What's the best deal you ever made on a page of OA?

[J.Sid]

I got an original Watterson Calvin and Hobbes daily for $287 bucks on eBay last week! Woo-hoo!

[chrisco37]

I've collected art for 35 years and never once got a great deal. Always paid at least market price. Yes I bought Adams and Miller covers for less than $300 way back when, but that was market price. I'm clearly doing something wrong.

 

Scott

 

Scott,

Have you traded much of your artwork you created? What is the best piece you own which you traded for artwork you helped create?

 

Great question(s)!

[Terry Doyle]

I got an original Watterson Calvin and Hobbes daily for $287 bucks on eBay last week! Woo-hoo!

 

[stinkininkin]

I've collected art for 35 years and never once got a great deal. Always paid at least market price. Yes I bought Adams and Miller covers for less than $300 way back when, but that was market price. I'm clearly doing something wrong.

 

Scott

 

Scott,

Have you traded much of your artwork you created? What is the best piece you own which you traded for artwork you helped create?

 

Great question(s)!

 

I've traded lots of the art I helped create....for money! That in turn has helped fund my collection. That's worked out very well. But trades (art for art)are really hard, at least for me. The most unequal deals I've ever made have come via trade because I was a little too desperate to acquire the prize my heart desired. I also did a lot more trading of some of my Lee/Williams art just before prices for our stuff really took off around mid 2000's. For example, the Adams Black Bolt splash I just sold in that last Heritage auction was acquired entirely by trade for multiple Lee/Williams pieces. The Black Bolt auction sale was in the mid 20k range, but the art I traded to get it would now be low six figures. I say this with no regrets. This hobby is not an exact science and the friends and enjoyment I've gotten out of it far exceeds any monetary losses and make the "mistakes" I've made seem trivial.

Scott

[chrisco37]

My best deal was a collection that was purchased fairly recently. Recouped the initial cost the day before the CL Auction ended. I had 2 Cho originals in the auction. Still have quite a bit of stuff left too.

 

Kept this one for the collection:

 

 

 

 

 

[Bambi 1973-migration]

I think I'm more in line with Scott, in that even the older work I've bought was at a fair market value. I remember being in a pub in London and choosing between about 100 Bolland covers before they made their way to America. I chose two and paid the asking price. I consider it a good deal but certainly not in terms of price per se.

 

The best deal I ever made though was being in the right place at the right time when a collector I had just bought something from mentioned he had some bills to pay and may be letting some great things go. I asked what and he mentioned the first appearance of judge dread from 2000ad issue 2. 5 pages by Mick McMahon. I asked how much. He told me a price and I sent him the money that day.... It was a good price but certainly not free...

 

John

[glendgold]

Is the idea of this thread "the most below then-current market I paid for a page" or "the best deal" in the sense of being really thrilled it happened? I like stories of intrigue and difficulty. Tell us some of those.

[Bronty]

Well, years back after struggling for five years to talk someone into selling I managed to get a deal done that would have a partner and I send almost six figures (50% ea) for a collection of pieces. The day after the art is shipped in the mail an impending Canada post strike is announced.

 

Before that, the last time there had been a Canada post strike, I lost a package worth a couple grand. Grannies send cookies to Johnny for Christmas, the mail sits in a warehouse during the strike, cookies and other food in the mail begins to go bad and become a public health risk - so it all gets dumped, lock stock and barrel. The newspaper at the time of the first strike (circa 04?) had an article about the 100,000 parcels getting tossed.

 

So here I am waiting on what was for me just an enormous mail day of irreplaceable material bought at prices I was very pleased with, and I have visions of it all ending up in a dumpster. Every day, I check the status of the strike fearing the worst. Constant nausea for a week and a half. Finally, the package arrives... the day before the strike.

 

If the worst had happened I think I would have quit right then. The financial loss would have sucked but the emotional disappointment after investing all that mental energy for five years... I'm not sure I could have gotten over it.

