Qualitative Analysis of Golden Age Pedigrees

[Ted Knight]

After spending many years going after high grade SA and BA books, I've been shifting more and more toward Golden Age books. I have a set of values for the books in my collection (gloss, page quality, print quality, etc) and after reading about the Edgar Church collection for 30 years it seemed that I was doomed to only accept those books and spend the rest of my life in poverty trying to collect them.

 

Obviously, this is not the case. As others have said, there are many other pedigrees that have specific books that represent better than the Church comics. Apparently, San Francisco. Allentown, and Hawkeye pedigrees all have very nice books (I don't know because I don't own any of these).

 

My question is this: Has anyone set up a sort of 10 point rating for (generally) describing the qualitative aspects of each of the pedigrees? (maybe the pedigree book will have this, I don't know, I don't have it yet)

 

Perhaps a format like this could be useful:

 

Page Quality (1-10, 10 being whitest)

Structure (1-10, Much like CGC)

Gloss (1-10, 10 being full gloss, wet ink, highly reflective, edge of inks visible on the oblique)

Writing (1-10, 10 being no writing whatsoever, no date, no kids names, just... no)

 

Any thoughts / opinions would be (as always) greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

[Mutie Fan]

There has been talk of a comprehensive book on pedigree collections for some time now, but it is long over due.

 

[Scrooge]

Boy, are you going to love it when the Pedigree Book comes out ... no joking here ... as the sampler that is posted and the rest of the manuscript that many here have seen around cons is hitting the exact spot you're aiming at and pining for.

 

Go check the first draft, certainly amended since, for the Allentown Pedigree.

[DarkKnightReturns]

It would be great if CGC would rate page color on a 1-10 scale as well as gloss/inks.

As far as names, writing stamps a simple notation is fine by me.

Obviously the amount of extra time to do this wouldn't be feasible for moderns but why not at least on golden age books. Especially anything over $1000.

 

As far as the pedigree book goes, there's always next year.

[DarkKnightReturns]

Boy, are you going to love it when the Pedigree Book comes out ... no joking here ... as the sampler that is posted and the rest of the manuscript that many here have seen around cons is hitting the exact spot you're aiming at and pining for.

 

Go check the first draft, certainly amended since, for the Allentown Pedigree.

I'm really looking forward to this book. I'd love to hear of an update to when a possible release date may be. I have a feeling that after the release of this book pedigrees are going to be even more sought after. I doubt the majority of collectors know much about pedigrees and this book will change that.

[Mutie Fan]

Boy, are you going to love it when the Pedigree Book comes out ... no joking here ... as the sampler that is posted and the rest of the manuscript that many here have seen around cons is hitting the exact spot you're aiming at and pining for.

 

Go check the first draft, certainly amended since, for the Allentown Pedigree.

 

Thanks for posting that link, it had been some time since I checked it out. I am looking forward to the book and hope it is being amended to reflect all the recent changes in the market.

[rodan57]

Boy, are you going to love it when the Pedigree Book comes out ... no joking here ... as the sampler that is posted and the rest of the manuscript that many here have seen around cons is hitting the exact spot you're aiming at and pining for.

 

Go check the first draft, certainly amended since, for the Allentown Pedigree.

 

Thanks for posting that link, it had been some time since I checked it out. I am looking forward to the book and hope it is being amended to reflect all the recent changes in the market.

 

I hope for the sake of history, someone has recorded the name of the original owner and more details of the Allentown collection's origins. The pedigree book, as excerpted, looks great but the story behind the comic books only leaves me wanting more.

 

It seems regrettable that for many pedigrees there has been a desire/need to keep the original owners anonymous.

[Scrooge]

Boy, are you going to love it when the Pedigree Book comes out ... no joking here ... as the sampler that is posted and the rest of the manuscript that many here have seen around cons is hitting the exact spot you're aiming at and pining for.

 

Go check the first draft, certainly amended since, for the Allentown Pedigree.

 

Thanks for posting that link, it had been some time since I checked it out. I am looking forward to the book and hope it is being amended to reflect all the recent changes in the market.

 

You're welcome. I meant this to be a reply to the OP in case he hasn't seen this material but, like you, I had not looked at the sample in quite some time and there will be a lot to see in the eventual book

[Ted Knight]

Boy, are you going to love it when the Pedigree Book comes out ... no joking here ... as the sampler that is posted and the rest of the manuscript that many here have seen around cons is hitting the exact spot you're aiming at and pining for.

 

Go check the first draft, certainly amended since, for the Allentown Pedigree.

