L.B. Cole cover thread! Post your favorites by the master! 39 39

[sfcityduck]

On 6/19/2024 at 12:42 PM, pmpknface said:

Where was I on this sale?!?!   I have a few of these magazine / books but not this one. So cool!

I don't sell much, but when I do run a sales thread I usually throw in some interesting rare stuff.  Surprisingly, most folks don't seem to ever appreciate how rare and interesting some of this stuff was. So with this L.B. Cole Space piece. It took me a lot of effort to sale it. I made money, and LB Cole is not my collecting focus, but it took convincing to get folks to appreciate it was hard to find and a great piece to go with the Blue Bolt space covers. One Boardie and Cole collector messaged me that "this particular one never did anything for me" and "I wouldn’t even pay $100 for it if offered at that price."   I dunno, I run some sales threads where I end up just scratching my head at what folks were thinking. Happening now with some really rare items. I don't think anyone whose bought a rare item from me has regretted it and I'm sure some regret taking a pass.

[fifties]

On 6/19/2024 at 11:54 AM, FoggyNelson said:

I never bought any crime comics before but the top one shown make me want to start👍‼️

Stick with me kid; I'll corrupt ya!  

[pmpknface]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:15 PM, sfcityduck said:

I don't sell much, but when I do run a sales thread I usually throw in some interesting rare stuff.  Surprisingly, most folks don't seem to ever appreciate how rare and interesting some of this stuff was. So with this L.B. Cole Space piece. It took me a lot of effort to sale it. I made money, and LB Cole is not my collecting focus, but it took convincing to get folks to appreciate it was hard to find and a great piece to go with the Blue Bolt space covers. One Boardie and Cole collector messaged me that "this particular one never did anything for me" and "I wouldn’t even pay $100 for it if offered at that price."   I dunno, I run some sales threads where I end up just scratching my head at what folks were thinking. Happening now with some really rare items. I don't think anyone whose bought a rare item from me has regretted it and I'm sure some regret taking a pass.

Sounds like trying to drive down a price to me. He only did so many space covers,they are all wanted - in my eyes. Sure, rare items may need a specific collector but this one is a layup for me. Congrats tho, glad you made $!

[Ryan.]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:15 PM, sfcityduck said:

I don't sell much, but when I do run a sales thread I usually throw in some interesting rare stuff.  Surprisingly, most folks don't seem to ever appreciate how rare and interesting some of this stuff was. So with this L.B. Cole Space piece. It took me a lot of effort to sale it. I made money, and LB Cole is not my collecting focus, but it took convincing to get folks to appreciate it was hard to find and a great piece to go with the Blue Bolt space covers. One Boardie and Cole collector messaged me that "this particular one never did anything for me" and "I wouldn’t even pay $100 for it if offered at that price."   I dunno, I run some sales threads where I end up just scratching my head at what folks were thinking. Happening now with some really rare items. I don't think anyone whose bought a rare item from me has regretted it and I'm sure some regret taking a pass.

I've been waiting to upgrade my copy. I remember your sales thread and talked myself out of it. I've not seen a copy come up for sale since.

[fifties]

On 6/19/2024 at 11:45 AM, sfcityduck said:

I thought with the encapsulation of pulps that a lot more copies of this book would show up on the census. Hasn't happened. I CGC'd this and sold it off. I guess it was a lot rarer than I thought as there's still only four on the census. Surprises me:

 

I was almost 9 when this book would have been on the newsstand, and would have badgered my folks for the lofty price to buy it, but I don't think I ever even saw it.  So the current rarity may be because it wasn't a big seller back then.  You coulda bought FIVE comic books for this price.

[Ryan.]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:15 PM, sfcityduck said:

One Boardie and Cole collector messaged me that "this particular one never did anything for me" and "I wouldn’t even pay $100 for it if offered at that price."

We've all been subject to these absurd PMs. I shrug and thank them for the interest. 

[sfcityduck]

On 6/19/2024 at 1:28 PM, Ryan. said:

We've all been subject to these absurd PMs. I shrug and thank them for the interest. 

You are a better man than I. This was my response back in 2019. Prescient? I think I was right especially with CGC finally "officially" encapsulating pulps now.

