The "Maine Summer Vacation Home Collection"

[QuasarComics]

I am placing this here because I think this story will be of interest to silver-age collectors. I know many (all?) of the readers may find my retelling of the story hokey. Well, it's a great story to me. I can just imagine being that kid all those years ago reading these books in the Maine woods! When books are actually offered for sale, I will use the marketplace section.

 

There are several key/near key books in this group, including a choice Amazing Fantasy #15 and a nice Avengers #1, among others.

 

The "Maine Summer Vacation Home Collection"

 

Imagine yourself in the years 1958 through 1963 and your family lived in the New York City area but took wonderful vacations in secluded Maine. If you were somewhere between eight and thirteen years old, undoubtedly the time would be filled with magical moments of discovery and exploration in the woods but also filled with boredom. Boredom relieved by the fantastic worlds offered by those four color wonders, comic books!

 

So you bought comics off and on during these Summers, it was not your primary activity but it did help fill the time. After reading the comics you carefully (for a kid) put them in a box and there they sat. Summer after Summer as you added to them and then for forty years, secluded in the attic of your family’s Maine summer vacation home until the property was sold.

 

Fortunately, the cooler weather found in Maine, and the vacation home shaded by trees made the attic a near ideal storage environment. All the books that did not feel the sun’s rays (and that is most of them), emerged from their forty years hibernation with white, near white or creamy to white paper. The few that felt the sun’s touch to various degrees suffered some fading to the cover and a little more yellowing nut nothing approaching the tan or brittle state easily imagined from more “heated” attic storage.

 

Your two nephews worked out a deal for selling the comics for you and Quasar Comics and Collectibles is pleased to have been selected the agent for these books sale. Most, if not all will be offered on eBay in the coming months with the key books and a few select less expensive books first being graded by CGC.

 

Each book will come with a certificate describing its status as part of this neat single owner collection of 149 issues. Not enough for a pedigree but enough for this story to not be lost as the books are dispersed to collections.

 

Here are the books that comprise this group, along with the Quasar Comics and Collectibles assigned grade. Based on review of the slabbed books sold by Heritage recently, it is likely that some of the ones to be submitted to CGC will come back with a higher grade than that assigned by Quasar Comics and Collectibles:

 

