2016 November 17 - 18 Comics Signature Auction - Beverely Hills

[DeadpoolJr.]

The worst feeling is seeing something you lost out on but bid hard for only to see it have a make over to owner afterwards. I can't help but think I might of been able to offer less if I didn't bid in the fist place place.

[cstojano]

I know this is a common point of discussion here and elsewhere online, but I do wonder what this kind of checking out does to a person. I mean, the money must be nice but it seems having some wealth is already part of the picture for many of these megacollectors. So you remove the passion for something you've had your whole life, money is likely a non-issue, then what? Babysit the grand kids, Winnebago, beach house in Fiji. I have a small, eclectic collection across various areas (though fantasy heavy which means I am dead in the water come 20 years) but can't imagine what I'd do with my time if this wasn't part of my life.

 

Well, if you're a still relatively young billionaire like Marc Lasry (who's selling his prized comic collection in Comic Connect's current auction), presumably you've got more demands on your time and options to spend your money and enjoy your life than you know what to do with, so I doubt the comics are going to be missed much. If you're someone like Doc Dave, who sold his Frazetta collection at Profiles in History last year, it sounds like he's having a blast in his retirement years that he might not otherwise have been able to enjoy had he not liquidated his collection. If you're Frank Darabont, depending on who you talk to, he either needed the money or he didn't (but, either way, he sold his OA collection this year despite being several years short of age 60).

 

There are a few guys in the hobby who love this material more than anything in the world and I'm sure will be holding onto their collections until the bitter end, even though if they sold out, they'd have enough cash to do pretty much anything else they wanted. But, to them, not having the art just wouldn't be worth it. I suspect there are some others who of course love the art, but love other things too - but, to them, selling out/selling down would compromise both their position in the hobby and their self-identity; they'd be a bit at a loss if they sold, I think. It's easier to own millions of dollars of artwork if you love it, it's what you always wanted and you have people sucking your kneecaps all the time as a result; it's not as easy to have millions of dollars and not know what to do with it while missing the kneecap-sucking.

 

Most people, though, will likely sell down (if not out) at a time that's right for them. Even if they are otherwise well off in life, if the kids don't want it, well, there will come a time when the contrasting factors of enjoyment, monetary value, retirement planning and not wanting to leave it to the heirs to sort it out will lead people to sell. Like yourself, it's hard for me to envision this ever not being a big part of my life, though, are we all going to be bidding at Heritage, going to shows and spending loads of time on the Boards when we're, say, 75? For most of us, the answer is probably not, and most of us will have probably moved on to other things well before then.

 

 

The other thing I've found in life, which I know is true for some others in various hobby circles I travel...sometimes being "done" just sneaks up on you and you know it's okay because you (for whatever reason) just don't care anymore. Ever have a girlfriend (boyfriend, even spouse, whatever) that was everything to you in the moment and then you wake up one day and 'wow I could really live without this person'. And a number of years later in hindsight...the whole thing was (will always be) fun at the time but a bit of a headscratcher as to 'forever and always'? Yeah times change and people do too. Sometimes it's just like that.

 

#Truth

 

Also, I agree that you don't necessarily have to be buying constantly to still be involved in the hobby. I know guys that turn up at shows for the camaraderie and just to take it all in, despite not being very active in the hobby anymore.

 

All well put, its the use of the word "identity" that is key here. I am a researcher by profession, and I really enjoy the thrill of jumping into different collecting arenas and learning the ropes. It is this, more than the buying, that keeps me going on a daily basis. But my recent registration here has really been fun because of how vibrant and diverse the comics community is. If you ever want to see a moribund hobby check out a Tolkien book collecting website, its 5 guys left from the glory days of Peter Jackson's first trilogy.

[Doc Joe]

The worst feeling is seeing something you lost out on but bid hard for only to see it have a make over to owner afterwards. I can't help but think I might of been able to offer less if I didn't bid in the fist place place.

 

That's just an automatic feature that happens if you don't disable it, does not mean it's being shopped right away.

[delekkerste]

The worst feeling is seeing something you lost out on but bid hard for only to see it have a make over to owner afterwards. I can't help but think I might of been able to offer less if I didn't bid in the fist place place.

 

That's just an automatic feature that happens if you don't disable it, does not mean it's being shopped right away.

 

That's true - I recently found out that the feature was automatically activated on my account and, as a result, almost everything I've bought in the past was listed as a "make an offer" situation. :doh:

[delekkerste]

I was also under the impression the auction grossed over 10m. I'm not sure there's been a single larger comics auction? So calling it weak is not the way I'd look at it - the money was shifted over away from the mainstream art.

 

It was a strong auction in terms of gross sales ($9.93 million - the record remains the July 2012 auction which had the Shamus Collection and grossed $10.39 million). About $5.9 million of it was OA (a big chunk was underground art - day 1 of the Sack collection brought in $1.6 million; not sure about day 2) and ~$4 million of it was comics (it was very key-heavy from what I was told).

 

That said, gross sales do not tell the whole story. I mean, if they did, then wouldn't we have to conclude that the comics/OA market peaked in the summer of 2012 because there hasn't been a bigger auction since then? Obviously a lot depends on (a) how many lots are in the auction, (b) what kind of lots are in the auction and, importantly, © where prices are realized relative to expectations. This was certainly a strong auction in terms of the number and quality of lots offered. But, again, excluding UG art and comics, I don't think mainstream OA was as uniformly strong as it has been over the past several auction cycles, and certainly didn't blow away expectations.