[vodou]

Before that, the last time there had been a Canada post strike, I lost a package worth a couple grand. Grannies send cookies to Johnny for Christmas, the mail sits in a warehouse during the strike, cookies and other food in the mail begins to go bad and become a public health risk - so it all gets dumped, lock stock and barrel. The newspaper at the time of the first strike (circa 04?) had an article about the 100,000 parcels getting tossed.

Perhaps this sort of thing is old hat to Canadians, but I find it absolutely shocking. The mental loss would ruin it for me forever too. Just...wow.

 

Is the insurance just voided during a general strike? Can't imagine the underwriters paying out on 100,000 parcels (or whatever smaller portion was insured), it's unlimited risk!

[vodou]

Is the idea of this thread "the most below then-current market I paid for a page" or "the best deal" in the sense of being really thrilled it happened? I like stories of intrigue and difficulty. Tell us some of those.

I have some of those "thrilled" tales too. Thinking on the share part, especially since I still own the art.

[Bronty]

Before that, the last time there had been a Canada post strike, I lost a package worth a couple grand. Grannies send cookies to Johnny for Christmas, the mail sits in a warehouse during the strike, cookies and other food in the mail begins to go bad and become a public health risk - so it all gets dumped, lock stock and barrel. The newspaper at the time of the first strike (circa 04?) had an article about the 100,000 parcels getting tossed.

Perhaps this sort of thing is old hat to Canadians, but I find it absolutely shocking. The

 

mental loss would ruin it for me forever too. Just...wow.

 

Is the insurance just voided during a general strike? Can't imagine the underwriters paying out on 100,000 parcels (or whatever smaller portion was insured), it's unlimited risk!

 

Oh I found it absolutely shocking too. That 04? strike was the only time I can remember a strike lasting long enough for packages to actually be thrown out like that, but still.

 

No idea about the insurance. I am not a big believer in insurance on cross order packages. It seems to be one of the first things that flag the customs people to look at your package and while they are just doing their job, they clearly don't know how to handle collectibles. I've had them mangle/destroy stuff myself, and you can ask around about a tec 35 that was mangled recently in just this situation. Adding to the perversion I could be wrong but I don't believe damage caused by border agents is insurable as the postal service from whom the insurance was obtained has done nothing wrong and as you agree implicitly to a possible customs search simply by mailing the item across the border.

 

You're kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't and have to just weigh your risks.

[vodou]

No idea about the insurance. I am not a big believer in insurance on cross order packages. It seems to be one of the first things that flag the customs people to look at your package and while they are just doing their job, they clearly don't know how to handle collectibles. I've had them mangle/destroy stuff myself, and you can ask around about a tec 35 that was mangled recently in just this situation. Adding to the perversion I could be wrong but I don't believe damage caused by border agents is insurable as the postal service from whom the insurance was obtained has done nothing wrong and as you agree implicitly to a possible customs search simply by mailing the item across the border.

Cross-border? I can see what you're getting at there, sort of a problem no matter what if an inspection goes bad (which it probably does more often than not with fragile items that aren't repacked correctly if nothing else!) I was thinking along the lines of just general in-country transit. (Since I didn't know your big package was cross-border, I don't think you wrote it was!) Maybe that's not popular up north but in America it's a given for anything worth more than $50 or so.

[BookofStrange]

I guess it had to be a page from issue one of a Marvel 1970's title (this was around 1996). I was looking through a small dealer's portfolio and found it for $40. As I walked away from the dealer (with the priced post-it still on it) I had someone offer me $100 and when I passed the Donnelly's booth they yelled out to me that they would give me $200 on the spot for it (they could tell what it was from a distance!)

 

It is the only piece in my collection that I routinely get actual offers for (rather than "how much do you want for...")

 

I am being "shy" because I don't need more offers. It is for trade and I am not anxious to get rid of it.

[Rodey]

I'm pretty sure I've overpaid on every page I purchased.