Book# TITLE NO. DATE Condition

1 Action Comics 244 9/58 VGF 5.0, yellowing edges of pages, sun faded front cover

2 Action Comics 279 8/61 FN+ 6.5, creamy paper, small sun shade fade upper right spine area front cover

3 Action Comics 280 9/61 VGF 5.0, creamy to white paper

4 Action Comics 281 10/61 VG+ 4.5, off white to white paper

5 Action Comics 291 8/62 Sharp VGF 5.0, spine roll, off white to white paper

6 Action Comics 292 9/62 Sharp VGF 5.0, light subscription type crease front cover, creamy to white paper

7 Action Comics 293 10/62 FVF 7.0 white, would be better but light glass ring front cover

8 Action Comics 304 9/63 FN 6.0, white!

9 Adventure Comics 301 10/62 Sharp VF 8.0 by wear but lower staple is pulled

10 Adventure Comics 258 3/59 GD- 1.5, creamy to white paper

11 Adventure Comics 287 8/61 VF- 7.5, white paper!

12 Adventure Comics 287 8/61 FN 6.0, off white to white paper

13 Adventure Comics 288 9/61 Sharp VGF 5.0, off white to white paper, can ring front cover

14 Adventure Comics 289 10/61 Sharp FN- 5.5, off white to white

15 Adventure Comics 311 8/63 Sharp VG+ 4.5 off white to white

16 Adventures into the Unknown 126 8/61 VG+ 4.5, near white paper!

17 Adventures of the Fly 15 10/61 FVF 7.0, white!

18 Adventures of the Fly 14 9/61 FVF 7.0, white!

19 Adventures of the Fly 22 10/62 VF 8.0, white!

20 Adventures of the Fly 23 11/62 VF 8.0, white!

21 Amazing Fantasy 15 9/62 VF+ 8.5 or better, off white to white, beautiful original gloss, stunning untouched copy!

22 Aquaman 11 9/63 Sharp VGF 5.0 white

23 Atom, The 9 10/63 VFNM 9.0, white paper!

24 Atom, The 3 10/62 FVF 7.0, creamy to white paper

25 Avengers 1 9/63 VF- 7.5, off white to white paper!

26 Batman 119 10/58 VG, slight yellowing to white paper, small sun fade lower edge front cover

27 Batman 122 3/59 Sharp VG 4.0, slight yellowing to white paper, sun fade at top of front cover

28 Batman 127 10/59 Sharp VGF 5.0, off white to white paper!

29 Batman 142 9/61 VF+ 8.5, off white to white paper!

30 Batman 142 9/61 VF 8.0, off white to white paper!

31 Batman, Giant Annual 1 1961 Glossy beautiful fresh white paper VGF 5.0, would be much nicer but for crease lower left area front cover

32 Blackhawk 175 8/62 VG+ 4.5, off white to white paper, both staples pulled

33 Blackhawk 187 8/63 VG+ 4.5, off white to white paper!

34 Brainboy 6 9/63 VF 8.0, white!

35 Brave and the Bold -Suicide Squad 37 9/61 FVF 7.0, creamy to white paper

36 Brave and the Bold -Suicide Squad 38 11/61 VF- 7.5, white paper

37 Challengers of Unknown 22 10/61 VF 8.0, off white to white paper!

38 Challengers of Unknown 27 9/62 VF 8.0, off white to white paper!

39 Challengers of Unknown 28 10/62 FVF 7.0, white!

40 Classics Ill - First Men in the Moon 144 HRN 161 5/58 Sharp VGF 5.0, off white to white paper!

41 Combat 1 10/61 Nice VG 4.0, off white to white paper!

42 Combat 4 6/62 Nice VG 4.0, off white to white paper!

43 Detective Comics 260 10/58 VGF 5.0, slight yellowing to white paper, sun fade upper edges front cover

44 Detective Comics 270 8/59 Sharp VGF 5.0, creamy to white paper, very light foxing to covers, small damp stain upper right front cover

45 Detective Comics 294 8/61 Sharp FVF 7.0, off white to white paper, small tear lower left side front cover or would be better

46 Detective Comics 295 9/61 Sharp FVF 7.0, off white to white paper!

47 Detective Comics 296 10/61 Sharp FN+ 6.5, white paper!

48 Detective Comics 307 9/62 FN- 5.5, off white to white paper

49 Detective Comics 318 8/63 Sharp VGF 5.0, white paper, would be better but light dampness waiver to front cover

50 Detective Comics 319 9/63 VF 8.0, white paper, small chip lower left corner back cover!

51 Disney - Mickey Mouse 85 11/62 Sharp FN- 5.5, creamy to white paper

52 Disney - Mickey Mouse 80 10/61 VGF 5.5, light subscription type crease, creamy to white paper

53 Disney - Big Red 211 1962 VF+ 8.5, creamy to white paper

54 Disney - Chip and Dale 27 9/61 VGF 5.0, slight yellowing to white paper, sun fade upper edges front cover

55 Disney - Chip and Dale 19 9/59 VG 4.5, yellowing to off white paper

56 Disney - Donald Duck 84 9/62 FN 6.0, creamy to white paper!

57 Disney - Donald Duck 73 9/60 VG+ 4.5, subscription type crease, slight yellowing to white paper

58 Disney - Mickey Mouse 67 8/59 VG+ 4.5, slight yellowing to white paper, slight spine roll

59 Disney - Mickey Mouse 79 8/61 VG+ 4.5, slight yellowing to white paper

60 Disney - Mickey Mouse Album 1 11/59 Sharp VG 4.0, creamy to white paper

61 Disney - Nikki, Wild Dog of North FC#1226 1961 Sharp FN+ 6.5, white paper!

62 Disney Bongo & Lumpjaw FC#706 706 6/56 VG 4.0, slight yellowing to white paper

63 Disney Donald Duck Album FC#1239 10/61 FN 6.0 creamy to white paper

64 Disney Jiminy Cricket FC#701 701 5/56 VG+ 4.5, off white to white paper

65 Disney Mickey Mouse Album FC#1246 11/62 Sharp VGF 5.5, white paper

66 Fantastic Four 6 9/62 Extremely sharp VGF 5.0, off white to white paper, would easily be VF 8.0 or better but for some very light creasing to right side front cover near edge. A stunning example, fresh and beautiful!

