ComicLink Summer Featured Auction 2017 1 1

[delekkerste]

3 minutes ago, vodou said:

 

-10% to CLink assuming fees weren't negotiated away, makes it 41,940.

+13k on 28k in eleven years? Less than 50% ROI.

Better deal for the new owner than the consignor (imo).

Assuming the consignor is the same person who bought it at Heritage in 2006, yeah, he could have tripled his return investing in an S&P 500 index fund instead (including reinvested dividends).  Though, with significantly more volatility, and without the benefit of enjoying ownership of the piece for over a decade.  

There was a time when Frankie plates, DKR pages and McSpidey art (just to name a few examples) weren't as available as they have been in recent years, and you had to pay up to get an example.  Paying up for something that becomes more available later on is going to diminish the ROI for sure.  It's not just what you buy, but also what you pay that determines your return.  

[PhilipB2k17]

9 minutes ago, delekkerste said:

Assuming the consignor is the same person who bought it at Heritage in 2006, yeah, he could have tripled his return investing in an S&P 500 index fund instead (including reinvested dividends).  Though, with significantly more volatility, and without the benefit of enjoying ownership of the piece for over a decade.  

There was a time when Frankie plates, DKR pages and McSpidey art (just to name a few examples) weren't as available as they have been in recent years, and you had to pay up to get an example.  Paying up for something that becomes more available later on is going to diminish the ROI for sure.  It's not just what you buy, but also what you pay that determines your return.  

Of course, the high prices realized for the few pieces that came up caused those who owned other similar pieces to put their pieces up as well. Supply and demand takes care of the rest.

[PhilipB2k17]

23 minutes ago, Andahaion said:

Interesting time going through my first CLink auction as a potential buyer of OA (I've only bid before on OA over at Heritage, where I got my tail kicked in).  There were two pieces I was interested in: the Shane Davis/Sandra Hope Green Lantern #36 cover, and the Jim Lee/Tim Townsend Superman #215 half splash.  The Davis/Hope cover landed smack in the middle of my estimate, so I'm happy with my process there.

The Superman piece, however, is interesting for a few reasons.  I know it was listed on CLink before the auction with a BIN of $5K.  The site also showed a pending "offer" at that time of $4,020.  I use quotes here because I'm not exactly sure if that offer was real or not.  So going into the auction I had an initial belief that it would likely take about $4K to win it.  I had my doubts at that price, however.  As the auction was winding down last night I was thinking of putting in a bid, but then when it didn't hit reserve I started to have doubts even at $3K.  The page didn't sell and is now listed with a BIN of $3K.  That said, and someone more knowledgeable on Lee art is welcome to chime in here, it's my thought that the page should perhaps be valued somewhere in the $1,500-$2,000 range.  

I know folks here like to say that making mistakes is the "tuition" one pays into the hobby, but I'm really trying to balance getting art I love and not make a significant financial mistake.  I suppose we all are, yes?  At one point earlier in the auction, I literally wrote to a friend that I would be happy to pay $3K for the Superman page...but I suppose it's funny/interesting how things can change within a few short days.

Don't have much more to add, just wanted to post my experience for posterity.  Cheers.

Yep. There is a Bolland Camelot 3000 page up at Comic Connect right now with a BIN of $4k, and a current offer of $3400.

Call me skeptical! As good or better Bolland C3K pieces have sold in the last year for 1-2 grand.

[vodou]

35 minutes ago, delekkerste said:

Assuming the consignor is the same person who bought it at Heritage in 2006, yeah, he could have tripled his return investing in an S&P 500 index fund instead (including reinvested dividends).  Though, with significantly more volatility, and without the benefit of enjoying ownership of the piece for over a decade.  

There was a time when Frankie plates, DKR pages and McSpidey art (just to name a few examples) weren't as available as they have been in recent years, and you had to pay up to get an example.  Paying up for something that becomes more available later on is going to diminish the ROI for sure.  It's not just what you buy, but also what you pay that determines your return.  

My philosophy, as a collector, on this stuff (good points all Gene) is: there is no attractive middle-ground (for holding profitably), or at least there hasn't been for a long while (ten years, more?) You can get a great deal upfront and flip it back out profitably, but hold on for just a few years and your return will be eroded back toward mean (whatever 'mean' is...a different conversation that). Or hang onto it for a really long time (does eleven years count, debatable, but not long enough to me), accept the nature of the watered-down return past the quick flip period, enjoy the art, and wait for the long game to play out. The long game play is of course waiting for the market to forget your specific piece completely, a new crop (or two, or three!) of collectors to enter and then you release to auction when more than half the crowd is totally wowed by it. Or wait for that just right one guy to pay your higher than high fixed price (Capullo here).

