Byrne AF on eBay: Outlier or new normal?

[Meeley Man]

This the only piece of Byrne art I currently own. But I got it at a very reasonable price, so I'm thankful to have it.

[Bronty]

Thoughts on FMV for the page listed @60k?

[batman_fan]

Thoughts on FMV for the page listed @60k?

 

[AKA Rick]

Thoughts on FMV for the page listed @60k?

 

 

That's priced for negotiation, as if it were truly valued in that $60k range it probably would have been put to auction to roll the +/- dice.

 

I think it's one of those pieces that will reside on his site 'til the planets align right... meaning maybe someone wants it so bad they'll buy it outright, make a trade offer, or the market catches up to the current price in the future. I remember a friend of mine paid $10k for a Byrne X-Men page from Albert Moy which at the time may have felt like a lot of money but now in hindsight less than 8 years later seems like a bargain.

 

If I had to put a valuation on it to move/sell, I'd probably say it's closer to $25-30k at best right now. And let's put it this way, if I were offered it right here and now for $20k, I'd pass on it, but that's more because I can't see myself paying that type of money for paneled bronze age art that's not necessarily key to me in that it doesn't have the entire X-Men team, 'tho has a good sequence with Wolverine and features Storm and Nightcrawler, I'd need to have Cyclops and Phoenix as well.

[Lago32]

Thoughts on FMV for the page listed @60k?

 

 

That's priced for negotiation, as if it were truly valued in that $60k range it probably would have been put to auction to roll the +/- dice.

 

I think it's one of those pieces that will reside on his site 'til the planets align right... meaning maybe someone wants it so bad they'll buy it outright, make a trade offer, or the market catches up to the current price in the future. I remember a friend of mine paid $10k for a Byrne X-Men page from Albert Moy which at the time may have felt like a lot of money but now in hindsight less than 8 years later seems like a bargain.

 

If I had to put a valuation on it to move/sell, I'd probably say it's closer to $25-30k at best right now. And let's put it this way, if I were offered it right here and now for $20k, I'd pass on it, but that's more because I can't see myself paying that type of money for paneled bronze age art that's not necessarily key to me in that it doesn't have the entire X-Men team, 'tho has a good sequence with Wolverine and features Storm and Nightcrawler, I'd need to have Cyclops and Phoenix as well.

 

The X-men #142 page that you are discussing sold this time last year on Heritage for $36k and there is no doubt it would sell for higher now. It is one of the best pages from the second most desirable storyline from one of the most desirable comics runs ever. In my opinion, that page is as blue-chip as it comes in this hobby, of course I am biased as I did own the page somewhat recently.

[Bronty]

My own guess without iknowing what you just told me was 40k. So it seems I was in the ballpark with that

[robert frey]

i wish all my investments would match the 60% bump in one year + that the 142 page is now priced at!

[batman_fan]

Thoughts on FMV for the page listed @60k?

 

 

That's priced for negotiation, as if it were truly valued in that $60k range it probably would have been put to auction to roll the +/- dice.

 

I think it's one of those pieces that will reside on his site 'til the planets align right... meaning maybe someone wants it so bad they'll buy it outright, make a trade offer, or the market catches up to the current price in the future. I remember a friend of mine paid $10k for a Byrne X-Men page from Albert Moy which at the time may have felt like a lot of money but now in hindsight less than 8 years later seems like a bargain.

 

If I had to put a valuation on it to move/sell, I'd probably say it's closer to $25-30k at best right now. And let's put it this way, if I were offered it right here and now for $20k, I'd pass on it, but that's more because I can't see myself paying that type of money for paneled bronze age art that's not necessarily key to me in that it doesn't have the entire X-Men team, 'tho has a good sequence with Wolverine and features Storm and Nightcrawler, I'd need to have Cyclops and Phoenix as well.

 

The X-men #142 page that you are discussing sold this time last year on Heritage for $36k and there is no doubt it would sell for higher now. It is one of the best pages from the second most desirable storyline from one of the most desirable comics runs ever. In my opinion, that page is as blue-chip as it comes in this hobby, of course I am biased as I did own the page somewhat recently.

 

I thought $36k was beyond crazy when it sold on HA.

[Bronty]

In fairness it's got a lot of wolverine, claws out, confrontation with storm, beautifully drawn, etc. for a panel it's a really sweet page and I can see some mildly preferring it to pages that are splashes but weaker. that's how I came up with 40; remembering what some lesser splashes had sold for.

 

That said I don't see the value either.

[Dick O.]

I thought $36k was beyond crazy when it sold on HA.

 

+1

[J.Sid]

The great thing about Byrne work is that he's been drawing for so long that there's something to buy at virtually every price point.

 

People are generally in agreement with the hierarchy of values, and his X-Men stuff is clearly the most valuable. Besides being beautiful, even today, it's one of the most referenced, reprinted, re-read runs in comics.

 

A brilliantly-drawn X-Men DoFP page with Wolverine in seven panels? It's pretty close to the absolute top of the Byrne totem pole. Why would Albert be eager get rid of it?