 

Maybe "weak" is putting too fine a point on it, and certainly no one is saying that there has been a general correction (let alone anything more than that) yet. But, given what is happening in the outside world to other art, collectibles and high-end discretionary spending markets, it makes sense to put these results under a microscope to look for possible canaries in the coal mine.

[BCarter27]

If you ever want to see a moribund hobby check out a Tolkien book collecting website, its 5 guys left from the glory days of Peter Jackson's first trilogy.

 

This made me laugh.

[DeadpoolJr.]

The worst feeling is seeing something you lost out on but bid hard for only to see it have a make over to owner afterwards. I can't help but think I might of been able to offer less if I didn't bid in the fist place place.

 

That's just an automatic feature that happens if you don't disable it, does not mean it's being shopped right away.

 

That's true - I recently found out that the feature was automatically activated on my account and, as a result, almost everything I've bought in the past was listed as a "make an offer" situation. :doh:

I did not know that. I feel a little better now.

[wurstisart]

Could the strong USD have anything to do with the results ?

[Dick O.]

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.

 

Curious if anyone would name any specifics, as from my point of view a lot of sub $1k art is now sub $2k art and a lot of ~200 dollar art is now ~500 dollar art as compared to a year or two ago.

 

I'd genuinely like to find out!

 

 

I think prices are softening for sub-$1000 art, no matter how much some dealers try to artificially prop it up.

 

That's a pretty sweeping statement; any specifics?

 

Off the top of my head I can think of a bunch of early-'90s Marvel runs (X-titles, SS, ASM, etc) along with WD and Preacher of course, that are noticeably strengthening.

[ThothAmon]

Could the strong USD have anything to do with the results ?

+1. That combined with the sheer mass of items for sale makes it difficult for prices to strengthen too much.

[Peter G]

Could the strong USD have anything to do with the results ?

 

++1 maybe.

 

But, given what is happening in the outside world to other art, collectibles and high-end discretionary spending markets, it makes sense to put these results under a microscope to look for possible canaries in the coal mine.

 

Very interesting times right now.

 

 

[Doc Joe]

Or just buy what you love....

[jjonahjameson1]

Could the strong USD have anything to do with the results ?

+1. That combined with the sheer mass of items for sale makes it difficult for prices to strengthen too much.

 

As a consigner, I was disappointed with discovering the Eric Sack Collection was going to be auctioned in advance of the standard auction. I think it sucked a lot of money out of the room (Internet, phone, etc.) to the point where it hampered the potential ending prices of the standard auction offerings. It should have been a separate auction.

 

I really do wish Heritage would have let me know about it during the time I was submitting my consignment pieces because had I known then, my consignments would have been vastly different (or none at all). I *almost* feel as though I should call HA and seek compensation for it.

 

Regarding the strong US dollar, I think I can safely say that from my perspective, I was spoiled with the few years the Canadian dollar was hovering at par with the U.S. greenback. And i think I was in denial thinking that it wasn't merely a blip and that the U.S. dollar would once again strengthen and surge against the Beaver buck.

[JadeGiant]

Or just buy what you love....

 

Truth!

[delekkerste]

Or just buy what you love....

 

Well, if you're into depictions of necrophilia, clubbing baby seals, teenage dope slaves, scantily clad women and explicit sexual acts, this auction was the one for you!

[comix4fun]

Or just buy what you love....

 

Well, if you're into depictions of necrophilia, clubbing baby seals, teenage dope slaves, scantily clad women and explicit sexual acts, this auction was the one for you!

 

 

[Doc Joe]

Or just buy what you love....

 

Well, if you're into depictions of necrophilia, clubbing baby seals, teenage dope slaves, scantily clad women and explicit sexual acts, this auction was the one for you!

 

oooooo...talk more to me you sexy person_without_enough_empathy...and what are you wearing?

[tth2]

Could the strong USD have anything to do with the results ?

 

++1 maybe.

Didn`t seem to be affecting the comic strip buyers. All sorts of strong prices and a few records.

[suspense39]

Could the strong USD have anything to do with the results ?

+1. That combined with the sheer mass of items for sale makes it difficult for prices to strengthen too much.

 

As a consigner, I was disappointed with discovering the Eric Sack Collection was going to be auctioned in advance of the standard auction. I think it sucked a lot of money out of the room (Internet, phone, etc.) to the point where it hampered the potential ending prices of the standard auction offerings. It should have been a separate auction.

 

I really do wish Heritage would have let me know about it during the time I was submitting my consignment pieces because had I known then, my consignments would have been vastly different (or none at all). I *almost* feel as though I should call HA and seek compensation for it.

 

Regarding the strong US dollar, I think I can safely say that from my perspective, I was spoiled with the few years the Canadian dollar was hovering at par with the U.S. greenback. And i think I was in denial thinking that it wasn't merely a blip and that the U.S. dollar would once again strengthen and surge against the Beaver buck.

 

my consignment didn't go as well as i expected, but i wouldn't have thought the Sack collection would have affected it, in fact i thought the opposite. Perhaps it did, perhaps it didn't.....i'll never know. I did think that a silver age hero piece would do well given there was so much underground art....if you take away the Sack collection, it's a modest sized auction for the mainstream stuff.

[Bronty]

Or just buy what you love....

 

Well, if you're into depictions of necrophilia, clubbing baby seals, teenage dope slaves, scantily clad women and explicit sexual acts, this auction was the one for you!

 

--Context? Your wife, upon reviewing Heritage catalogue?