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The Distribution of US Published Comics in the UK (1959~1982)
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Started by Get Marwood & I,

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/7/2021 at 5:17 PM, Redshade said:

Oh sorry. I read "these are from a collection on ebay" earlier.

It'll be interesting to see how some of the valuable first issues fair in that auction. You can request a condition report of course, but I'm always put off by a single photo for a £20K item. The AF#15 is still in its Mylar and covered in glare. Pretty poor marketing isn't it, given how grade affects the valuation. 

I've been to a few live auctions now and it's an eye opening experience. People will bid blind it seems and I've seen some quite inexplicable prices for books that are massively underwhelming in the flesh when compared to their online photos. Generic auction houses aren't comic dealers. They don't have the experience or understanding of the medium. They don't know how to treat or store them, chucking them around in piles on shelves. I'm sure the seller will get a nice lot of money for their books, even after the not inconsiderable commission is deducted. And I don't know their circumstances, or needs. But trusting such a collection to an auction like that is a puzzling choice to me, given the other options available.

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/8/2021 at 5:10 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

Unfortunately Ian passed away earlier this year.

That's a shame, and explains things somewhat. Was he someone that you knew Albert?

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Albert Tatlock

Albert Tatlock

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On 11/8/2021 at 5:14 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Was he someone that you knew Albert?

Never met him, as far as I know, but we corresponded for quite a while in the late 1960s.

One of my major blunders was to exchange a copy of JLA #1 for Detective # 273. It was pretty beat up, but I knew it was scarce, only the second copy to fall into my hands, still not sure how he managed to wheedle it out of me, but there you go. To make matters worse, not long afterwards I found another copy of the Detective for 3 old pence. Next time, I must harden my heart.

I think he was a mate of Mike Cruden, originally of Middlesbrough, who later moved to Manchester. I think Mike is still around, and if so, he may be able to shed light on the late '66ers, as he had a few to sell when no-one else could find them.

On 11/8/2021 at 12:14 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

 

 

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Redshade

Redshade

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On 11/8/2021 at 12:14 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

It'll be interesting to see how some of the valuable first issues fair in that auction. You can request a condition report of course, but I'm always put off by a single photo for a £20K item. The AF#15 is still in its Mylar and covered in glare. Pretty poor marketing isn't it, given how grade affects the valuation. 

I've been to a few live auctions now and it's an eye opening experience. People will bid blind it seems and I've seen some quite inexplicable prices for books that are massively underwhelming in the flesh when compared to their online photos. Generic auction houses aren't comic dealers. They don't have the experience or understanding of the medium. They don't know how to treat or store them, chucking them around in piles on shelves. I'm sure the seller will get a nice lot of money for their books, even after the not inconsiderable commission is deducted. And I don't know their circumstances, or needs. But trusting such a collection to an auction like that is a puzzling choice to me, given the other options available.

I agree that the grading and marketing of specialist items such as this collection are handled poorly by general auctioneers. What would you say are the "other options" Steve?

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/8/2021 at 6:04 PM, Redshade said:

I agree that the grading and marketing of specialist items such as this collection are handled poorly by general auctioneers. What would you say are the "other options" Steve?

I'm sure there are many reputable dealers, both here and in the US, who would jump at the chance of marketing and selling early pence runs of all the key Marvel characters. Have them graded, and the possible sale prices sky rocket (whether us raw lovers like it or not). 

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Albert Tatlock

Albert Tatlock

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On 11/8/2021 at 6:04 PM, Redshade said:

What would you say are the "other options"

Cynically, I would say circle the grieving relatives like vultures before they think of sending stuff to auction.

It happens all the time with more traditional possessions, jewellery, antiques and the like.

Of course, said relatives may be aware these days of the potential value of ragged old comic books, but unaware of the huge bite that auctioneers take out of the final price. Ian's relatives will be lucky to get more than 55/60% of what the winning bidders lay out.

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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I requested a condition report on the AF#15:

Thank you for your enquiry about lot 1124 - Marvel Comics, in The Ian Penman Collection of Silver Age and Bronze Age American Comics on 16/11/2021.