I've personally experienced all of the above, quick flip, middle hold, long game and found the quick and the long are the only real winners. Quick is great if you know exactly where to redeploy the proceeds and long is better if you paid too much (intentionally or misread the market) or just want to enjoy the art for a good while first. My long game often exceeds to multiple of % what my sort game would yield. As long as I don't "need" money fast, which is never (intentionally), I never get pinned down into selling adversely short or mid.

Of course holding dense value, in multiples, for twenty and more years requires serious faith in the market itself and financial discipline in all other areas. And youth. A twenty year plan implemented at age 50 is very different (more risky) than one started at 30.

[GreatEscape]

2 hours ago, NicoV said:

No it was not. There were 3 plates for sale at Profils last year and they sold for $40k, $40k and $60k

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/bernie-wrightson-signed-original-frankenstein-pub-42-c-6724e7ba34

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/bernie-wrightson-signed-frankenstein-s-monster-44-c-60740a39f6

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/bernie-wrightson-signed-original-frankenstein-pub-43-c-9e74714b0d

Doesn't Profiles add a 20% buyers premium (24% with credit card) to all winning bids, including the plates?  I bid on anther Wrightson piece at the opening bid (low end of estimate range) and Profiles added 20% BP to it. 

[romitaman]

i sold the wrightson Frankie plate privately to the person who consigned it to comic link for alot more than what it sold for at comiclink.

I won the JB conan cover for what i feel was the best bargain in the entire auction.... at under 4500, and a few other pieces that I felt went under value...but i felt this was a very strong selling auction overall.

[stinkininkin]

1 hour ago, delekkerste said:

Assuming the consignor is the same person who bought it at Heritage in 2006, yeah, he could have tripled his return investing in an S&P 500 index fund instead (including reinvested dividends).  Though, with significantly more volatility, and without the benefit of enjoying ownership of the piece for over a decade.  

There was a time when Frankie plates, DKR pages and McSpidey art (just to name a few examples) weren't as available as they have been in recent years, and you had to pay up to get an example.  Paying up for something that becomes more available later on is going to diminish the ROI for sure.  It's not just what you buy, but also what you pay that determines your return.  

I haven't seen any of the truly spectacular Frankenstein plates up for auction in like...forever.  While there is no such thing as a BAD Frankie plate, I wonder what some of the examples in the Del Torro collection would do at auction?  

Scott

[vodou]

4 minutes ago, romitaman said:

I won the JB conan cover for what i feel was the best bargain in the entire auction.... at under 4500, and a few other pieces that I felt went under value...but i felt this was a very strong selling auction overall.

You got a nice deal there Mike, I was surprised it didn't get to 6k.

[delekkerste]

3 hours ago, delekkerste said:

 

Ah, right - thanks, gents.  I was thinking of the "Dr. Frankenstein in the rain" plate at Profiles last year.

Just noticed that this plate is in the previews for the next ComicLink sale.  

[delekkerste]

44 minutes ago, vodou said:

Or hang onto it for a really long time (does eleven years count, debatable, but not long enough to me)

How long is long enough??  Probably a good number of collectors here will be out of the hobby 11 years from now!

[comix4fun]

2 minutes ago, delekkerste said:

How long is long enough??  Probably a good number of collectors here will be out of the hobby 11 years from now!

Uh Oh.....

 

[vodou]

10 minutes ago, delekkerste said:

How long is long enough??  Probably a good number of collectors here will be out of the hobby 11 years from now!

 

5 minutes ago, comix4fun said:

Uh Oh.....

 

Hey I don't know, everybody's number is going to be different but mine is twenty-five and counting. I'm probably taking a different approach than most, but that's why my success is different than most. My approach is accumulating and archiving in five year tranches, and then selling them back out the same way. Except for the flips. Sometimes the ROI is too good to ignore and you know exactly where to redeploy it, which was the case for my 3k purchase in March becoming my 9500 back this month. A triple in six months is not something to ignore. And I know exactly where the 9500 is going. I just got a 6500 discount

[thirdgreenham]

I decided to bid on a bunch of art this time around.  I really don't know the market well and I'd have to say I'm a very novice collector who enjoys buying a piece now and then.  I'm sure I paid more than I should have, but I just wanted to have a few new "neat" pieces. 

Here's what I bought:

Peter Bagge $433

Jack Davis $675

Jack Davis $545

Michael Gaydos $601

Al Jaffee $165

Stephen Platt $355

[GreatEscape]

Uh...25 years from now, I'll be selling my hair and teeth (as they fall out) to sustain my art collecting! 

Back to the auction.... for me, this was a fun and fascinating auction to watch (not just for big-ticket items), some thoughts and observations:

- $17k for Romita Sr. DD #105 cover and same for Romita Jr. Man Without Fear #1 cover.  Father and Son.  Bronze and Modern.  Interesting parallel.        

- $16k for Iron Man #55 Drax p22 matched the price of the Thanos (p8) and Drax (p20) pages that both sold at HA last year, both had Iron Man.  Maybe Drax = Thanos in collectibility art-wise?