67 Fantastic Four 9 12/62 NM- 9.2, stunning fresh book with off white to white paper, one small Marvel chip about one quarter of the way up from the bottom right corner.

68 Fantastic Four Annual 1 1963 VFNM 9.0, white paper!

69 Flash 123 9/61 Glossy fresh VGF 5.0, off white to white paper, minor damp stains

70 Flash 139 9/63 FN- 5.5, off white to white paper, small tear lower spine at back cover

71 Forbidden Worlds 107 10/62 VF 8.0, creamy to white paper

72 Forbidden Worlds 115 10/63 Sharp FVF 7.0, white paper

73 Gang Busters 56 2/57 Reading copy no back cover, front cover detached, centerfold loose, creamy paper

74 Green Lantern 8 9/61 Glossy sharp FN- 5.5, white paper

75 Green Lantern 17 12/62 VF 8.0, white paper

76 Green Lantern 24 10/63 VGF 5.0, would be VF by wear but dampness waiver front cover and lower staple pull, creamy to white paper

77 Hawkman - Brave and the Bold 44 11/62 VFNM 9.0, off white to white paper!

78 House of Mystery 126 9/62 VFNM 9.0 white paper

79 House of Mystery 129 10/62 Looks VF but tear back cover cause net grade of super sharp VG+ 4.5, white paper!

80 Huckleberry Hound 12 7/61 Nice VGF 5.0, subscription type crease front cover (no color cracking), slight yellowing to white paper

81 Journey Into Mystery 85 10/62 VF+ 8.5, creamy to white paper

82 Journey Into Mystery 86 11/62 NM 9.4 off white to white paper!

83 Justice League of America 7 11/61 Glossy sharp FN 6.0, off white to white paper, sun fade upper left and right corners front cover

84 Music Man - Movie Classic 12-538-301 1/63 VG 4.0, cover detached at staples, tear at upper staple, creamy to white paper

85 My Greatest Adventure 72 10/62 Nice VGF 5.0, light yellowing to white paper

86 Mysteries of unexplored Worlds 32 10/62 VFNM 9.0, creamy to white paper!

87 Mystery in Space 70 9/61 Sharp FVF, creamy to white paper

88 On the Double - Movie Classic 1232 1961 VG 4.0, slight yellowing to white paper, spine roll, some fading to front cover

89 Phantom - Harvey Hits 12 8/58 VG 4.0, white paper

90 Phantom - Harvey Hits 48 9/61 FN 6.0, sharp, off white to white

91 Phantom, The 4 9/63 Nice VGF 5.0, creamy paper

92 Rip Hunter …Time Master 4 9/61 Sharp VGF 5.0, creamy to white paper

93 Rip Hunter …Time Master 16 9/63 FN- 5.5, off white to white paper

94 Showcase -Tommy Tomorrow 41 10/62 Sharp FN 6.0, looks nicer but small damp stain inside left edge front cover, minor chips upper and lower edges back cover

95 Showcase -Tommy Tomorrow 46 10/63 VGF 5.0, off white to white

96 Space War 24 9/63 FVF 7.0, creamy to white paper

97 Space Adventures 49 1/63 Beautiful VF 8.0, off white to white paper

98 Space War 18 9/62 Sharp VGF 5.0, white paper, would be VFNM but has spine roll

99 Space War 19 11/62 NM 9.4, creamy to white paper

100 Strange Adventures 155 8/63 VGF 5.0, off white to white paper

101 Strange Adventures 131 8/61 Sharp VGF 5.0, creamy to white paper

102 Strange Adventures 143 8/62 FN- 5.5, white paper

103 Strange Adventures 144 9/62 VFNM 9.0, white paper!

104 Strange Adventures 146 11/62 VF- 7.5, creamy to white paper, slightest upturn to spine

105 Strange Tales 64 8/58 Nice GVG 3.0, solid book, creamy to white paper!

106 Superboy 91 9/61 Sharp VGF 5.0, white paper

107 Superboy 100 10/62 FN- 5.5, white paper, small ding upper spine

108 Superboy 107 9/63 FN 6.0, off white to white paper!

109 Superman 124 9/58 Sharp VGF 5.0, light yellowing to white paper, glossy, light damp stain lower left corner back cover

