Post your Promise Collection wins! 17 17

[buttock]

On 4/24/2023 at 10:06 PM, lou_fine said:

Well, looks like this very topic is being talked about rather vigrorously in this thread here from the Grading and Restorations Forum:    

Skimmed through part of this thread here and besides UV blue light, did noticed that some boardies had mentioned this product here:  

Absorene is the original dry cleaner that works like an eraser, by drawing dust and dirt from surfaces. Used by museum curators, archival restoration experts, and libraries to clean old manuscripts, prints, oil paintings, books, papers and tapestries.

I wouldn't think that Absorene is what would be used on something like this.  It might be a small part of the cleanup process, but what bronze johnny is getting at is more likely the hydrogen peroxide or blue light LED treatments.  

[jimbo_7071]

On 4/25/2023 at 12:06 AM, lou_fine said:

Well, looks like this very topic is being talked about rather vigrorously in this thread here from the Grading and Restorations Forum:    

Skimmed through part of this thread here and besides UV blue light, did noticed that some boardies had mentioned this product here:  

Absorene is the original dry cleaner that works like an eraser, by drawing dust and dirt from surfaces. Used by museum curators, archival restoration experts, and libraries to clean old manuscripts, prints, oil paintings, books, papers and tapestries.

Does Absorbene damage a comic in any way, such as by reducing the gloss or making the staples rust? I've heard it mentioned many times, but I know very little about it.

[lou_fine]

Well, well, well......................looks like the Promise Collection copy of Cap 1 is already coming back into the marketplace so soon:  

https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/captain-america-comics-1-the-promise-collection-pedigree-timely-1941-cgc-vg-35-cream-to-off-white-pages/p/7340-280002.s?ic16=ViewItem-Inventory-BuyNowFromOwner-OtherAvailable-081514

Any bets here and will be interesting to see whether this Promise book here will be able to beat the long odds and come out ahead of its first round auction result of $240K back in November of 2021?  

Unless there's a surprising turnaround in the sentiment towards the Promise books or a resurgence in the demand for Cap 1, I would place my bet on the UNDER for this copy here.  Especially considering that CL was only able to fetch just over $200 K for their CGC 7.0 copy while CC was able to fetch just over $300K for their CGC 7.0 copy.  

Edited May 10, 2023 by lou_fine

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

IMO, no way that book brings even close to the same $240k it hammered for originally.  I actually hope I’m wrong, and would be delighted if I’m wrong 

[batman_fan]

On 5/10/2023 at 8:54 AM, lou_fine said:

Well, well, well......................looks like the Promise Collection copy of Cap 1 is already coming back into the marketplace so soon:  

https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/captain-america-comics-1-the-promise-collection-pedigree-timely-1941-cgc-vg-35-cream-to-off-white-pages/p/7340-280002.s?ic16=ViewItem-Inventory-BuyNowFromOwner-OtherAvailable-081514

Any bets here and will be interesting to see whether this Promise book here will be able to beat the long odds and come out ahead of its first round auction result of $240K back in November of 2021?  

Unless there's a surprising turnaround in the sentiment towards the promise books or a resurgence in the demand for Cap 1, I would place my bet on the UNDER for this copy here.  Especially considering that CL was only able to fetch just over $200 K for their CGC 7.0 copy while CC was able to fetch just over $300K for their CGC 7.0 copy.  

"What is dead may never die"

[Professor K]

On 5/10/2023 at 11:55 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

IMO, no way that book brings even close to the same $240k it hammered for originally.  I actually hope I’m wrong, and would be delighted if I’m wrong 

Now why oh why would someone root for a high price on a book, particularly a Cap 1 

[ThothAmon]

The wheels on the bus go round and round. Maybe the seller needs some tax losses?

 

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 5/11/2023 at 5:59 AM, Professor K said:

Now why oh why would someone root for a high price on a book, particularly a Cap 1 

[buttock]

On 5/11/2023 at 7:59 AM, ThothAmon said:

The wheels on the bus go round and round. Maybe the seller needs some tax losses?

 

My gut feeling on this book is that if I saw it pop up on a dealer's website it would probably be around $35k.  

