I think CGC should slab original art

[howardhallis]

OK, maybe it would be a separate entity to CGC, but with the comic book original art market even being discussed in financial newspapers means these pages need to be preserved in plastic and graded. The grade, of course, would be secondary to the historical nature of the piece or what it contains, but just for the sheer preservation and storage factors this would seem more ideal than putting original art pages in those big notebooks or plastic frames.

 

Any thoughts folks?

[Sal]

i would think a service that verifies OA as authentic would be worth something. it would take a lot more work than slabbing, and would require a team of experts, so the cost would mean that it would likely only be reserved for the most expensive of works.

 

so why not just frame it at a local frame shop? at least it wouldn't take longer than a possum's gestation period to get back

[sborock]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[greggy]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[Mithril Man]

I think they should slab the Mona Lisa. Reminds me of the Grinch Animated Christmas where the Grinch slabbed all the kids toys, so they would never break.

[buttock]

OK, maybe it would be a separate entity to CGC, but with the comic book original art market even being discussed in financial newspapers means these pages need to be preserved in plastic and graded. The grade, of course, would be secondary to the historical nature of the piece or what it contains, but just for the sheer preservation and storage factors this would seem more ideal than putting original art pages in those big notebooks or plastic frames.

 

Any thoughts folks?

 

Are you retarded? You want them "preserved" in non-archival material that's sealed off so gas can't escape?

[TLC55555]

OK, maybe it would be a separate entity to CGC, but with the comic book original art market even being discussed in financial newspapers means these pages need to be preserved in plastic and graded. The grade, of course, would be secondary to the historical nature of the piece or what it contains, but just for the sheer preservation and storage factors this would seem more ideal than putting original art pages in those big notebooks or plastic frames.

 

Any thoughts folks?

 

Thoughts....yes. It's a bad idea!!

[howardhallis]

Sheesh! Bite my head off folks!

[Mithril Man]

Well, its not that bad an idea. In fact it really is no crazier than slabbing books.

 

When you slab a comic - you can't see 95% of the art and 100% of the story. At least you would continue to see the entire piece of original art.

 

My baseball card slabbing buddy can not comprehend the idea of slabbing comic books. With cards you continue to see the whole card, front and back.

[Stronguy]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

Saw this coming from a mile away.

 

But Steve, there's a market for it. Just think of it as a gigantic photograph -- you do those.

 

Call me when you're ready to sell all your art.

[Ze-man]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

Greggy.. you do know there are other Graemlins.. dont you?

Or is that graemlin just one size fits all?

 

----And as an aside.. Steve.. was your "Nooooooo"... because you do not want to give up collecting OA?.. Or that you are just mad that the CGC Umbrella Group higher ups might have discovered a new way to push TAT that much more behind schedule?

Or do you just not want to try and slab something larger then a breadbox?

 

Or all of the above?

 

Ze-

[greggy]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

Greggy.. you do know there are other Graemlins.. dont you?

Or is that graemlin just one size fits all?

 

----And as an aside.. Steve.. was your "Nooooooo"... because you do not want to give up collecting OA?.. Or that you are just mad that the CGC Umbrella Group higher ups might have discovered a new way to push TAT that much more behind schedule?

Or do you just not want to try and slab something larger then a breadbox?

 

Or all of the above?

 

Ze-

That's my trolling graemlin fool! No 100 pagers for you either directly or through Brad!

[Ze-man]

That's my trolling graemlin fool! No 100 pagers for you either directly or through Brad!

 

 

[greggy]

That's my trolling graemlin fool! No 100 pagers for you either directly or through Brad!

 

 

[Ze-man]

Not quite sure which one is the goose, or the gander.

 

Have at you..

 

...

 

 

OK..ok.. I am an arse..you win

 

Keep your graemilin

[delekkerste]

The biggest problem with this idea is that nobody would use this service. Condition is a distant secondary or tertiary concern in original art collecting. Why would you want something graded that already may have its corners cut off, blueline pencil and white-out all over it, writing on the back, etc. (i.e., all those things that would matter hugely for a comic book but not for OA?) For display purposes, artwork should be framed, as it has been for centuries, not sealed in a big slab of clear plastic. And, imagine how much this service would have to cost given that comic art is a lot bigger than a comic book (also, the shipping cost would be a nightmare). Also, imagine the weight and volume - if I slabbed an entire 22-page complete story, it would take up a huge amount of space and be very heavy (not to mention cost me 4-figures). This service would be value-destroying, not value-creating.

 

Bottom line: art portfolios work just fine.

[sborock]

Thanks Gene!

[Sharkey]

OK, maybe it would be a separate entity to CGC, but with the comic book original art market even being discussed in financial newspapers means these pages need to be preserved in plastic and graded. The grade, of course, would be secondary to the historical nature of the piece or what it contains, but just for the sheer preservation and storage factors this would seem more ideal than putting original art pages in those big notebooks or plastic frames.

 

Any thoughts folks?

 

Thoughts: I don't see it happening, from the CGC standpoint or from the collector standpoint. I don't think art needs to be graded on a 10-point scale. And slabbing it in plastic is not ideal for long term storage and protection, or for display, which is why the art should be purchased in the first place!!!

 

Having a piece of art framed by a qualified company that knows how to frame art for preservation is the best way to go especially if you are talking about high-end pieces of original art. Putting your original art in a cheapo plexiglass Wal-Mart frame is like taking your VF copy of AF15 and putting it in a polybag with no backing board: a bad idea. And I don't think a slab is the answer. Art is meant to be hung on the wall and appreciated. If you have nice stuff, get your favorite pieces framed.

 

An experienced frame shop will use acid-free products and UV-protectant glass, a MUST if you wish to avoid degradation. Granted, art is more sturdy and ages better than newsprint-paper comic books, but proper storage is key to protecting it.

 

Most people are going to frame and display their most coveted pieces. The rest they will store away, perhaps to frame at a later date, or sell, or whatever they wish to do with them. I'd like to hope that art buyers display their art, and don't hoard it and keep it in a box in the closet where it never sees the light of day. Imagine if half of the Renoirs or Picassos were kept hidden away in a basement.

 

I have framed my "must see" pieces and display them proudly, at home and in my office, and I put the low-end and others in storage in the Bill Cole Art mylar sheets. I periodicly swap some of the newer pieces and low-end pieces in less expensive frames so they get some "wall time". I wouldn't pay to have them graded or slabbed.

 

 

Hey Steve, are you ready to start production on a slab that would be big enough to house a twice-up piece of Silver Age art?

[Mithril Man]

The main draw would be authentication, not grading.

[Solar]

Grading art is just pointless. The only service I can think of that might add value would be one that provides authentication, kinda like the PSA-DNA service for sports autographs.

 

Rather than slabbing, those guys put some kind of scannable marking on the back of the piece, and then a matching mark on the COA they provide (which also has a photo of the item on it). It's a good idea in theorly, but they've lost a ton of credibility for authenticating a number of forgeries and autopens over the years.

 

Anyway, I dont think counterfieting is a big issue in OA right now, but if it ever does become one, a service like this could be useful.