110 Superman 156 10/62 Glossy sharp VGF 5.0, off white to white paper, couple front cover creases else much nicer!

111 Superman 164 10/63 FN 6.0, light yellowing to white paper, small color abrasion in logo front cover else much nicer!

112 Superman's Girl Friend 27 8/61 FN 6.0, creamy to white paper!

113 Superman's Girl Friend 36 10/62 Nice VG 4.0, slight yellowing to off white paper

114 Superman's Girl Friend 43 8/63 VG 4.0, creamy to white paper, damp stain front cover!

115 Superman's Girl Friend 50 7/64 VF 8.0, white paper!

116 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 34 1/59 GD+ 2.5, yellowing, front cover faded

117 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 35 3/59 Coverless complete pages, yellowing

118 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 47 9/60 Sharp VGF 5.0, off white to white paper, slight fade upper corners front cover

119 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 64 10/62 FN+ 6.5, white cover, upper staple pull

120 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 71 9/63 VF 8.0, off white to white cover

121 Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 72 10/63 VF 8.0, creamy to white paper

122 Tales of Terror - Movie Classic 12-793-302 FN 6.0, off white to white paper

123 Tales of the Unexpected 66 10/61 FVF 7.0, white paper, nice book!

124 Tales of the Unexpected 73 10/62 Super sharp VGF 5.0, would be VF but for light bend to book (no color cracking), off white to white paper

125 Tales to Astonish 36 10/62 VF+ 8.5, off white to white paper!

126 Tales to Astonish 39 1/63 VFNM 9.0, off white to white paper!

127 Tarzan 132 11/62 FVF 7.0, white paper, nice book!

128 Tomahawk 64 10/59 VG 4.0 due to damp stain with color flaking bottom edge front cover or would be FVF, creamy to white paper

129 Tomahawk 76 9/61 Sharp FN 6.0, off white to white

130 Uncle Scrooge 31 9/60 VG 4.0, light spine roll, creamy to white paper

131 Uncle Scrooge 39 9/62 GD 2.0, cover detached, white paper

132 Uncle Scrooge 45 10/63 FN 6.0, off white to white paper, right edge light bend upward

133 Unusual Tales 41 9/63 FVF 7.0, creamy to white paper

134 US Air Force 23 9/62 VFNM 9.0, off white to white paper!

135 Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 241 10/60 VG+ 4.5, creamy to white paper, subscription type crease

136 Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 251 8/61 FN 6.0, creamy to white paper

137 Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 253 10/61 Sharp VGF 5.0, white paper

138 Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 264 9/62 FN 6.0, off white to white paper

139 Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 265 10/62 FN 6.0, off white to white paper

140 Walt Disney's Comics & Stories 276 9/63 VGF 5.0, off white to white paper

141 Wonder Woman 116 8/60 FVF 7.0, white

142 Wonder Woman 124 8/61 Sharp FVF 7.0, off white to white, "Marvel" type pre-chips right edge front cover

143 Wonder Woman 141 10/63 VF 8.0, off white to white paper!

144 Woody Woodpecker 38 9/56 VG 4.0, light spine roll, slight yellowing to white paper

145 World Around Us - American Pres. 21 5/60 Sharp VGF 5.0, white paper

146 World's Finest 120 9/61 Sharp FVF 8.0, slight yellowing to white paper, sun fade upper edge front cover

147 World's Finest 136 9/63 FN 6.0, white paper

148 X-Man with X-ray Eyes 10083-309 9/63 Sharp VGF 5.0, creamy to white paper

149 Yogi Bear 10 10/62 VF- 7.5, white paper

 

When I get the ones scanned that will go to CGC I will place them in the grade this book section for everyone to give it there best shot (try not to be swayed by my grades assigned above).

 

Sincerely,

 

Bruce Edwards

www.QuasarComics.com

[burntboy]

Cool story - good luck with the grades from CGC. will be very interested in seeing how Quasar's grading compares to CGC's..............................that AF #15 could be worth as much as the rest of the 148 books combined!!!!!!!!!

[buttock]

I'll give you a dollar fifty for the lot!

[QuasarComics]

Thanks for your generous offer!

 

Excelsior,

 

Bruce

[QuasarComics]

Thanks for your comments, it will definitely be interesting to see the CGC grades!