[Professor K]

On 5/11/2023 at 12:24 PM, buttock said:

My gut feeling on this book is that if I saw it pop up on a dealer's website it would probably be around $35k.  

 

[Professor K]

Well 132 is pretty extreme and I'm thinking it's gonna have a tough time even topping 100 this time. But 35,000? In this day and age? 

[sfcityduck]

On 5/11/2023 at 9:24 AM, buttock said:

My gut feeling on this book is that if I saw it pop up on a dealer's website it would probably be around $35k.  

I'm an outlier when it comes to "cover only" books.  For me, a comic can be collectible for a lot of reasons, including a great cover.  But there are so many other factors, including great interior art, historic significance, pop culture significance, a notable story or writer, provenance, completing a run, first appearance of character, etc. etc. etc.  The most valuable comics have multiple factors - sometimes all of them.  I just don't think a "cover only" book ticks enough boxes to warrant some of the prices we saw during the Promise frenzy. 

Part of the reason why I think this way is that there are a lot of competitors for a comic that is viewed as just a nice piece of cover art.  Obvious examples include posters (movie, rock, black light, comic related, etc.), fine art, advertising art, and even objects like pinball machines you can play with:

 

And MANY examples of those alternatives are available for a fraction of the price that issue of Suspense got during the Promise frenzy.  I do think the Promise collection brought attention to some really beautiful examples of covers that may have been overlooked.  And in some cases, the prices paid for the Promise copy appear to have found significant support from transactions in non-Promise copies.  For example, the incredible Mary Marvel 5 cover was unknown to me. Prior to Promise, this 8.5 MM 5 sold in 2018 for $900:

Prior to that, the highest prices paid for 8.5s were below $300 - both for the above copy and this one:

Things changed during the Promise auction which resulted in some incredible prices for MM issues, including for this perfect 9.6 MM 5 for $21,600 - 9.6 for a black book!:

People noticed how cool some of these MM covers were, and after Promise we've seen this non-pedigree 8.5 MM 5 sell for $7,800 - pretty much validating the Promise price:

To me, $20K is pretty reasonable for a "cover only" book, and for some folks a copy of MM is more than just the cover as its not an insignificant run.  But the price for that Suspense? Seems very high.  I like your $35K gut reaction much better than the purchase price of that Suspense. Because if I was going to spend $100K+ on art, instead of comic history, pop culture significance, first appearance of a character, etc., I would be considering whether my money was better spent on buying a bunch of other pieces of art - some of which display a lot better - instead of a comic that doesn't have anything going for it other than its a nice piece of printed art.

Having said that: There's nothing rational about buying art - its only worth what people will irrationally pay for it.

Edited May 11, 2023 by sfcityduck

[adamstrange]

On 5/11/2023 at 12:24 PM, buttock said:

My gut feeling on this book is that if I saw it pop up on a dealer's website it would probably be around $35k.  

Your gut needs to see a doctor.

[Dark Knight]

On 5/10/2023 at 7:54 AM, lou_fine said:

Well, well, well......................looks like the Promise Collection copy of Cap 1 is already coming back into the marketplace so soon:  

https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/captain-america-comics-1-the-promise-collection-pedigree-timely-1941-cgc-vg-35-cream-to-off-white-pages/p/7340-280002.s?ic16=ViewItem-Inventory-BuyNowFromOwner-OtherAvailable-081514

Any bets here and will be interesting to see whether this Promise book here will be able to beat the long odds and come out ahead of its first round auction result of $240K back in November of 2021?  

Unless there's a surprising turnaround in the sentiment towards the Promise books or a resurgence in the demand for Cap 1, I would place my bet on the UNDER for this copy here.  Especially considering that CL was only able to fetch just over $200 K for their CGC 7.0 copy while CC was able to fetch just over $300K for their CGC 7.0 copy.  

My estimate FMV for it is between $80k-$120k.  

