They're Still Out There! 22 22

[sfcityduck]

7 minutes ago, innocuous said:

All the more reason I may take a trip to Dallas, plus, I have a ton of airline miles I haven't used in 18 months.

 

I've thought the same thing.  I'm sitting on around 400K in United miles.  But, while the auction would be cool, Dallas in late June is not my top vacation desire.  I think there will be other auctions I'll want to attend more as they get past the "dazzle them!" phase and move into the meat and potatoes.

[Straw-Man]

i like to think i’m at least a semi-“true collector,” but i just can’t get quite as maudlin about these poor funny-books as some of y’all can.  i’ll grab one for the ped type-set and move on. 

[MrBedrock]

1 hour ago, Straw-Man said:

i just can’t get quite as maudlin about these poor funny-books as some of y’all can. 

Heartless.

[Mmehdy]

2 hours ago, Robot Man said:

That is a sad and sobering thought. Sad that the original owners of this collection put them away and took such incredible care of them. And then in a few months the whole collection is turned into a “Frankencollection” by it’s new owners. All in the name of the almighty buck. 

Sorry if I come across as a whiner. I appreciate money as much as the next guy. I am saying this as a “true collector” and obviously a dying breed in this hobby. 

I might or might not go for a few I really like but will always know their status and will hold them in a lot less esteem than so many of the truly great pedigrees that have proceeded it...

So, did HA buy them outright or were they consigned? I think that is a critical fact which would lead one to agree with your conclusion that they could hit market at top condition after pressing. Ha and maybe CC would be the only ones in the business that could easily write the check, with HA clearly the top guy as they do not rely 100% on comic auctions and probably could cut a 15 million dollar check in a heartbeat. Knowing HA if they expect 25M retail they are gonna pay somewhere between 8-10 Million plus pressing and grading costs of say 500K..just a guess any info out there about this???

[comicnoir]

1 hour ago, Mmehdy said:

So, did HA buy them outright or were they consigned? I think that is a critical fact which would lead one to agree with your conclusion that they could hit market at top condition after pressing. Ha and maybe CC would be the only ones in the business that could easily write the check, with HA clearly the top guy as they do not rely 100% on comic auctions and probably could cut a 15 million dollar check in a heartbeat. Knowing HA if they expect 25M retail they are gonna pay somewhere between 8-10 Million plus pressing and grading costs of say 500K..just a guess any info out there about this???

Wouldn't you think this is a $200 million collection?

[VintageComics]

15 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Thanks so much for the lesson on “simple economics”. I believe I understand the principle. 

I’ve been dealing in comics for 50 years. I remember seeing the Church collection for the first time. Chuck was asking multiples of guide. His point was that whatever we thought was “mint” went out the door with these books. He was right and we paid those multiples happily. They were indeed very special and unique. The collection was as found and not manulipated. 

CGC came to be because the price of comics got to be serious. Collectors were tired of being cheated with undisclosed restoration. 

Kind of sad, that our “standards” have slipped depending on how much money we can make. This was why CGC was created and now, in order to make a few more bucks CGC, HA and many of us turn a blind eye. 

We don’t know the back story on this collection. I have heard a lot of skuttle butt on the origin, the sellers even evaluations and who actually owns them. But this is just talk. Until we hear from HA (and when we do, it will be straight marketing), we will not know much. 

The longer this goes on, the less I’m really interested in owning any of these. Those of you who are more impressed with dollar signs than beautiful comics should have a heck of a good time. 

 

I'm not sure why you're being snarky with me.

If the collector base evolved and people who really wanted unpressed books paid more for them it would probably close the gap enough that it would reduce the 'press resub' market.

I didn't make the market. The market made itself.

[Pickie]

18 hours ago, Robot Man said:

So would I and it would be smart on HA’s part to do so. I doubt it will happen though.

I remember talking to Chuck about Edgar’s “closet”. He said it buckled his knees when they opened the door and he saw those stacks and smelled that smell. Of course he, like most of us would want to move those books as fast as possible into our van before we woke up or the heirs changed their minds. Documenting it would probably the last thing on our minds. 

Well, it shouldn't be. Not after these decades since Chuck R. secured the Church books. I understand the excitement that comes with such situations and I don't suggest anyone behaved like a "tombraider" (if there was in fact no documentation of the untouched state of the "Promise" site and the books), but in 2021 a few photos would be nice for collector's history (and a benefit for marketing as well, IMO).

You might even have done something like a third/revised Gerber GA volume out of this collection alone. 

