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Keeping Them Slabbed?

Started by PovertyRow,

41 posts in this topic

PovertyRow

PovertyRow

Posted
Posted

Hi folks. This is my first time here - just registered and mighty glad to find a place to talk the older books!

 

Anyway - one thing that always struck me about the slabbed books is just that - they are slabbed and they are books. I do a bit of coin collecting but, aside from the edge, everything is visible. A few years when I was living in Boston I attended Dave Cummings' (Primate Productions) regular comic show that was held every other month. A great show: lots of old stuff (Dave? you out here somewhere?). I remember a CGC was there doing a "ramp up" and getting samples from dealers and quesitons immediately started forming in my brain.

 

1) Do you always keep your book slabbed? If so, do you seek reading copies or, in the case of something like a key GA superhero book, a modern age reprint?

 

2) Do you view slabbing more as a buying tool to insure some measure of condition and then remove it from the slab once the deal is made?

 

3) In cases of hard to find genre books (say, precode horror) where a lot of the books are NOT available in reprint and where reading copies are very hard to find - what are you inclined to do with your slabbed book?

 

4) Do you own slabbed copies of books that you have never read before? I would find this to be extremely frustrating! But also a very real possibility.

 

While some of these quesitons MAY sound like I am trying to bait people - I genuinely am not. It is just that slabbing something that has an interior designed to be read is something of a paradox.

 

Well, may all your wants be filled and all your keys fit the lock!

 

Michael

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Larryw7

Larryw7

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Posted

Welcome to the boards, Pov!

 

I see CGC as an excellent bastion against undisclosed restoration and inaccurate(and sometimes downright criminal) overgrading on eBay and other Internet venues. In this regard, I consider myself very pro CGC.

 

But I understand what you are saying. F'rinstance, just yesterday I received a CGC graded copy of Centaur's KEEN DETECTIVE FUNNIES Vol. 2, #2, a very rare book(Gerber says 20 copies in existence). I want to read it, but I know I'll be making the CGC grade null and void if I do. Of course, I could resubmit the book for a small fee, but then there is always the possibility I'll want to read it again in the future(yes, I not only read my books but re-read them all the time too). I also received another book recently, a CGC graded STRANGE TALES 115. That one isn't a big deal because I already have a beat up old readers copy so the CGCed book(only a Fine, by the way) can stay in the holder. But I doubt I'll ever find another copy of the Centaur book(at least not anytime soon).

 

So, believe me, I hear ya!

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PovertyRow

PovertyRow

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I see CGC as an excellent bastion against undisclosed restoration and inaccurate(and sometimes downright criminal) overgrading on eBay and other Internet venues. In this regard, I consider myself very pro CGC.

 

I got to go along with you on this. Especially on the restoration end of things. I remember the old days in some of the early Overstreets when restorations ad would actually say "edges trimmed and covers reglossed for the near-mint look!"!!!

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Mister_Comics

Mister_Comics

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I have some comics that I haven't read and they are slabbed. The reason is because I bought many comics throughout my years of collecting with the intension that they will be worth something. Doubles and triples. I'm slowly having them graded because of limited funds and I don't really want to add to the original cost too much. Even though I only paid cover price, the CGC grading/slabbing does add to it. Just want to get the most bang for the buck. So right now I have many comics that I haven't read and some are slabbed and some are not. But some day I figure they will all be slabbed. If I stiil own them.

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blowout

blowout

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...........i have some early silver high grade books that i will keep slabbed as i have beat up reading copies that i've had since i was a kid................

 

........i would not read the high grade books for fear of damaging them........ shocked.gif

 

........i have had several bad experiences with high grade books which no longer are................ blush.gif

 

........thank you cgc for your protective holders, they help clumsy people like me look after our books................ grin.gif

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greggy

greggy

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The book is long out of print. However, your local store still may be able to get some because the distributor, Diamond, bought Gerber's company a few years ago!

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NativeNewYorker

NativeNewYorker

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You can buy the Golden Age editions (volumes 1-2) for $120 or the Marvel editions (volumes 3-4) for $54 from RTS Unlimited (Overstreet pg 125). They also offer the set of volume 1-4 for $165 which is a great deal compared to Amazon's deal at $145. Shipping is $7 for the 1st book and $3 additional in the cont. US.

 

Ted

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PovertyRow

PovertyRow

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OK - am replying to me but this is interesting.

 

My THING 16 CGC 9.2 OW - well - the case got a large crack in it. Not sure how. Did not have the crack when I received it. Always kept it safe. But ANYWAY - I decided - "what the heck?"

 

I removed it from the case. I tell you, this was a revelation. A real revelation. The only defect saw (which I could not see through the case) was a 1/4" bottom right corner fold that slightly broke the ink. When the book emerged from the case the gloss was absolutely UNREAL. It has that kind of 3-dimensional look when you angle it to the light which I also could not see in the case.

 

It is now in a fresh mylar with a buffered backing board. One thing that hit me immediately when I removed it was the smell. A smell of "fresh water" is the best way I can describe it. I am one of those weird guys who, anytime they are handed a book being considered as a sale candiadte to buy, immediately opens it and smells it. If it smells like vinegar it will be automatically rejected regardless of how it looks. But that fresh water smell is a wonderous thing. (Do others here smell their books and look for that fresh water scent?).

 

Anyway, I was going to send it back to CGC for re-slabbing but decided it is SO pretty that I really cannot bear to have it encpsulated again.

 

Here is a scan of it http://home.pacbell.net/realart/thing16.jpg

 

I thini it is pretty nice for a 1954 book and it realy is a joy to touch.

 

PS - not sure what is going on in the top left corner. It is sqaure and deep black. But my scanner persists in making it look a bit smudgy.

 

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Crowzilla

Crowzilla

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I think #16 was the single issue that was in the Charlton warehouse when they pulled that out several years back - something like 100+ pristine copies or somesuch.

 

It's kept the price on that book at 1/3 -1/2 what all the other Thing comics go for, which is a shame, 'cause it's a pretty awesome book.

 

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PovertyRow

PovertyRow

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I think #16 was the single issue that was in the Charlton warehouse when they pulled that out several years back - something like 100+ pristine copies or somesuch.

 

I always belived this book was part of a warehouse find due to its commonality. The book seems to be all over the place. But I have to say that the Rudy Palais cover is a great favorite of mine and having a pre-code in this condition is a real treasure. Nice addition is that the paper quality is a lot nicer than many warehouse find SA books I have had in my SA days.

 

It's kept the price on that book at 1/3 -1/2 what all the other Thing comics go for, which is a shame, 'cause it's a pretty awesome book.

 

It is probably my favorite THING cover art. There is someting about the way the anatomy of that decaying thing (pardon the pun) parallels the decaying clothes that makes for a very intense image. That white knee in the foreground really grabs the eye. I am glad it has a reduced value cause it means I got my fave for a good price (even slabbed!) grin.gif

 

 

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