Harvey horror - investment or just awesome to own?

[RickL]

I've been ogling some Harvey 50s horror lately and have purchased a few low grade issues that will arrive at my door one day soon.

 

There's something twisted about the Al Avison covers that I find darkly appealing.

 

I've been doing a bit of research and prices aren't too steep at all for nicer copies, with a couple of extra gory exceptions. Do the high grade issues seem a worthwhile investment proposition or are the prices fairly static? I've been looking at the peds and file copies but if there's nothing to be gained by investing, I'd be happier with some decent mid grade copies.

 

[Darth Corgi]

I prefer solid mid to low grades of my PreCode horror books. In this area of my collection, it's quantity over quality because I like putting runs together and reading the stories. That said, there are some of my favorittes in which a high grade is most desirable as well. Black Cat 50, Tomb Of Terror 15, Chamber of Chills 23, Witches Tales 25...etc

 

Harvey's are great indeed. I believe there is a publication coming out of England who started reprinting these in archived hardcover book format. Reprints are great but nothing beats an original printing IMO.

[EastEnd]

As with the EC Gaines file copies, I think what stymies upward mobility is the perception that there's "a lot" of high grade file copies out there. In the case of Harvey, many of the file copies also have page quality issues from the way they were stored. Still, I do think they will eventually start to move... either when collecting trends start migrating back to pre-code horror or when supply dwindles because fans/collectors are keeping them rather than turning them. Regardless, I went on a tear buying Harvey file copies five or six years ago just for love of the covers and I'm very happy that I own them regardless of the economics.

[cheetah]

I agree on the PQ issues. Buying them raw is a bit of a crapshoot. There are plenty with Lt/OW pages but few with OW/W.

 

Prices have been higher than normal recently on the high grade slabbed books, sometimes 2x GPA or more. I put my collecting on hold waiting for whoever it is to get whatever it is they want and let prices come back down to normal.

[RickL]

What about the Northford peds? How is PQ on those?

[Wrightson fan]

Most of them are cream to off white.

[RickL]

I think what stymies upward mobility is the perception that there's "a lot" of high grade file copies out there.

I wonder how many per issue, a dozen, twenty, five? Is there any way to get an estimate?

 

Is $200 a lot to pay for an 8.5 or 9.0 of a common book? It seems about what they fetch on Heritage when slabbed, I haven't researched further yet.

[Darth Corgi]

The only file copy I have is a Witches Tales. Lt Tan to Off White... Those edges are pretty brown and crispy. Handle carefully and then it looks real nice in a Mylar. I read that the Harvey file books were stored in an unairconditioned warehouse for a long time. As a result the books have great gloss and color, but awful page quality, obviously most of the damage is on the edges of the book where the air and elements have gotten to it. Personally, I'd take a nice clean off white VG copy without tanning over a file copy but that's just me.

[RickL]

Right. I'm starting to lean towards the peds here.

[50s horror buff]

Here's a weird example of a file copy compared to one that's not. At least to me, and my scanner stinks on slabs.

 

Witches Tales #6 6.5 with off-white pages and over all pretty nice non-file copy

 

 

 

and then..Tomb of Terror #3 file copy 5.5 with light tan to off-white pages

[RickL]

What's the cover to that TOT #3 like? It looks a bit rougher than the other file copies I've seen.

 

Brittle edges are to be avoided at all costs I feel!

[Hepcat]

Awesome to own! 'Nuff said.

 

Here are a few of mine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Prince Namor]

I love those Harvey covers. It's like a p*ssed off Richie Rich artist on acid.

And with those huge bright colored logo's those things must've really stood out on the stands back in the day.

[adamstrange]

Gorgeous books!

[RickL]

Awesome to own! 'Nuff said.

 

Here are a few of mine:

 

 

This is an outrageous cover, it's truly demented. I must own it.

 

GCD doesn't list an artist, though to my eyes it looks like other covers attributed to Al Avison.

[RickL]

Awesome to own! 'Nuff said.

 

Here are a few of mine:

 

 

Check it out, that maniacal monk is about to put a bag over her head!

[Hepcat]

Awesome to own! 'Nuff said.

 

Here are a few of mine:

 

 

This is an outrageous cover, it's truly demented. I must own it.

 

GCD doesn't list an artist, though to my eyes it looks like other covers attributed to Al Avison.

 

Notice too that I'm on the cover checking out the fissure into which the femme fatale is being lowered to make sure it's safe.

 

[Marty Mann]

Never really noticed these HARVEY books on the newsstands. I do have one remainder copy of WITCHES TALES #4 from July '51 with an ad for CHAMBER OF CHILLS #21 on the back cover.

 

mm

[Hepcat]

This is an outrageous cover, it's truly demented. I must own it.

 

GCD doesn't list an artist, though to my eyes it looks like other covers attributed to Al Avison.

 

I think it's Lee Elias. He did almost all of the Black Cat covers.

 

A much underrated artist, he later took over from Jack Kirby on the Green Arrow strip. DC also employed his talents for the appearances in Showcase of Tommy Tomorrow and Cave Carson.

 

He took over the Adam Strange strip from Carmine Infantino/Murphy Anderson in 1964 but his Adam Strange just didn't look right to long term fans accustomed to the artwork of Infantino/Anderson. Other DC credits for Lee Elias included Eclipso in House of Secrets.

 

[gaute]

I believe there is a publication coming out of England who started reprinting these in archived hardcover book format

 

http://harveyhorrors.com/