18 hours ago, Mmehdy said:

I think the story will be released by HA....but the marketing dept will have its say!

Of course. I'm a fresh new customer of HA, hence lately got their "Collector's Handbook" (J. Halperin & others) for free. It advises precisely about how to achieve the best results for sellers and how they strengthen/run the marketing of historical finds ("The Swamp Collection/Find (?)" of baseball cards). Hmm, let's wait and see ... 

Edited May 10, 2021 by Pickie

[Flex Mentallo]

6 hours ago, MrBedrock said:

Heartless.

Edited May 10, 2021 by Flex Mentallo

[Comcav]

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/the-promise-collection-one-of-the-greatest-comic-finds-of-all-time/

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

34 minutes ago, Comcav said:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/the-promise-collection-one-of-the-greatest-comic-finds-of-all-time/

Ah, the backstory finally. And as we suspected, someone didn’t come back from war. 
 

ed Jaster says he expects 2/3rds of the books to come in at the top of the census!

 

ive quibbled with some grades, but there’s no denying how exciting this is

[skypinkblu]

I was coerced into watching a movie called "the Promise" once, I needed an entire box of tissues. I've stuck to Action/Adventure type of stuff ever since.

Perhaps it's better that they are encased in plastic just in case I win one.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

2 minutes ago, skypinkblu said:

I was coerced into watching a movie called "the Promise" once, I needed an entire box of tissues. I've stuck to Action/Adventure type of stuff ever since.

Perhaps it's better that they are encased in plastic just in case I win one.

If the story is accurate, we will all need a box of Kleenex. The surviving brother keeps his promise to the one who never came home

[Pickie]

"boxed up and put in an attic"

Very sad background, then.

[skypinkblu]

4 minutes ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

If the story is accurate, we will all need a box of Kleenex. The surviving brother keeps his promise to the one who never came home

Agreed , I wrote my post after I read William's link.

 

[vheflin]

In an attic for 50 years? must have been a chilly one

[buttock]

12 hours ago, Robot Man said:

That is a sad and sobering thought. Sad that the original owners of this collection put them away and took such incredible care of them. And then in a few months the whole collection is turned into a “Frankencollection” by it’s new owners. All in the name of the almighty buck. 

Sorry if I come across as a whiner. I appreciate money as much as the next guy. I am saying this as a “true collector” and obviously a dying breed in this hobby. 

I might or might not go for a few I really like but will always know their status and will hold them in a lot less esteem than so many of the truly great pedigrees that have proceeded it...

This concept of "I'm a true collector and you're not" really needs to die a sad whimpering death.  Just because someone doesn't collect exactly the same way you did doesn't mean they're not a "true collector".  I'd love to hear anyone give me a definition of what a "true collector" is.  The only people I really hear using this are people who had the good fortune to buy comics back when they were cheap and now gripe about others paying current market value.  I see new collectors coming in with vigor and excitement to learn about the hobby and grumpy old men person_without_enough_empathying and taking a dump on their enthusiasm and choices.  If that's what it takes to be a "true collector" then count me out.  I'll be over in the corner enjoying my comics and hobby.  

[Flex Mentallo]

10 minutes ago, buttock said:

a sad whimpering death.   

I should be so lucky!

[Dr. Love]

The money generated by this sale to the consignors would be, for normal folks, absolutely life changing.

I love how through the passage of time and at the end of the day a young man's passion for brightly colored funny books, a promise honored by a brother, can be transformed into whatever freedom from cares and woes money can bring to those in want and need.

No better use for these books exists.

[Funnybooks]

1 hour ago, Comcav said:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/the-promise-collection-one-of-the-greatest-comic-finds-of-all-time/

Wonderful story indeed and extremely inspiring. I hope the family can find some further solace in the fact that these books will continue to provide for his family for generations yet to come.

[EastEnd1]

What a fantastic find... and a truly moving story behind it.  To me, this discovery (not the collection itself) rivals Church.  For all it's vastness and amazing condition, the Church books, at the end of the day, were found only 25-35 years after publication (that's like something being discovered from 1990 in today's terms).  One would think that with 250 million people in the country, there would be someone that hadn't gotten around to throwing out all their comics yet in that short period!  But to have this situation... 70-80 years removed... boxed up in an attic for all those years without seeming damage from heat, cold, leaks, rodents, and yes any human intervention.. what are the odds?  Makes me wonder what else is still hidden out there!  Despite some reservations, this discovery is going to be great for the hobby.    

Edited May 10, 2021 by EastEnd1
missing word