auctions + Heritage have a restoration expert on staff. What do you think these two factors could add up to?

[Aman619]

Here's the straight story on the Stan Lee File Copies. All of what I'm about to relate was extensively covered in the media at the time of the initial sale, or later on on various message boards. None of this is new information.

 

Severla months after we had our first auction, we contacted Stan (both Jim Halperin and I had met him before), and he invited me to come out to LA and look through a store room full of stuff. He said he had no idea what was in there, but I was welcome to come out and have a look.

 

I went to LA, met with Stan, and started digging through boxes. In the course of this "excavation", I found a number of comics that Stan had saved over the years (I also found a whole lot of comics from the 1980s and 1990s that he had been comped, but those were neveer included as part of his "File Copy" collection). Many of the books Stan had saved were in low to mid-grade, with the occassional high-grade surprise. We decided to label and market these books as the "Stan Lee File Copy" Collection, as we felt that designation best represented the way the books had been used.

 

Forward about six months: As time went by, and we were certifying books that were a) lower grade and b) of less historical significance, Steve Borock felt that the designation "File Copy" was no longer appropriate. We decided to label the books as Stan Lee Signature Series books, as they were, indeed, signed by Stan, and they did, indeed, come from his collection.

 

The bottom line is this: Any book that Heritage has sold from either the Stan Lee File Copy Collection or the Stan Lee Signature Series came to us directly from Stan. No exceptions. We are very proud and happy to work with Stan, and are proud to be the auction house he chose to offer his collection to the public.

 

 

 

I hope this clears up any misunderstanding.

 

Best regards,

 

John E. Petty

Director of Auctions

Heritage Comics Auctions

 

Thanx Heritage John. That pretty much clears it up, and while I was skeptical, having even heard this description of events before, I will take your word on it. I appreciate you stopping by to make that explanation. Otheres however wirh you stuck around a bit to answer some OTHER questions they have had in regards to your auctions. Please feel free to hijack this thread to answer them here.

[blowout]

Otheres however wirh you stuck around a bit to answer some OTHER questions they have had in regards to your auctions.

 

I don't think they are the kind of questions Heratige will be answering here. Their silence on this matter (botth now and in the past) gives me all the answers I need however.

[FFB]

Of course they have a restoration expert on staff -- they sell raw books. They have to have one. I see no problem with this.

 

I will agree about the conflict of interest created by allowing their employees to bid on their auctions, however.

 

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

What an incredibly naive statement, Heritage is out to make money, plain and simple and the way they sometimes go about is, IMHO, very unethical at times.

 

Heritage employees can bid on their own auctions + Heritage have a restoration expert on staff. What do you think these two factors could add up to?

[fantastic_four]

Of course they have a restoration expert on staff -- they sell raw books.

 

I don't think he's "on staff," although I could be wrong. When you ship books to him, he's not in Texas like the other Heritage staff members are. Somehow I doubt they're sending all raw books out of state, back in state, and then out to buyers just for restoration detection...may as well use CGC for all that trouble.

[fantastic_four]

I don't think he's "on staff," although I could be wrong.

 

I am wrong--it looks like he has moved since I last shipped books to him. His address on his web site has changed: http://www.comicrestoration.com/

[fantastic_four]

I am wrong--it looks like he has moved since I last shipped books to him. His address on his web site has changed: http://www.comicrestoration.com/

 

This really surprises me. I thought they weren't listing him as a staff member because he WASN'T one, and that he still lived in another state. If he moved to Texas to be near them...why is he not listed as a staff member? He's got a great reputation and is well known in the vintage comics community.

[metropoliscomics]

What happened to all the talk about Stan's file copies?

[Timely]

What happened to all the talk about Stan's file copies?

 

what do you know about it?

 

Timely

[FFB]

The Heritage guy showed up and we hijacked the thread. No sign of him though. He appears to have escaped without answering any of the really important questions.

 

What happened to all the talk about Stan's file copies?

[deathlok]

I'm sure it would be great if Heritage had the resources to verify CGC's grading, however that is not their scope of operation. Heritage is only responsible for the auction transaction.

 

What an incredibly naive statement, Heritage is out to make money, plain and simple and the way they sometimes go about is, IMHO, very unethical at times.

 

Heritage employees can bid on their own auctions + Heritage have a restoration expert on staff. What do you think these two factors could add up to?

 

Naive? Naive is thinking that Heritage even cares what any of us thinks. The will continue to sell trimmed, restored books under a blue label until there ar eno more to sell. Despite all your huffing and puffing about the injustice of it all.

[comicmankev]

Hijacking this thread is not going to get answers. The thread was about Stan Lee File copies, JP from Heritage kindly turned up and let us ALL have the reply we were looking for, 'straight from the horses mouth'.

 

If you want answers to these other questions you damn sure ain't gonna get them on this thread, either start a new one or email them direct!

 

 

[blowout]

The will continue to sell trimmed, restored books under a blue label until there ar eno more to sell. Despite all your huffing and puffing about the injustice of it all.

 

 

So you think we should all just be quiet and let them get on with it, without a word of complaint?

I, for one, think it is worth making a fuss about the kind of dubious practices that Heritage are involved in. They are NOT good for the long term health of the hobby.

[deathlok]

The will continue to sell trimmed, restored books under a blue label until there ar eno more to sell. Despite all your huffing and puffing about the injustice of it all.

 

 

So you think we should all just be quiet and let them get on with it, without a word of complaint?

I, for one, think it is worth making a fuss about the kind of dubious practices that Heritage are involved in. They are NOT good for the long term health of the hobby.

 

I am not saying that at all. I think you guys are misdirecting your complaints towards Heritage. The actual culprit, other than the person "restoring" comics, is CGC. They are the ones that certify that these books are in fact unrestored copies. That is their business, that is what they do. Why should Heritage second guess a company that grades comic books, even though evidence will suggest otherwise. Now it would be wise and the right thing to do if Heritage knew of such books, to not sell them and notify CGC. I fully agree with everyone that these books are a travesty to collectors and it should not be allowed to happen.