[Bronty]

No idea about the insurance. I am not a big believer in insurance on cross order packages. It seems to be one of the first things that flag the customs people to look at your package and while they are just doing their job, they clearly don't know how to handle collectibles. I've had them mangle/destroy stuff myself, and you can ask around about a tec 35 that was mangled recently in just this situation. Adding to the perversion I could be wrong but I don't believe damage caused by border agents is insurable as the postal service from whom the insurance was obtained has done nothing wrong and as you agree implicitly to a possible customs search simply by mailing the item across the border.

Cross-border? I can see what you're getting at there, sort of a problem no matter what if an inspection goes bad (which it probably does more often than not with fragile items that aren't repacked correctly if nothing else!) I was thinking along the lines of just general in-country transit. (Since I didn't know your big package was cross-border, I don't think you wrote it was!) Maybe that's not popular up north but in America it's a given for anything worth more than $50 or so.

 

I live in Canada so cross border is the norm... I wish I had what you guys have where in country is the norm. When I send packages in country everything is easier.

[Silver Surfer]

Before that, the last time there had been a Canada post strike, I lost a package worth a couple grand. Grannies send cookies to Johnny for Christmas, the mail sits in a warehouse during the strike, cookies and other food in the mail begins to go bad and become a public health risk - so it all gets dumped, lock stock and barrel. The newspaper at the time of the first strike (circa 04?) had an article about the 100,000 parcels getting tossed.

Perhaps this sort of thing is old hat to Canadians, but I find it absolutely shocking. The

 

mental loss would ruin it for me forever too. Just...wow.

 

Is the insurance just voided during a general strike? Can't imagine the underwriters paying out on 100,000 parcels (or whatever smaller portion was insured), it's unlimited risk!

 

Oh I found it absolutely shocking too. That 04? strike was the only time I can remember a strike lasting long enough for packages to actually be thrown out like that, but still.

 

No idea about the insurance. I am not a big believer in insurance on cross order packages. It seems to be one of the first things that flag the customs people to look at your package and while they are just doing their job, they clearly don't know how to handle collectibles. I've had them mangle/destroy stuff myself, and you can ask around about a tec 35 that was mangled recently in just this situation. Adding to the perversion I could be wrong but I don't believe damage caused by border agents is insurable as the postal service from whom the insurance was obtained has done nothing wrong and as you agree implicitly to a possible customs search simply by mailing the item across the border.

 

You're kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't and have to just weigh your risks.

 

Yes I know it all too well. I'm currently dealing with a parcel that is going from Montreal to Vancouver via express and the last update from Montreal was "item processed". Well that was over a week ago and the parcel should have been here 3 days ago. CP attendant figures that someone "forgot about it" at the depot where it was checked in. I'm guessing that its more likely was lifted if they can't find it in the next day or so. It would be a bloody shame if they lost the parcel.

[Lucky Baru]

Is the idea of this thread "the most below then-current market I paid for a page" or "the best deal" in the sense of being really thrilled it happened? I like stories of intrigue and difficulty. Tell us some of those.

 

The idea was to get people to talk about what they thought was the best deal they made on a page. That could be you over paying for it to complete a run, to get a certain page you have desired to add to your collection for a long period of time, getting this page of that page for next to nothing, or whatever.

 

Was just trying to get people who have been in the hobby to discuss some of the pages they got that stick out as being the best deal they made. It is kind of like being a fisherman. Everyone has a story on the "big one".

[Bird]

The best deal is the next one.

 

I just got an email reply from an artist about a page from the Wednesday Comics anthology. I have been trying to seal the deal on that for a while now (kinda since it came out actually). So now that he replied I am psyched as can be. My OA desire has been lagging lately but this is the sole exception to that...I will be very pleased if I can actually get one (or two even)!

[alxjhnsn]

Wednesday Comics - loved the Supergirl story by Amanda Conner, but it is one of her two favorites and she's keeping it. Drat!

[Bird]

Wendesday's Comics - loved the Supergirl story by Amanda Conner, but it is one of her two favorites and she's keeping it. Drat!

 

 

I used the Supergirl story to show my artist daughter about page design. How things flow to the middle of the page, or how straight lines making up a street lamp or something in one panel continue into the other panels as the edge of a building or something like that.

 

And it is just Wednesday Comics, no possessive ess.