Do you guys find there is less material to purchase these days?

[Terry Doyle]

How about 'Black Hole Dealers' . . . do they qualify?

 

An example here would be Steve Donnelly. The few times I've entered into exploratory talks with him it's became quickly obvious that his expectations are totally unrealistic and would probably only appeal to masochistic types . . .

[Overthetopinc]

Well I still don't see the updates on dealer sites like I used too so I wonder if perhaps you have been more aggressive in the last 12 months and/or are willing to spend more then you have in the past to acquire pieces especially if you have gotten them all off of caf(private deals). Maybe you are an exception but apparently there are other collectors who describe what I said so I guess it remains true for me and them but I don't see the opposite about my post being dealers sites and ebay are not what they used to be. That the majority of material I see out there is stuff resurfacing around from other collections or coming from the big auction houses.

[Bird]

I think people have rightly pointed out that dealers like Scott Eder, Anthony Snyder, MGA, and a few others have frequent updates. Eder sells more underground stuff when he used to do superhero as well but he still has fresh stuff frequently. I have seen Burkey list something as new when I had been watching it is his inventory for years. A Leialoha Dr.Strange cover at $3500 or so. Then shortly after appearing in the "new items" section it sold. I was impressed, but why I do not know. It is clear that Mike knows what he is doing. I think some dealers stagnate and newer dealers pop up to fill the fresh material market. But if you mean vintage art, of course as time goes on less and less will be available.

[Pete Marino]

What I've been mostly seeing of late are the "churn pages"

 

The pages that pop up on one venue, and sit in a collection for 6 months or so and then go up for sale again, over and over.

 

And the high quality updates that used to be regularly occurring on Ant Snyder and Burkey are a lot more infrequent IMO.

 

Snyder's last update was a lot of low end (<$150) stuff, and very little in the capes and tights arena.

 

That said, I also agree with the previous post that it's also knowing what you want and changing your selection criteria vs SSS (Shiney "stuff" Syndrome) and going after any page that has the slightest amount of cool factor.

[suspense39]

I think the dealers are used to finding stuff on the cheap, but now that there are more collectors ( how many, I have no idea) also looking for deals in many of the same places, the art can't be had for such a bargain anymore. That leaves less room for profit and more risk on their purchases. I've also noticed the same pieces shuffling between dealers....going from one website to another dealers.

[suspense39]

Also most of the guys that have been around for a long time, Burkey, Moy, etc. were most likely also selling 2nd tier stuff from their own collections as prices went higher and now a lot of that stuff is collectors hands.

[Bronty]

yeah, all good observations I think and boil down to primary sources getting drier.

[Bird]

yeah, all good observations I think and boil down to primary sources getting drier.

 

true dat!

 

 

But a slight re-adjustment in your sights may locate "new" art as well. Anthony Snyder for example. I bought from him years ago. he has always had higher end stuff but far far more lower end stuff. (or is that not true for the earliest days?) I remember meeting him in the Meadowlands parking lot for a Starman cover oh...ten years ago or so. So I occasionally spent $1000 or so with him but more often than not bought some cheap stuff. Then I felt that I had grown past him as I shopped more with Bechara, Burkey and occasionally Albert. others like splash page as well obviously. But now I have been trading with Anthony. And hoping to trade with others, maybe even Albert and Burkey at comic art con. And I am finding that they still have some nice things if I look with new eyes. In Anthony and Albert's case I would go so far as to say that many pieces are still at the prices they had when added to their sites. The wayback machine is not all encompassing but has enough to show me pieces at Anthony and Albert Moy that are good, not great great great but really good, and priced the same as 2010 or 2011.

 

I have had 3 trade sessions with Anthony and each time received email the day I posted my booty that said...I always had my eye on that piece but now regret not getting it. I have a strange Tales 169 page with inks by Dan Adkins over Gene Colan that is very groovy and a Colan / Ernie Chan page from DD with Black Widow looking good. Now yes, I traded and did not shell out my cash for these. but my point is there are still gems at these dealers, sitting for years yes but gems all the same.

 

Now if only they would all have sites like Mitch! I like not showing everything you have and mixing it up regularly. Anthony, Albert, and Mike (first names this time) have so much unless you know what you want it is too much.

[DeadpoolJr.]

I've noticed that when going to shows and seeing a dealers inventory in person, that not all of them post all their stuff online. It could be because it sold at the show, and was taken down, but, I've seen enough pieces that didn't sell at different show repeatedly that were never added to their websites to think otherwise. I've also noticed that sometimes that dealers will have a price difference on an item, sometimes more, and sometimes cheaper. Once piece in mind I think if I remember had almost a 50 percent cheaper price at a show compared online.

[jjonahjameson1]

Well I still don't see the updates on dealer sites like I used too so I wonder if perhaps you have been more aggressive in the last 12 months and/or are willing to spend more then you have in the past to acquire pieces especially if you have gotten them all off of caf(private deals). Maybe you are an exception but apparently there are other collectors who describe what I said so I guess it remains true for me and them but I don't see the opposite about my post being dealers sites and ebay are not what they used to be. That the majority of material I see out there is stuff resurfacing around from other collections or coming from the big auction houses.

