2016 November 17 - 18 Comics Signature Auction - Beverely Hills

[tth2]

I checked previous prices on Gulacy MOKF pages and put in an internet max bid that I thought would easily win the piece in this auction, being about double the highest interior price that I could find.

 

I ended up being the underbidder, so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

[Lee B.]

I checked previous prices on Gulacy MOKF pages and put in an internet max bid that I thought would easily win the piece in this auction, being about double the highest interior price that I could find.

 

I ended up being the underbidder, so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

 

That was one of the more demoralizing results for me too. Just as high-quality Starlin pages from Captain Marvel and Warlock have become too expensive for me, I see high-quality Gulacy/Adkins MOKF pages going in the same direction. I should have tried harder for the Gulacy/Adkins MOKF page that was in the Heritage weekly auction not too long ago.

[Bill C]

...so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

There also seemed to be some really high prices on bronze age Infantino Flash art. The splash to #307 went for around 2.1K and a nice panel page (from the 330's IIRC) went for over 1K.

[Columbia Comics]

...so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

There also seemed to be some really high prices on bronze age Infantino Flash art. The splash to #307 went for around 2.1K and a nice panel page (from the 330's IIRC) went for over 1K.

 

I was the underbidder on both of them. The splash was really nice but I dropped out when it hit $2k. And I hit the panel page (w/the rogues) a few times in the live auction but also dropped when it would have taken $1100 plus juice to get it.

 

But I did win two pages and I'm happy

[delekkerste]

I checked previous prices on Gulacy MOKF pages and put in an internet max bid that I thought would easily win the piece in this auction, being about double the highest interior price that I could find.

 

I ended up being the underbidder, so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

Weak prices? No. Weaker than expected? Yes, at least for more than just the couple/few notables that have been the exceptions in recent auctions.

 

I think that, as more and more people have been priced out of higher-end art, that there has been more money flowing into the nicer lower-end pieces. Not good for Kirby Thor covers, but good for Gulacy MOKF pages. That said, you can't just look at the Heritage archives for comps - this results is nowhere close to a record price for a Gulacy MOKF interior. Similarly, while $20.3K is definitely stunning for that Enric Vampirella back cover, almost no collectors are aware that most of the better covers from the run have been changing hands at double or more of the examples that have sold at auction, and there have been a number of sales and offers that have far exceeded even this result. :whatthe:

 

Public auction comps only tell you part of the story.

[delekkerste]

Got the page I wanted - the Thanos Origin page I remember fondly, from IM 55. Went cheaper than the other one, oddly, even though the other one has no origin and the Thanos character is technically a robot/imposter on that one. That one had Drax on it, but for me this issue is all about Thanos. And the origin back story is classic Starlin.

 

Been super-busy with work and life, but came out of the woodwork to grab this one. Hope you're all doing well!

 

 

Great pick-up, Hari! As for your page vs. the other one, I think the price difference is because of the splash-y 3-panels and the unobstructed full body shot of (faux) Thanos on the Drax page, which will have definitely appealed to the bidders. Both pages are very cool!

[delekkerste]

Weak prices? No. Weaker than expected? Yes, at least for more than just the couple/few notables that have been the exceptions in recent auctions.

 

Come to think of it, I know of at least 3 (high-end) examples in this auction where I know for a fact that the consignors' expectations were MUCH higher than the realized prices, even though those looking just at public comps probably think they're doing cartwheels right now. And that's even apart from the obvious disappointments like the Craig VOH covers, the Kirby Thor cover and BWS Conan cover, among others.

[tth2]

I checked previous prices on Gulacy MOKF pages and put in an internet max bid that I thought would easily win the piece in this auction, being about double the highest interior price that I could find.

 

I ended up being the underbidder, so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

Weak prices? No. Weaker than expected? Yes, at least for more than just the couple/few notables that have been the exceptions in recent auctions.

 

I think that, as more and more people have been priced out of higher-end art, that there has been more money flowing into the nicer lower-end pieces. Not good for Kirby Thor covers, but good for Gulacy MOKF pages. That said, you can't just look at the Heritage archives for comps - this results is nowhere close to a record price for a Gulacy MOKF interior. Similarly, while $20.3K is definitely stunning for that Enric Vampirella back cover, almost no collectors are aware that most of the better covers from the run have been changing hands at double or more of the examples that have sold at auction, and there have been a number of sales and offers that have far exceeded even this result. :whatthe:

 

Public auction comps only tell you part of the story.