[Professor K]

On 5/11/2023 at 2:11 PM, sfcityduck said:

I'm an outlier when it comes to "cover only" books.  For me, a comic can be collectible for a lot of reasons, including a great cover.  But there are so many other factors, including great interior art, historic significance, pop culture significance, a notable story or writer, provenance, completing a run, first appearance of character, etc. etc. etc.  The most valuable comics have multiple factors - sometimes all of them.  I just don't think a "cover only" book ticks enough boxes to warrant some of the prices we saw during the Promise frenzy. 

Part of the reason why I think this way is that there are a lot of competitors for a comic that is viewed as just a nice piece of cover art.  Obvious examples include posters (movie, rock, black light, comic related, etc.), fine art, advertising art, and even objects like pinball machines you can play with:

 

And MANY examples of those alternatives are available for a fraction of the price that issue of Suspense got during the Promise frenzy.  I do think the Promise collection brought attention to some really beautiful examples of covers that may have been overlooked.  And in some cases, the prices paid for the Promise copy appear to have found significant support from transactions in non-Promise copies.  For example, the incredible Mary Marvel 5 cover was unknown to me. Prior to Promise, this 8.5 MM 5 sold in 2018 for $900:

Prior to that, the highest prices paid for 8.5s were below $300 - both for the above copy and this one:

Things changed during the Promise auction which resulted in some incredible prices for MM issues, including for this perfect 9.6 MM 5 for $21,600 - 9.6 for a black book!:

People noticed how cool some of these MM covers were, and after Promise we've seen this non-pedigree 8.5 MM 5 sell for $7,800 - pretty much validating the Promise price:

To me, $20K is pretty reasonable for a "cover only" book, and for some folks a copy of MM is more than just the cover as its not an insignificant run.  But the price for that Suspense? Seems very high.  I like your $35K gut reaction much better than the purchase price of that Suspense. Because if I was going to spend $100K+ on art, instead of comic history, pop culture significance, first appearance of a character, etc., I would be considering whether my money was better spent on buying a bunch of other pieces of art - some of which display a lot better - instead of a comic that doesn't have anything going for it other than its a nice piece of printed art.

Having said that: There's nothing rational about buying art - its only worth what people will irrationally pay for it.

Gorgar! Do you have that machine? One of the best ,coolest pinballs ever. The surface on that one is in beautiful condition.

[sfcityduck]

On 5/11/2023 at 1:59 PM, Professor K said:

Gorgar! Do you have that machine? One of the best ,coolest pinballs ever. The surface on that one is in beautiful condition.

Not mine.  But a cool object.  And inexpensive.

[Bronty]

On 5/11/2023 at 4:59 PM, Professor K said:

Gorgar! Do you have that machine? One of the best ,coolest pinballs ever. The surface on that one is in beautiful condition.

Gorgar is cool for sure and a great example from that era.

I prefer the 90s stuff with a little more going on with the machine, but if I were playing Gorgar in a pub in 1980 I could hold a beer and cigarette while playing, and there's something to be said for the slower, calmer vibe of the machines from that era too.    If I play a later machine, I have to concentrate, have my hands free etc.     One is a little more "exciting" and the other more "relaxing" and multi-task friendly.

There's original artwork out there for the machines as well!     I have the original paintings used to create the backglasses 20 or 30 machines from the 90s (mainly bally williams machines) and they are quite something to see in person.     The machines had to stand out in the crowded arcade as you know so they went to town on scope and and size and detail for pinball artwork like perhaps no other commercial illustrations I've seen.     I guess it was critically important to attract eyeballs in the arcade and the artwork was part of that initial attraction.

 

[sfcityduck]

On 5/11/2023 at 2:54 PM, Bronty said:

I have the original paintings used to create the backglasses 20 or 30 machines from the 90s (mainly bally williams machines) and they are quite something to see in person.     

 

Care to share?

[Bronty]

On 5/11/2023 at 6:10 PM, sfcityduck said:

Care to share?

Sure!

Pick one and I'll get my daughter to photograph me with it:    Medieval Madness, Whitewater, Twilight Zone.

[sfcityduck]

On 5/11/2023 at 3:11 PM, Bronty said:

Sure!

Pick one and I'll get my daughter to photograph me with it:    Medieval Madness, Whitewater, Twilight Zone.

How about MM?  Don't know that one.