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Marvel Comics #1 page sold for $75,000.

Started by FFB,

56 posts in this topic

FFB

FFB

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There were two additional bids on the auction floor at the live auction -- $70,000 by Steve Fishler and $75,000 by the winning bidder.

 

Now Lon Allen (from Heritage) is saying in another thread that Bill Hughes was the bid at $70K and that somebody else won the auction at $75K. So, did Hughes get his bid in before Fishler (or his rep) at $70K, or was Hughes bidding on behalf of Fishler at $70K? And who the heck actually bought the thing? If Mr. Allen is correct that Hughes was not bidding on behalf of JP and was in fact the runner-up and not the winner (perhaps Mr. Fishler could confirm this if Mr. Hughes was representing him at $70K...otherwise, somebody's story doesn't add up), then did somebody really win this or was the unknown bidder at $75K representing JP? It's all so confusing... frustrated.gifconfused.gif

 

That's a good question. I guess it depends on what Steve F. meant when he said he was the underbidder -- was he the internet underbidder or the live auction underbidder?

 

You were there, Gene -- did you see who was bidding on the piece?

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delekkerste

delekkerste

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While it's not a piece that I could ever afford, I agree that 75k sounds totally low.

 

I don't think $75K sounds low (nor $86,250 with the juice). Artistically, can anyone really say that the page is anything to write home about? It's so non-descript that it could easily be overlooked by most comic fans not familiar with the source material (I bet the guy who sold it to Mike Burkey probably didn't even realize at the time what he had because the page is so undistinguished). Just about all of the value of that piece is derived from its "historical importance". However, if you look at a Heritage or Mastronet catalog for one of their auctions of historical collectibles and Americana, you can find a lot of things that are more important and truly more historical that are also a lot less expensive.

 

Even comparing comic art to comic art, $86,250 can buy many other things, including pieces that are artistically superior, by bigger name artists and that have a much broader fan/buyer base. I'm not saying there's not a market out there for a unique piece like this, but evidently it was not at $250K nor even $100K. When it comes down to it, there aren't many collectors who are rich enough to blow that kind of money on a piece like this, and even fewer who would prefer to spend that kind of dough on this page than on some nice Romita ASM cover(s), Byrne X-Men pages, Kirby splashes, etc.

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delekkerste

delekkerste

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You were there, Gene -- did you see who was bidding on the piece?

 

Sadly, I was near the back and so I only saw the back of the bidders' heads. All I know is that the guy who won the Captain America cover told me afterwards that he saw Bill Hughes bidding on the piece.

 

Maybe Hari or Stephen saw who was bidding or know who won the piece? Guys?

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Crowzilla

Crowzilla

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then did somebody really win this or was the unknown bidder at $75K representing JP? It's all so confusing... frustrated.gifconfused.gif

 

The winning bidder was a phone bidder, so we're all waiting to find out the identity.

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tth2

tth2

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then did somebody really win this or was the unknown bidder at $75K representing JP? It's all so confusing... frustrated.gifconfused.gif

 

The winning bidder was a phone bidder, so we're all waiting to find out the identity.

So after sorting through all the to and fro and sturm und drang, it appears that:

 

1. JP DID sell some stuff at a loss,

 

2. but did not have a reserve in disguise through a conspiracy with Heritage allowing him to repurchase his own stuff.

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spider9698

spider9698

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Uggh! I was standing in the back of the room as well talking to Halperin at the time. I thought it ended up going to one of the guys at the front table to the right of the crowd. Didn't get a name, though!

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esquirecomics

esquirecomics

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Posted
then did somebody really win this or was the unknown bidder at $75K representing JP? It's all so confusing... frustrated.gifconfused.gif

 

The winning bidder was a phone bidder, so we're all waiting to find out the identity.

So after sorting through all the to and fro and sturm und drang, it appears that:

 

1. JP DID sell some stuff at a loss,

 

2. but did not have a reserve in disguise through a conspiracy with Heritage allowing him to repurchase his own stuff.

 

Ah, but was it JP on the phone perhaps?????? foreheadslap.gifconfused-smiley-013.gif

 

stooges.gif

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FFB

FFB

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then did somebody really win this or was the unknown bidder at $75K representing JP? It's all so confusing... frustrated.gifconfused.gif

 

The winning bidder was a phone bidder, so we're all waiting to find out the identity.

So after sorting through all the to and fro and sturm und drang, it appears that:

 

1. JP DID sell some stuff at a loss,

 

2. but did not have a reserve in disguise through a conspiracy with Heritage allowing him to repurchase his own stuff.

 

Ah, but was it JP on the phone perhaps?????? foreheadslap.gifconfused-smiley-013.gif

 

stooges.gif

 

Nope, it was Joe and Nadia Mannarino who bought the piece. Confirmed in Scoop! today. LINK

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krazykat-migration

krazykat-migration

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Well...that mystery is solved !

 

Nadia is really sweet so its great the piece has a loving home.

 

JP obviously took a loss.

 

Anyone know if All-Star is having an auction ever ? -- And when ?

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krazykat-migration

krazykat-migration

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Im glad the piece is going to the Mannarino's as opposed to Metropolis. I think for Steve it would have been more of a trophy piece than an art thing. I think the Mannarino's got a really, really good price on this piece...assuming other pages dont surface. I see no reason why the piece cant triple in value within a reasonably short time period. I imagine that it would be an instrumental acquistion if a Comic Museum ever gets real traction.

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