Coollines looking for a sucker?

[Real Elijah Snow]

Forgive me if this has been posted before, but why doesn't this listing just say "inks by Theakston light boxed over Kirby"

The way the listing is worded could make someone think they are actually getting a page with Kirby pencils when in reality they aren't. Kirby has never touched this art, but the way it's listed could easily confuse someone that isn't aware that Theakston used a lightbox to ink on a blank vellum page.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391465649488?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I just don't understand how a dealer with the art they have would post something in this way. It's very disingenuous to me. "Oh, we didn't realize that people would think it was ACTUALLY drawn by Kirby...whoops". I've been buying 80s-90's art for 15+ years, but have recently started keeping an eye out for an affordable Kirby page. The few times I've contacted Coollines about art the prices quoted have been 3-4 times what other similar pages have gone for. I generally don't bother with their listings at all, but saw this and thought it might actually end somewhere I was comfortable paying. After doing the research on it there's no way I would even pay the starting bid for lightboxed inks.

[Real Elijah Snow]

Also, I'm sure this has all been talked about before. It's probably pretty likely some of you guys that buy/deal in older stuff have talked about this....I just don't want to dig up the thread.

[furthur]

I have a nice page from this same issue at a far more affordable price if you want to buy one for a realistic price! Benno

[comix4fun]

Poor Greg can't even get his name in the auction title and he's the only guy to ever touch that vellum.

[JadeGiant]

Looking for a sucker = CL business model

 

And we're off to another CL thread

[alxjhnsn]

By Jove, I WILL write a Coollines/Donnelly Brothers Q&A so we can have a standard answer to this topic.

 

Anyone want to offer up some common questions?

[Real Elijah Snow]

I had a sneaking suspicion this might be a common response.

Looking for a sucker = CL business model

 

And we're off to another CL thread

[Real Elijah Snow]

Right? I guess that would be too close to honesty.

Poor Greg can't even get his name in the auction title and he's the only guy to ever touch that vellum.

[Mr. Machismo]

Looking for a sucker = CL business model

 

And we're off to another CL thread

 

Yup...

 

A friend recently fell victim to this. I won't publicly say what the trade was, but he got absolutely butchered on it. I couldn't believe he said yes.

[Doc Joe]

Hey, has anyone brought from them before? Did you get a good price? Are they two brothers? Which one is better to deal with? Do they do fair trades?

[alxjhnsn]

My answers:

• I'm sure someone must have.
  
• I'd be shocked though I've often contended that they are more collectors than dealers.
  
• Yes.
  
• Beats me
  
• If by fair, you mean equal value, I don't think so.
  If by fair, you mean do they deliver what they commit to deliver in a trade, I believe that the answer is yes, but what you get might not be what you think it is, e.g., lightboxed vellum vs. ink on pencil. The buyer needs to be aware; they are sophisticated and experienced in their business .

[TeddieMercede]

Hey, has anyone brought from them before? Did you get a good price? Are they two brothers? Which one is better to deal with? Do they do fair trades?

 

65K.

[BCarter27]

I don't know what you guys are hating on. This is a steal...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GEORGE-PEREZ-New-Teen-Titans-47-pg-3-Raven-in-dark-1984-/252403937847

 

[AnkurJ]

George put in a lot of work on that one!

[Doc Joe]

Hey, has anyone brought from them before? Did you get a good price? Are they two brothers? Which one is better to deal with? Do they do fair trades?

 

65K.

 

85k for them!

[Will_K]

GCD says Mike DeCarlo was the inker. I say he did most of the work.

 

The bottom right of the page says "tribute to John Byrne".

[Meeley Man]

Interestingly enough, I see they've been listing a lot of stuff on eBay that they have never offered there before (at overcharged prices, of course). Makes me wonder if they are having some kind of financial difficulties, which are causing them to do this.

 

Let us hope, if that is the case, it continues to get worse for them, forcing a "fire sale" type of situation for them. I can think of no two scum-suckers in this hobby who deserve it more.

[zham]

Ive dealt with them before, back when they were San Mateo. It was always the same game, id talk to one and he would have to ask his brother since "it was his". I like Rich better than Steve, he seems to have become the public face now.

 

In the end, they probably have the nicest private collection in the world between them, and they got their by buying up art from the artists after beating down on price, then charging 3-5x market and doing that till they sold enough to pay for the rest of their buys (along with turning every sketch and 1/2 finished layout into "alternate covers" and passing them off on collectors who dont know any better). .

 

I think you have to treat them and their pieces like they are lost at sea, if its in their hands its beyond time/space/reason and should be written off.

 

[NelsonAI]

 

Unfortunately, there are plenty of artists that follow this business model. There are several inkers that will ink over digital pencils downloaded from the internet and sell the works with a facsimile signature of the original penciller. You see it all the time ...... Whoever is hot ...... Jim Lee, David Finch, Art Adams.... Etc. As long as fans get suckered into buying it, they will continue to forge the signatures. I'm not referring to the original published art team. I'm specifically talking about recreations.

 

Don't sign Jim Lee's name prominently and on top with your name on the bottom. The latest round of Hero Initiative auctions only reinforced the practice.

 

IMHO it's a bad practice.

 

Cheers!

N.

 

[comix4fun]

Ive dealt with them before, back when they were San Mateo. It was always the same game, id talk to one and he would have to ask his brother since "it was his". I like Rich better than Steve, he seems to have become the public face now.

 

In the end, they probably have the nicest private collection in the world between them, and they got their by buying up art from the artists after beating down on price, then charging 3-5x market and doing that till they sold enough to pay for the rest of their buys (along with turning every sketch and 1/2 finished layout into "alternate covers" and passing them off on collectors who dont know any better). .

 

I think you have to treat them and their pieces like they are lost at sea, if its in their hands its beyond time/space/reason and should be written off.

 

 

 

I have no doubt they have a metric ton of artwork....but the best?....Given just what I've seen in a small circle of friends I doubt what they have hits the top ten in terms of number of A+ pieces.