Well hell, if I get to just make up comps, then I can spin the results any way I want.

[vodou]

I checked previous prices on Gulacy MOKF pages and put in an internet max bid that I thought would easily win the piece in this auction, being about double the highest interior price that I could find.

 

I ended up being the underbidder, so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

 

That was one of the more demoralizing results for me too. Just as high-quality Starlin pages from Captain Marvel and Warlock have become too expensive for me, I see high-quality Gulacy/Adkins MOKF pages going in the same direction. I should have tried harder for the Gulacy/Adkins MOKF page that was in the Heritage weekly auction not too long ago.

Ah hate to say it boys, but I'm in the fray too. As I move from active to semi-retirement from this hobby, one of the few objects I'd really like to get that I don't already have is...a very nice Gulacy MOKF panel page

 

I did not win this one either.

[vodou]

I checked previous prices on Gulacy MOKF pages and put in an internet max bid that I thought would easily win the piece in this auction, being about double the highest interior price that I could find.

 

I ended up being the underbidder, so you`ll excuse me if I call BS on all the posts in this thread about how weak prices are.

 

Weak prices? No. Weaker than expected? Yes, at least for more than just the couple/few notables that have been the exceptions in recent auctions.

 

I think that, as more and more people have been priced out of higher-end art, that there has been more money flowing into the nicer lower-end pieces. Not good for Kirby Thor covers, but good for Gulacy MOKF pages. That said, you can't just look at the Heritage archives for comps - this results is nowhere close to a record price for a Gulacy MOKF interior. Similarly, while $20.3K is definitely stunning for that Enric Vampirella back cover, almost no collectors are aware that most of the better covers from the run have been changing hands at double or more of the examples that have sold at auction, and there have been a number of sales and offers that have far exceeded even this result. :whatthe:

 

Public auction comps only tell you part of the story.

Well hell, if I get to just make up comps, then I can spin the results any way I want.

I think an interesting question is: taking into account the many public $100k+ results in the last three years (let's say), how much money has been pulled out of other results, as a result?

 

As an example (only, not that I know anything) how many other pieces prior to and since has Albert passed on (bidding?, winning?) since GL76? Is there sag at lower levels due to this? Apply those questions to any/all big tickets that went to known quantities "in the hobby" (not Hugh Jackman )

 

I myself took down multiple big(ger than usual -for me) ticket items last year and even Q1 this year in anticipation of stepping off the hobby (again, and maybe for good) later this year (as in "now"). FWIW...my bids haven't been there for at least a year and won't be there go forward on a lot of items I don't usually win (but help prop up) to the fewer select but still plentiful ones I do. I believe there will be observable softness in these markets, that admittedly are more thinly traded (i.e. collected) to begin with. C'est la vie!

[delekkerste]

Well hell, if I get to just make up comps, then I can spin the results any way I want.

 

[batman_fan]

I was surprised at how high the Hulk 143 splash went for.

[comix4fun]

[JadeGiant]

Dang, BWS Conan 8 cover went cheap, IMO. Mind you, that's among my least favorite covers from the BWS run (think the other two that Heritage auctioned off were far better), but, still, that's like a 3-4 years ago price.

 

I can't say that I'm terribly surprised that this auction has been on the weak side (outside of the underground art and a few select pieces in the regular session). I follow consumer discretionary spending trends closely since I invest actively in the sector, and the reality is that high-end discretionary spending has been falling off a cliff in recent months. You may have read that fine art spending has been in a tailspin since 2014. Blame the election (and now post-election fallout), weak global economy, Brexit, strong dollar or what have you, but, spending is definitely down vs. 6-12 months ago...guess it may finally be affecting our hobby a little bit.

 

I'm inclined to agree with this- The UG art is an outlier- it's a rare offering, and draws a different pool of bidders- some that collect mainstream art, and some that do not. I fall in the later, as do many of my friends. when I got the catalog in the mail & saw the UG collections was a separate book, I was happy, because that was that many fewer pages I would have to skip past.

 

I have been surprised at the results of other art auctions recently, HA and otherwise- I think prices are softening for sub-$1000 art, no matter how much some dealers try to artificially prop it up.

 

I am similar in my collecting habits. I don't even think I saved the UG book (and I always throw the HA books on the shelf). I have been waiting for the same category to soften as well so glad to hear it might be going that way. I bookmarked a few pages but stayed away from watching the auction live - just now catching up.