Begin quote:

We all get our own 2 cents.  I am not a long-time LB Cole collector.  While I first became aware of LB Cole and Cole collectors from OPG No. 11 and thought the covers cool, they were not so cool I wanted to collect them.  Back then, I think most collectors were more motivated to get superhero runs and keys, than to seek out a relatively obscure artist's covers for minor publisher's comic books which generally had interior stories with little comic history significance or redeeming qualities.  CGC obviously has tipped that dramatically by turning comics into baseball cards such that what matters most is the cover.  And now Cole covers are a very valuable and sought after.  Consequently, covers featuring GGA, certain artists, and notable or lurid horror/sf themes are now much more appreciated than they once were.  

BUT, inexplicably, pulps and paperbacks, which feature GGA, great artists (including many who are sought after for their comic covers), and notable or lurid crime/horror/sf themes are grossly under valued in the marketplace.  

Why the difference?  One answer is that Pulps and paperbacks generally aren't pressed and encapsulated.

But, the Complete How-To Book of Space can be, and there's already three on the census.  So its already begun to enter the realm that LB Cole comics inhabit.  

And, unlike Cole's other pulp and paperback work, the Complete How-To Book of Space is done in exactly the same line drawn style, at the same time, as some of his most valuable space covers.  The Complete How-To Book of Space is part of that body of work by Cole.  You may not think it is as good as other Cole space covers, but a lot of collectors do like it.  

I have no doubt that some day it will be considered a hard to find "crux" for someone trying to put together a Cole space cover run.  If you don't have it, you don't have all of his space covers from the high-point of his career.

Frankly, I'm clearly a bit ahead of the curve based on the response here, but I suspect it will get the appreciation it deserves sooner rather than later.  Heritage has never auctioned one off.  If it doesn't sell soon, I will likely get it CGC'd and see how it does.  I am sure that Heritage will hype it as being rare and desirable.

Maybe then you'll want one.  Or maybe not.  It's all cool.

End quote.

P.S. Ryan: I just read some messages that reminded me of your nice comments on that 2019 thread and the similar rare Cole item for which I sent you a link to a Turkish seller. I'd forgotten that one. To bad the guy wouldn't ship.

Edited June 19 by sfcityduck

[Darwination]

Did he do all the covers in the series? (ebay image)

Edited June 19 by Darwination

[sfcityduck]

On 6/19/2024 at 1:42 PM, Darwination said:

Did he do all the covers in the series? (ebay image)

I've looked and never found another issue. That's the first I've seen. But its not signed by him unlike the preceding Space issue. Correction: I need better glasses!

Edited June 19 by sfcityduck

[Darwination]

Ya, in the bottom of the easel.

[pmpknface]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:42 PM, Darwination said:

Did he do all the covers in the series? (ebay image)

Ok, this one is new to me!

[Darwination]

Sold for 18.50 on eBay just yesterday.  Looks like a hard title to nail down in a search.

[sfcityduck]

On 6/19/2024 at 2:03 PM, Darwination said:

Sold for 18.50 on eBay just yesterday.  Looks like a hard title to nail down in a search.

I ran a search this morning before I posted here looking for copies of issues in the series. Just in case. Didn't want to post and then learn something cool was on eBay. I didn't check completed items though. One day late. Oh well, that quest is over for me. Glad my post flushed out new info.

Edited June 19 by sfcityduck

[pmpknface]

On 6/19/2024 at 5:03 PM, Darwination said:

Sold for 18.50 on eBay just yesterday.  Looks like a hard title to nail down in a search.

[Ryan.]

On 6/19/2024 at 6:56 PM, pmpknface said:

[Ryan.]

On 6/19/2024 at 4:36 PM, sfcityduck said:

S. Ryan: I just read some messages that reminded me of your nice comments on that 2019 thread and the similar rare Cole item for which I sent you a link to a Turkish seller. I'd forgotten that one. To bad the guy wouldn't ship.

Yup. That was a very tough book to find too.

[pmpknface]

On 6/19/2024 at 6:57 PM, Ryan. said:

I know!  I really need to brush up on my ventriloquism, palmistry, and Indian lore!

[Ryan.]

On 6/19/2024 at 7:04 PM, pmpknface said:

I know!  I really need to brush up on my ventriloquism, palmistry, and Indian lore!

That was my triple major in college. 

[pmpknface]

Ok, I'm going down a few rabbit holes right now and I found this.  Wanted to share:   https://www.redbubble.com/shop/lb+cole

[pmpknface]

In order to feel better about missing out on that Hobbies book I busted out these...