[delekkerste]

I thought $36k was beyond crazy when it sold on HA.

 

+1

 

I actually passed on the piece privately twice @ $30K (once in 2013 and once in 2014). I passed on it the first time around because I found a page I liked better. I don't know why I passed on it the second time around, as I ended up bidding more than $30K at Heritage when it went to auction! But, I ended up as the underbidder to whoever bought it at $35.8K.

 

I think double where it could have been had privately 15 months ago and 67.6% higher than where it sold publicly 12 months ago is...excessive. Personally, I'd still pay $30-$35K for it, but not more than that.

 

 

A brilliantly-drawn X-Men DoFP page with Wolverine in seven panels? It's pretty close to the absolute top of the Byrne totem pole. Why would Albert be eager get rid of it?

 

I don't know if it's true or not, but the chatter surrounding the page when it appeared at the NYCC a couple months ago is that it was on consignment, which would explain a lot.

[Bronty]

I thought $36k was beyond crazy when it sold on HA.

 

+1

 

I actually passed on the piece privately twice @ $30K (once in 2013 and once in 2014). I passed on it the first time around because I found a page I liked better. I don't know why I passed on it the second time around, as I ended up bidding more than $30K at Heritage when it went to auction! But, I ended up as the underbidder to whoever bought it at $35.8K.

 

I think double where it could have been had privately 15 months ago and 67.6% higher than where it sold publicly 12 months ago is...excessive. Personally, I'd still pay $30-$35K for it, but not more than that.

 

 

A brilliantly-drawn X-Men DoFP page with Wolverine in seven panels? It's pretty close to the absolute top of the Byrne totem pole. Why would Albert be eager get rid of it?

 

I don't know if it's true or not, but the chatter surrounding the page when it appeared at the NYCC a couple months ago is that it was on consignment, which would explain a lot.

 

IMO consignments that are priced to the sky just make the dealer look bad

 

I mean, I get that from albert's POV maybe he makes a nice check without even having to lay out any cash, but still

[AKA Rick]

 

IMO consignments that are priced to the sky just make the dealer look bad

 

I mean, I get that from albert's POV maybe he makes a nice check without even having to lay out any cash, but still

 

I agree 100%. It's the job of an art dealer to provide reasonable advice for realistic sales expectations to a consignor, otherwise what I hear other dealers may do is just shop the piece privately to their interested database first to see if there's any bites. There are a lot of great art dealers with connections and a robust Rolodex of clients where this may apply.

 

So, if a person comes in with a piece the value over the market value and want that gaudy amount, yet won't listen to the advice of an experienced dealer and can still look a person in the eye with that serious valuation and expectation, then they're best off trying to sell it on their own and remove the dealer's commission or just put it up for auction and let the marketplace dictate the value.

[Mephisto]

I thought $36k was beyond crazy when it sold on HA.

 

+1

 

I actually passed on the piece privately twice @ $30K (once in 2013 and once in 2014). I passed on it the first time around because I found a page I liked better. I don't know why I passed on it the second time around, as I ended up bidding more than $30K at Heritage when it went to auction! But, I ended up as the underbidder to whoever bought it at $35.8K.

 

I think double where it could have been had privately 15 months ago and 67.6% higher than where it sold publicly 12 months ago is...excessive. Personally, I'd still pay $30-$35K for it, but not more than that.

 

 

A brilliantly-drawn X-Men DoFP page with Wolverine in seven panels? It's pretty close to the absolute top of the Byrne totem pole. Why would Albert be eager get rid of it?

 

I don't know if it's true or not, but the chatter surrounding the page when it appeared at the NYCC a couple months ago is that it was on consignment, which would explain a lot.

 

IMO consignments that are priced to the sky just make the dealer look bad

 

I mean, I get that from albert's POV maybe he makes a nice check without even having to lay out any cash, but still

 

How about when a dealer has a piece for sale newly listed on the website and you place a buy order through the website and get no confirmation email. Wait a few days and ask if the piece is still available since no response to the order through the website was made. Get an email back "waiting to find back it's a consignment piece"...it was just added to your website! Then no response back what so ever and you simply deduce the consigner did God knows what with the piece but it's obviously no longer available since it finally disappeared from the site. Not surprising the material on this dealers site has grown to $200 and under drek.

[Meeley Man]

It's the job of an art dealer to provide reasonable advice for realistic sales expectations to a consignor, otherwise what I hear other dealers may do is just shop the piece privately to their interested database first to see if there's any bites.

 

It's also very much the same for an art rep. I know I try to keep pricing reasonable and will talk with the artists if I think they are pricing their stuff too far outside the market. It's a tough balancing act sometimes, but I think it makes the hobby more enjoyable and attainable for most buyers.

[comicartman]

Great analysis Rick. I know it's broad based but I agree 100% with you.

[AKA Rick]

Great analysis Rick. I know it's broad based but I agree 100% with you.

 

Thank You ComicArtMan... Happy Holidays!