[AKA Rick]

If anyone has "buyer's remorse" on a few pieces from the last auction, I'd be interested in:

 

Warner Roth - X-Men #19 page 10 Sold for $3,400 incl fees on Fri (live)

 

Keith Giffen - Comics Interview Cover Sold for $700 incl. fees on Sat (Internet)

 

 

 

[RabidFerret]

Why is nobody talking about the amazing Liefeld price?? Come on people, this is the stuff to focus on!! None of that Kirby and Miller . New Mutants 89 page! Moira MacTaggert! This hits $1800?? No Cable, no Deadpool, $1800. Probably 4-5x what this woulda gone for 3 years ago? Was it simply highland bidders with an accent fetish? A sign of the apocalypse? This is the moment when Liefeld starts to eclipse all other comic art:)

[tentpeg06]

If anyone has "buyer's remorse" on a few pieces from the last auction, I'd be interested in:

 

Warner Roth - X-Men #19 page 10 Sold for $3,400 incl fees on Fri (live)

 

Keith Giffen - Comics Interview Cover Sold for $700 incl. fees on Sat (Internet)

 

 

 

Funny that you mentioned this request. I won one of the lots on Friday at what I considered an unusually low price for a particular artist. As I woke up yesterday morning and checked e-mail, I already had a request from another Heritage client to sell at the Heritage price with a (gasp!) 17% price increase. Mind you, I have not even paid for the page yet. I had no consideration to sell the page, but this hints to the low prices achieved.

 

For that Giffen Comics Interview cover, I was the underbidder. As this auction was coming to a close, I was so tempted to continue driving this price higher than the $600 hammer price ($717 with the juice). However, having won several other pages already, I had to back off. This was a great purchase at this price.

Ciao!

PRC

[comix4fun]

If anyone has "buyer's remorse" on a few pieces from the last auction, I'd be interested in:

 

Warner Roth - X-Men #19 page 10 Sold for $3,400 incl fees on Fri (live)

 

Keith Giffen - Comics Interview Cover Sold for $700 incl. fees on Sat (Internet)

 

 

 

Funny that you mentioned this request. I won one of the lots on Friday at what I considered an unusually low price for a particular artist. As I woke up yesterday morning and checked e-mail, I already had a request from another Heritage client to sell at the Heritage price with a (gasp!) 17% price increase. Mind you, I have not even paid for the page yet. I had no consideration to sell the page, but this hints to the low prices achieved.

 

For that Giffen Comics Interview cover, I was the underbidder. As this auction was coming to a close, I was so tempted to continue driving this price higher than the $600 hammer price ($717 with the juice). However, having won several other pages already, I had to back off. This was a great purchase at this price.

Ciao!

PRC

 

 

17% !! Incredible....of course you've got shipping and potential sales tax so maybe it wasn't so generous.

[Nexus]

I have been surprised at the results of other art auctions recently, HA and otherwise- I think prices are softening for sub-$1000 art, no matter how much some dealers try to artificially prop it up.

 

I agree for the most part, but I think the reason sub-$1000 art is softening is because there ISN'T any concerted efforts by dealers trying to prop it up. That's more of a real market.

 

Just got back from LA late last night. I spent the all of Friday at the auction. It was my second time attending. Whereas I was bored out of my skull the first time (despite it being the big Shamus auction of August 2012), this one was quite different. A packed house, standing room only. Quite illuminating and even after all this time, educational. Glad I went.

 

Thanks to HA for being gracious hosts. I still say that an open bar would pay major dividends just from the bidders in the room. If I was the consignor of a catalog cover-worthy piece, I might make that a negotiating point.

 

And oh yeah...the auctioneers have gotten better and better the last few cycles...for consignors! This auction especially, the bid callers have worked hard to tease out every last bid they can. Maddening for buyers, to have bidding ramped up again, after the lot would have closed in previous auctions. If any results felt weak, it wasn't for lack of effort by the auctioneers.

[Nexus]

Got the page I wanted - the Thanos Origin page I remember fondly, from IM 55. Went cheaper than the other one, oddly, even though the other one has no origin and the Thanos character is technically a robot/imposter on that one. That one had Drax on it, but for me this issue is all about Thanos. And the origin back story is classic Starlin.

 

Been super-busy with work and life, but came out of the woodwork to grab this one. Hope you're all doing well!

 

 

Congrats, Hari! Good to see you on the boards again.