Steve Geppi closing Museum:Donating Collection to Library of Congress 2 2

[Ares]

https://www.newsarama.com/40136-gem-closing-donating-collection-to-library-of-congress.html

Diamond Comic Distributors President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen A. Geppi has made a multimillion dollar donation of more than 3,000 items from his personal comic book and pop culture collection to The Library of Congress.

Geppi’s gift encompasses comic books, photos, posters, original comic book and comic strip art, newspapers, pinback buttons, and other rare, vintage pop culture artifacts including the original Plane Crazy storyboards that document the creation of Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse.

Items are expected to go on display at the Library of Congress beginning this summer. The move represents a huge next chapter in one of Geppi’s long-held dreams.

 

For more than a decade, the material has been on display at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum (GEM) in Baltimore and includes Big Little Books, Beatles memorabilia, a collection of flicker rings popularizing comic book characters and political figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr., R.F. Outcault’s The Yellow Kid printing blocks, and the No. 2 Brownie camera model F from Eastman Kodak Company.

With the acquisition of these items by the Library of Congress, GEM will close its doors in June. Its last day open to the public will be Sunday, June 3, 2018 from 10am to 6pm. Admission that day will be free of charge.

When Geppi’s Entertainment Museum opened in 2006, it was the natural next step in Geppi’s lifelong passion to share comic books and popular culture in general with the widest possible audience.

“I’ve been an evangelist for comics since I picked up my first issue of Batman at the age of five. Since then, I couldn’t help but share my excitement, first with my brother, then my family, and then my friends. I remember thinking ‘This stuff is great! I can’t wait to share it with so-and-so.’ After that, each step along the way has really preceded from those initial impulses,” Geppi said.

In GEM, Geppi achieved a previously unparalleled execution of his vision, but after more than a decade in its historic Camden Yards facility, it was apparent to him that to reach even more people with his message, he was going to need to go bigger. This led to a meeting with Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, who Geppi knew from her time heading up the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. From there, things moved relatively quickly.

“The Library of Congress is home to the nation’s largest collection of comic books, cartoon art and related ephemera and we celebrate this generous donation to the American people that greatly enhances our existing holdings,” said Hayden. “The appeal of comic books is universal, and we are thrilled that this new addition to the collections will make them even more accessible to people worldwide.”

The Library holds more than 140,000 issues of approximately 13,000 comic book titles, dating back to the 1930s. The collection includes many firsts and some of the most important comics in history, including the first comic book sold on newsstands, the first comics featuring Batman and other iconic characters, such as All Star Comics #8, the first appearance of Wonder Woman. The Library also holds a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the origin and first appearance of Spider-Man, along with the original artwork that Steve Ditko created for the issue. According to The Library, The Geppi Collection expands and enriches this strong foundation and fills gaps in specific issues.

“I’ve been blessed to make my living from something I love for decades, and further blessed to be able to share these treasures with others. The idea of how many more people will get to see this material under the auspices of The Library of Congress invigorates my mind with a multitude of possibilities. I definitely have other plans for the future as well. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to stop collecting,” said Geppi.

[aardvark88]

Yes, there seemed to be a flaw in his business model for the GEM when I visited about 8 years ago. In the afternoon, there were the 3 of us collector/fans, 1 cashier and 1 security guard for the entire museum near the harbor of Baltimore, MD. Lots of room to take pics of paper collectibles and tv props though.

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

Great place. Benn there a lot. The flaw is the parking situation in that location. It is a PITAPITA.

It is expected to be very busy starting tomorrow, though, with the Closing and other activities nearby.

[Pickie]

 

Wow ... 

[1Cool]

I kind of thought it was a bad sign when I walked by the place when the Baltimore Comic Con was happening and there still was not many people walking around the place.  you would think that would be prime time for comic collectors to check out some history but the place looked pretty empty.

[letsgrumble]

Damn! I've never been to the museum and was hoping to go when I was in the area this summer.

[mysterio]

Loved my visit there. 