 

Thanks for posting that link, it had been some time since I checked it out. I am looking forward to the book and hope it is being amended to reflect all the recent changes in the market.

 

You're welcome. I meant this to be a reply to the OP in case he hasn't seen this material but, like you, I had not looked at the sample in quite some time and there will be a lot to see in the eventual book

 

Hey, thanks for the link. That's the first time I've seen the format and a full article. The thing is, I've been waiting for that book for a long time now and given the future of print as doubtful as it is, I wonder if it will be published at all at this point.

 

It is a lot of what I'm looking for.

[tth2]

The pedigree book is starting to sound a lot like the last episode of "Lost". I think a lot of people are expecting to find answers in the book (if it ever comes out) that won't be there.

[Ted Knight]

It would be great if CGC would rate page color on a 1-10 scale as well as gloss/inks.

As far as names, writing stamps a simple notation is fine by me.

Obviously the amount of extra time to do this wouldn't be feasible for moderns but why not at least on golden age books.

 

Agree completely. It seems like the current system completely overvalues structural perfection above many of the surface qualities of books that actually make them feel and look new.

 

[adamstrange]

The pedigree book is starting to sound a lot like the last episode of "Lost". I think a lot of people are expecting to find answers in the book (if it ever comes out) that won't be there.

Don't be such a downer.

 

It will answer all our questions bringing happiness to millions and peace to the Middle East.

[nearmint]

The pedigree book is starting to sound a lot like the last episode of "Lost". I think a lot of people are expecting to find answers in the book (if it ever comes out) that won't be there.

Don't be such a downer.

 

It will answer all our questions bringing happiness to millions and peace to the Middle East.

 

And it'll explain why there was a polar bear on the island.

[markseifert]

given the future of print as doubtful as it is, I wonder if it will be published at all at this point.

 

I'm actually hoping digital will create an incentive for more of this kind of thing. I'd buy the heck out of kindle books on collecting and retailing history and comics history in general by several of the members of this forum.

[adamstrange]

The pedigree book is starting to sound a lot like the last episode of "Lost". I think a lot of people are expecting to find answers in the book (if it ever comes out) that won't be there.

Don't be such a downer.

 

It will answer all our questions bringing happiness to millions and peace to the Middle East.

 

And it'll explain why there was a polar bear on the island.

There is such a thing as setting expectations too high.

[nearmint]

given the future of print as doubtful as it is, I wonder if it will be published at all at this point.

 

I'm actually hoping digital will create an incentive for more of this kind of thing. I'd buy the heck out of kindle books on collecting and retailing history and comics history in general by several of the members of this forum.

 

I think large coffee table books will continue to survive long after other types of books will succumb to the shift to digital. Much like the recently released 75 Years of DC Comics, I won't want to peruse the pedigree book on a smart phone, or even a tablet computer. It needs to be BIG.

[tth2]

The pedigree book is starting to sound a lot like the last episode of "Lost". I think a lot of people are expecting to find answers in the book (if it ever comes out) that won't be there.

Don't be such a downer.

 

It will answer all our questions bringing happiness to millions and peace to the Middle East.

 

And it'll explain why there was a polar bear on the island.

Actually, that was one of the few things that WAS fully explained on the show.

[tth2]

The pedigree book is starting to sound a lot like the last episode of "Lost". I think a lot of people are expecting to find answers in the book (if it ever comes out) that won't be there.

Don't be such a downer.

 

It will answer all our questions bringing happiness to millions and peace to the Middle East.

No wonder it'll never come out!

[lotemo]

given the future of print as doubtful as it is, I wonder if it will be published at all at this point.

 

I'm actually hoping digital will create an incentive for more of this kind of thing. I'd buy the heck out of kindle books on collecting and retailing history and comics history in general by several of the members of this forum.

 

I think large coffee table books will continue to survive long after other types of books will succumb to the shift to digital. Much like the recently released 75 Years of DC Comics, I won't want to peruse the pedigree book on a smart phone, or even a tablet computer. It needs to be BIG.

 

I agree. I think that the desire for print books will exist for many years to come, especially for reference works such as this that benefit from large, color illustrations. Electronic readers are great for portable reading material but there will probably always be room for print.

 

We wouldn't be discussing pedigree GA books if they had been sold digitally. And with all the DRM issues with electronic distribution, we probably wouldn't have access to anything we bought 20 years ago due to technology changes.

 

Case in point, I have a digital copy of Overstreet that I bought 5 or 6 years ago. I can no longer look at it because I can't find the right software and authorization to open it. It was a complete waste of money to buy it in that format.