[ComicBookGuy]

It's great to hear that people are still finding original owner collections like this. One point about the story that is inconsistent is that some of the issues are from January or March, for example, so they were clearly not purchased during the summer months. I don't say this to be a skeptic since clearly the majority of the books has fall dates, which were summer releases, but I say it to point out that this kid most likely brought comics to Maine from NY, and maybe even vice-versa. This means that perhaps not all the books were stored under these ideal conditions. Just a thought to consider when offering those non-summer issues for sale. Best of luck on the CGC grades and the sale.

Joe

[QuasarComics]

Good point!

[arexcrooke]

From what I understand about distribution was that it was often problematic and therefore some issues would not be on the newstands until a few months later. I dont know if this is true or if im getting my stories crossed.

Also, the books could have been older ones sitting on a shelf maybe?

[Paris_Fred]

Hello Bruce,

 

Nice lot, it's good to know that you still active, I do remember buying a great lot of fanzines back in 1998 or 2000 ?

[QuasarComics]

1. Thanks! Yeah, I had quite a few neat fanzines and am glad you were able to get some of them. From a pure interest point of view, I find the old fanzines to be one of the more interesting parts of comic related collecting. Speaking of old zines, I managed to get a copy of three issues of "The Necronomicon" a well done Science Fiction zine from the early 1950s. Anyone else ever heard of it?

 

2. Main Summer Home Collection: The consignor is enthused about my description and the fact that the story will not be lost and will provide some more background info that will be incorporated into the certificate that will go with each book. I'll update here in a few days with the new info once I have it.

 

Excelsior!

 

Bruce

www.QuasarComics.com

eBay: QuasarComics

[bigfiver69]

Funny thing.

 

A close friend of mine showed me a collection of his childhood books from 1966-1975 that were stored at his cottage in Northern Ontario. About 500 Marvel and DC hero books. He brought them back to Toronto for the first time, and while they were structurally only FN/VF (due to reading) the page quality and cover gloss were insane!! Hulk 181, 182, X-Men 94, 100 and Giant Size were all there. Silver Surfer #1-8 too. Now him and his kids read them. Nice original owner collection.

 

Nothing comics like better than being forgotten about at the cottage.

 

Shep

[Aman619]

from the look sof the condition of the books overall, seems he wasnt getting into the Marvel scene! They are in large part untouched, while the others definitely seem to have been read a few times.

[Aman619]

I can relate... early Marvels always looked rushed, scratchy and weird next to the usual clean All-American DCs. And it was that safe whitebread feel that killed them over the next few years!

[x101]

Hi I would be seriously interested in the AF15. I am the owner of the white mountain copy, and would entertain a raw copyof this book. Can you let me know if you are interested.

Thank you

x101

[QuasarComics]

from the look sof the condition of the books overall, seems he wasnt getting into the Marvel scene! They are in large part untouched, while the others definitely seem to have been read a few times.

 

Yeah, that's too bad for what could have been in the collection but maybe good since the ones there are nicer than the DCs!!

[QuasarComics]

Hi I would be seriously interested in the AF15. I am the owner of the white mountain copy, and would entertain a raw copyof this book. Can you let me know if you are interested.

Thank you

x101

 

I'll discuss with the consignor but they have done their research and are not likely to want to sell it raw.

[QuasarComics]

Hi Shep,

 

Yes, the cottage life did wonders for those comics! :-)

 

Not from a value perspective, but I heard there were lots of neat magazines and othe ritmes that were trashed when the Sumemr homw was sold. Thankfully the comics were spared!

 

Who knows what else may have been in the trash though... I'm probably bette rof not knwing what was lost for good.

 

- Bruce

[Aman619]

from the look sof the condition of the books overall, seems he wasnt getting into the Marvel scene! They are in large part untouched, while the others definitely seem to have been read a few times.

 

Yeah, that's too bad for what could have been in the collection but maybe good since the ones there are nicer than the DCs!!

 

looks like it!

[x101]

I am willing to pay cash for the given grade, if it really is an 8.0 or 8.5. I would just rather have another copy that is not entombed in plastic. Also are scans available.

 

x101

[Aman619]

so buy it slabbed and crack it out. that way they get the CGC price and you get a raw copy.