- $5400 for Gammill Marvel Team-up Plate with IF, Power-man and Spidey.  A Gammill record but the impressive size (23 x 22) and details makes it a spectacular display.

- Around $2500 gets you the unsued Trimpe Dazzler cover, Buscema Sub-mariner #35 Defenders prelude, Jim Lee Superman or All-Star Batman page, Liefeld X-force variant cover, Texiera Punisher cover, McSpawn splash, Twice-up Heck Iron Man, Sienkiewicz New Mutants, McGuinness Guardians #18 cover with Thanos, etc.   Perhaps THE sweetspot of the auction with tons of quality art options at this price level--  bodes well for the hobby.  

-  2-page sequences:  $5k for both Avengers #135 Vision origin pages, $4k for both Colan Howard the Duck / Dr. Strage pages.  Nice value IMO, especially if bought as pairs. 

- Byrne Avengers #165 pages at $16k and 8.5K.  Very strong prices (X-Men strong) but surprised one was 2x the other.

New Movie/TV related properties (Avengers, Wonder Woman, Cloak & Daggar, Thanos, Dr. Strange, Justice League, etc.) did well of course...I'm surprised not to see Black Panther or more Thor pieces.

Not sure, but I sensed much less late bidding than on prior ComicLink auctions, espcially on back end when the auction past 11pm ET.  

Congrats to the winning bidders...

Edited September 20, 2017 by GreatEscape

[comix4fun]

6 minutes ago, thirdgreenham said:

I decided to bid on a bunch of art this time around.  I really don't know the market well and I'd have to say I'm a very novice collector who enjoys buying a piece now and then.  I'm sure I paid more than I should have, but I just wanted to have a few new "neat" pieces. 

Here's what I bought:

Peter Bagge $433

Jack Davis $675

Jack Davis $545

Michael Gaydos $601

Al Jaffee $165

Stephen Platt $355

Nice choices, you can't beat the bang for the buck across the board!

[Nexus]

8 minutes ago, thirdgreenham said:

I decided to bid on a bunch of art this time around.  I really don't know the market well and I'd have to say I'm a very novice collector who enjoys buying a piece now and then.  I'm sure I paid more than I should have, but I just wanted to have a few new "neat" pieces. 

Here's what I bought:

Peter Bagge $433

Jack Davis $675

Jack Davis $545

Michael Gaydos $601

Al Jaffee $165

Stephen Platt $355

Super pickups! Really fun stuff without breaking the bank. I especially like the Bagge, Davis, and Jaffe. Congrats!

[Nexus]

Just heard from a BSD who lost out on a piece due to the technical issues last night. He's not happy (and the seller shouldn't be, either...his lot could have finished much higher).

He would have liked the auction to have been extended for another 24 hours, after the problem was resolved. He missed the e-mail from Clink as he was already asleep.

There may be no way to fix this without someone getting upset, but I can say for right now, the consignor has the most reason to be dissatisfied. Hopefully he and Clink can still figure something out.

[thirdgreenham]

13 minutes ago, comix4fun said:

Nice choices, you can't beat the bang for the buck across the board!

 

11 minutes ago, Nexus said:

Super pickups! Really fun stuff without breaking the bank. I especially like the Bagge, Davis, and Jaffe. Congrats!

 

Thanks, guys! That means a lot to this fella who doesn't have much of a clue.

I actually really like the Daredevil one as well, as I was right into that series during that time.  Well-written and well-illustrated too.

The only one that I'm not crazy about is the Platt, but I wanted to have a Platt piece, so there you go.  Would have much preferred a Moon Knight page, but those are probably $1000+ 

[Ryanfromottawa]

3 minutes ago, thirdgreenham said:

 

 

Thanks, guys! That means a lot to this fella who doesn't have much of a clue.

I actually really like the Daredevil one as well, as I was right into that series during that time.  Well-written and well-illustrated too.

The only one that I'm not crazy about is the Platt, but I wanted to have a Platt piece, so there you go.  Would have much preferred a Moon Knight page, but those are probably $1000+ 

I think that's a pretty sweet deal you got on the alias Michael gaydos piece , it's super cool!

[artistlost]

50 minutes ago, thirdgreenham said:

I decided to bid on a bunch of art this time around.  I really don't know the market well and I'd have to say I'm a very novice collector who enjoys buying a piece now and then.  I'm sure I paid more than I should have, but I just wanted to have a few new "neat" pieces. 

Here's what I bought:

Peter Bagge $433

Jack Davis $675

Jack Davis $545

Michael Gaydos $601

Al Jaffee $165

Stephen Platt $355

Hey Andy!

 

Nice haul! That Gaydos Alias DPS with Daredevil was mine at one time. You did well in buying it as you bought it for less than I sold it for.

 

mathew