[kav]

Dear Steve Geppi: I love comics and have since I was 9 years old and saw my first comic.  I'm not a high end collector my most valuable comic is about $80-pls let me have just one of those magnificent books you are donating thx.

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

26 minutes ago, kav said:

Dear Steve Geppi: I love comics and have since I was 9 years old and saw my first comic.  I'm not a high end collector my most valuable comic is about $80-pls let me have just one of those magnificent books you are donating thx.

That'll do it.......

[kav]

11 minutes ago, Mr.Mcknowitall said:

That'll do it.......

[Icculus308win]

A little somber to hear the doors are closing, but it is awesome that he decided to donate 3,000 items to the Library of Congress. Nice to know that lot has found a permanent home like that.  Fulfilling a dream - pretty neat stuff?

 

[spidrvacc]

Glad I finally got there last year after wanting to for years. Even my Wife who is not into comics enjoyed the place. We spent 2 hours there. Was really cool. So sorry to see it go but kool of the donation.

[Robot Man]

2 hours ago, Icculus308win said:

A little somber to hear the doors are closing, but it is awesome that he decided to donate 3,000 items to the Library of Congress. Nice to know that lot has found a permanent home like that.  Fulfilling a dream - pretty neat stuff?

 

And getting a nice little tax write off in the process...

[jcjames]

11 hours ago, 1Cool said:

I kind of thought it was a bad sign when I walked by the place when the Baltimore Comic Con was happening and there still was not many people walking around the place.  you would think that would be prime time for comic collectors to check out some history but the place looked pretty empty.

Why do you think it wasn't more visited by collectors/fans?

 

[HENRYSPENCER]

I remember GEM opening, then several years later a lot of the rarest high-end material being sold from the museum because of the 2007-2008 financial crisis; this includes the historic Action court copies and many of the highest grade slabbed CGC books.  I also remember the blowout sales Diamond Distributors had on eBay.  I picked a half a dozen mint Harry Metetsky Superman books, and a dozen or so Sprang signed lithographs for peanuts back then.

I know his son was an Overstreet advisor and I wonder why Geppi didn't keep what's left of the collection in the family?  As much as I pay in taxes there absolutely no way I would donate anything to an entity backed or subsidized by the Federal government when they have already taken so much away.

[1Cool]

6 hours ago, jcjames said:

Why do you think it wasn't more visited by collectors/fans?

 

Great question.  I think museum numbers have to down across the board just because of the internet.  If I want to look at ancient artifacts I can look at them for free from my home.  I also think it hurts that most big comic cons have a plethora of old comic books and OA that fills the need to see old comics and the history of comic books.  Comic books still are seen as children books so I can see why some people just don't thinks its necessary to go learn the history of comics.

[Cocomonkey]

Drat, this place opened after I left Baltimore, and I haven't been back. But since I found out about it, I wanted to go and visit...oh well. I guess, at this point, that's just not going to happen.

[jools&jim]

What is the Library of Congress going to do with, and why would it want, a giganormous collection of flicker rings?

I'm betting that there's a lot more to this story...

Edited May 31, 2018 by jools&jim

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

49 minutes ago, HENRYSPENCER said:

As much as I pay in taxes there absolutely no way I would donate anything to an entity backed or subsidized by the Federal government when they have already taken so much away.

I certainly support your Right to your opinion, and hope that after contemplation concerning the most important (and largest) Library in the world, including world literature, and the open access to everybody via internet on any subject by anybody, for any purpose...research/teaching/enjoyment/preserving the cultural history of the world/etc., that you would re-consider. We pay a ridiculously almost atom sized amount of wampum for the privilege.

Consider: Would you view the National Library of Medicine as also not being worth donating to?

Note that, (and you might not actually realize it) you benefit in some manner almost every day due to these great institutions.

[DjMartini]

I blame Orioles fans for seeing the museum every time they go to a game and probably not once going in!

But in reality, I think the location was never a good fit and the marketing of GEM. I have never taken a trip myself but now I really want to before it closes. It's sad but at least it will have some notice being at the Library of Congress. This way someone doesn't really have to keep up with the pricing of having the items on display but unfortunately now the government has control of it.