 

I'll agree with this statement...I was more aggressive in pursuing artwork last year. I also spoke to a few dealers privately and asked them if they had art I was interested in that wasn't on their websites, and I picked up some great pieces that way.

 

What I'm saying is that I was proactive and didn't wait for Dealer updates or CAF updates to find what I wanted. (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

[Bird]

 

I also spoke to a few dealers privately and asked them if they had art I was interested in that wasn't on their websites, and I picked up some great pieces that way.

 

What I'm saying is that I was proactive and didn't wait for Dealer updates or CAF updates to find what I wanted. (thumbs u

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly. Having dealers who know that you are a consistent buyer for certain things is very helpful. You contact them periodically and occasionally they contact you. Win/win. I was trading recently and the dealer was testing customers to see if they wanted certain things of mine. For one painted cover he actually texted the guy who sold it to me, who wanted nothing to do with it. ;-)

[RockMyAmadeus]

There are far more OA collectors now than there were 15 years ago. Higher prices mean more art "stashes" have come to the market, and has been more evenly distributed by buyers who aren't willing to sell. More exposure means less availability in this unique area of the industry/hobby.

 

How many people posting in the OA section here were buying art in 2000?

 

 

[Terry Doyle]

 

How many people posting in the OA section here were buying art in 2000?

 

 

Started collecting OA early 1982, so was active in 2000.

 

No shortage of stuff I'd like to buy . . . only funding!

[Brian Peck]

I started collecting in 1986. The last year has been one of my biggest collecting year. Not counting the "How to Draw Comics The Marvel Way" I still found a lot of art to buy including from my wantlist to recently created published art to pieces I never cinders collecting. The art has been acquired from different places than in the past. Less art that interests me on eBay and Heritage. Though ebay is still worth checking out you hAve to wade thru more (colour guides, transparencies etc). I did find a rare Hogarth from his art books which I had never seen an example of before.

[Terry Doyle]

I started collecting in 1986. The last year has been one of my biggest collecting year. Not counting the "How to Draw Comics The Marvel Way" I still found a lot of art to buy including from my wantlist to recently created published art to pieces I never cinders collecting. The art has been acquired from different places than in the past. Less art that interests me on eBay and Heritage. Though ebay is still worth checking out you hAve to wade thru more (colour guides, transparencies etc). I did find a rare Hogarth from his art books which I had never seen an example of before.

 

Wading through eBay is a real chore, but there some hidden nuggets to be found there every now and then. Just wish they'd police the listings and filter out all the cr@p.

[westform]

There is definitely less quality art on Ebay, and conversely a ton more Crappe! But.... while the slog is almost unbearable, I have found some very sweet pieces there in the not so distant past. I won't mention pieces I bought there 10 or 20 years ago, as it would melt your eyeballs, but there are still a few nuggets that I've found fairly recently for some fraction of the price that I would have to an auction house or dealer. Most sweet deals by buy it now, but a few on straight auction as the bidders on Ebay tend to hold onto their wallets. To name a few:

Kirby Cap Cover

Little Lulu Marge strip from 1st year

1st appearance Margaret complete story from Dennis the Menace

Rosa Uncle scrooge commission with money bin

Al Wiseman Dennis the Menace 50's daily strip

Kubert Hawkman page

Dan Decarlo 60s Betty and me cover

Kremer early Hot Stuff cover

Early Dennis the menace cover

Ian Miller 70's Bradbury cover

Hannes Bok Weird Tales Illo

Clark Ashton Smith grotesque illo

 

[batman_fan]

To me it seems like there has been a shift in where the art appears. I think more is migrating to the auction houses. I just looked through clinks upcoming auction and was amazed to see the spiderman 69 panel page and Fantastic Four 166 cover

[Stalzer2002]

I notice most of the replies (if not all) are from collectors that have been around for a few years. I think this plays a big part in the "less material around to purchase" mentality. By this stage of collecting we've seen A LOT of art and passed on it. Our collecting tastes/criteria have changed (admit it, you bought anything you thought was "cool" when you began) and we know that one of a kind may just come around the block again (sometimes sooner rather than later depending on whose collection it is sitting in now). Subsequently, purchases are mulled over bit longer and that piece that was "awesome" when you began is just "eh, I've seen(own) better"

 

Anyone here collecting for less than 5 years think the OA supply is running dry?

 

I've been collecting for less than four years, and from my perspective, I'd say no. Last year, I picked up a bunch of my major wants (Perez Avengers, Epting Captain America, Banks Green Lantern, Bagley Thunderbolts, and even a Paul Ryan Avengers West Coast from one of the first comics I ever read), bought all of them from dealers, and I didn't pay more than $200 for any of them. But for all I know, these pages were sitting in the dealers' inventory for the last decade. So for someone who has been buying art for years that art may not be new, but they are new to me. It's all really a matter of perspective.

[DeadpoolJr.]

Is this still true around 1 year later?

[Overthetopinc]

There is plenty of art to buy these days. You just need the money and helps to be in good with the people who will offer you the very special pieces they wont offer anyone else.