Condition report:
Condition: GD+/VG-
No restoration,
Spine rub and small spine creases near staples on front cover; single vertical centre crease to front cover and light wrinkling/creasing at top right. Colour is excellent and a reasonable amount of gloss is still present.
Rear cover has a central blemish which is perhaps the result of hot ironing; there is slight yellowing particularly down the spine edge.
Generally good interior with Stan Lee's dedication to Ian at the top of page 1 (as a journalist, Ian interviewed Stan Lee in America and wrote about him circa 1976). There is a small section of page 1 torn away at lower right edge (see close-up photograph on our website catalogue.)
Generally good near-white interior pages with hints of yellowing at some edges.
Overall, a nice above-average copy.

https://www.andersonandgarland.com/auction/lot/lot-1124---marvel-comics/?lot=275442&so=0&st=amazing fantasy&sto=0&au=471&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=100&pn=1&g=-1

They have added more pictures now, and noted a Stan Lee inscription. The pictures show the cover being folded back quite harshly and an erroneous JIM interior. Going for it, aren't they. 

 

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Kevin.J

Kevin.J

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On 11/11/2021 at 3:31 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I requested a condition report on the AF#15:

Thank you for your enquiry about lot 1124 - Marvel Comics, in The Ian Penman Collection of Silver Age and Bronze Age American Comics on 16/11/2021.

Condition report:
Condition: GD+/VG-
No restoration,
Spine rub and small spine creases near staples on front cover; single vertical centre crease to front cover and light wrinkling/creasing at top right. Colour is excellent and a reasonable amount of gloss is still present.
Rear cover has a central blemish which is perhaps the result of hot ironing; there is slight yellowing particularly down the spine edge.
Generally good interior with Stan Lee's dedication to Ian at the top of page 1 (as a journalist, Ian interviewed Stan Lee in America and wrote about him circa 1976). There is a small section of page 1 torn away at lower right edge (see close-up photograph on our website catalogue.)
Generally good near-white interior pages with hints of yellowing at some edges.
Overall, a nice above-average copy.

https://www.andersonandgarland.com/auction/lot/lot-1124---marvel-comics/?lot=275442&so=0&st=amazing fantasy&sto=0&au=471&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=0&pp=100&pn=1&g=-1

They have added more pictures now, and noted a Stan Lee inscription. The pictures show the cover being folded back quite harshly and an erroneous JIM interior. Going for it, aren't they. 

 

The pics of the inside of the covers tell a better story than the pics of the actual covers

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/11/2021 at 6:38 PM, Kevin.J said:

The pics of the inside of the covers tell a better story than the pics of the actual covers

Yeah, the Thor looks lousy 9_9

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Albert Tatlock

Albert Tatlock

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On 11/11/2021 at 6:41 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Thor looks lousy

A few of them look rough, JLA # 1, Brave & Bold # 29 and 30, Showcase # 22, GL # 1, FF # 1, some of the early Suspense and Astonish, but most of the Spider-Man are nice.

Nearly 20,000 individual items here, and a few (including Charlton) held over until the December sale.

Ian's sister is the executor of his estate, and when the news of his death broke, she was plagued by call from people wanting to cherry pick, so she decided to dispose of them all in one go.

Wonder whether anyone got the Hulk # 181 off her, though, it is conspicuous by its absence.

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/12/2021 at 6:33 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

Ian's sister is the executor of his estate, and when the news of his death broke, she was plagued by call from people wanting to cherry pick, so she decided to dispose of them all in one go.

That's appalling. What is wrong with people?

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/12/2021 at 11:21 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

Human nature is what is wrong with people. I have seen worse than that where a profit can be turned.

Very true Albert. It's no fun being on the wrong side of it. A good reason to make sure we have our affairs in order, prior to the final tour. Make sure our loved ones don't get left with a huge comic sized headache. 

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Get Marwood & I

Get Marwood & I

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On 11/13/2021 at 2:04 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

.https://www.sunderlandecho.com/business/thousands-of-classic-us-comics-belonging-to-sunderland-writer-ian-penman-go-under-the-hammer-3456374

 

On 11/13/2021 at 2:07 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

And a bit of film footage here.............

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/sunderland-writer-ian-penmans-comics-collection-goes-under-the-hammer/vp-AAQD76h

 

On 11/13/2021 at 2:12 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/worlds-most-valuable-spider-man-22115061

Thanks Albert, you're on the ball with this one mate. I don't know if Ian's death was premature, or unexpected, but it's such a shame that he doesn't get to see any of this. It's one of the reasons I think collectors should at least consider the latter part of their careers and consider suitable down sizing while they have the time and energy. We can all pass at a moments notice of course, but if the natural course of events unfold, I would want to see my collection liquidated to a reasonable degree if it was me. And I certainly wouldn't want my loved ones to face that burden. 

Quite sad really, isn't it. Think of how long it took him to build that collection. And now he doesn't even get to see what happens to it. Death is so damn inconvenient isn't it. Let's hope the books go to good, loving homes.

And still no one has spotted the addition to his FF#1. 

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