Moondog's Ashcan Odyssey - Part 1 1 1

[Moondog]

Now that I'm selling the last items from my collection, I thought it might be interesting to some of you to know how I came to collect Golden Age ashcans, and how this long and winding road ended up here. 

When I purchased my first 6 ashcans in October (November?) 1985 I had never seen one before.  I didn't know what they were.  There was no information anywhere about them.  But when my old pal, Joe Desris, asked me if I was interested in checking out this small stack of books that Sol Harrison gave him, I was intrigued.  Seeing the Superman and Wonder Woman ashcans for the first time was like a bomb burst in my head.  I love history, especially the history of American comic books, and even though I had no idea what they were, I knew I had to have them.  Joe had shopped them around to a few other dealers and everyone said the same thing, they're cool but what are they?  Sol also wanted $10,000 for the 6 books which turned everyone off - except me.  When I went home and explained to my wife that I spent $10,000 on 6 comics that I had no idea what they were, she gave me that bemused look I'd seen a zillion times before and said I'm sure it'll work out. 

I sent images of the 6 books to Bob Overstreet and he ran a story on them in the 1986 edition of the Guide. 

So Joe went back to Sol and said that the buyer would buy more if any were available.  Well, there were more.  2 more buys in the next 6 months netted a second Superman, 2 Action Comics, 2 Action Funnies and many, many more.

Edited February 26, 2022 by Moondog

[tth2]

On 2/26/2022 at 1:02 PM, Moondog said:

When I went home and explained to my wife that I spent $10,000 on 6 comics that I had no idea what they were, she gave me that bemused look I'd seen a zillion times before and said I'm sure it'll work out. 

 I can relate!

(well, except that "I'm sure it'll work out" has never been uttered by Mrs. tth2) 

[sfcityduck]

On 2/25/2022 at 9:02 PM, Moondog said:

Now that I'm selling the last items from my collection, I thought it might be interesting to some of you to know how I came to collect Golden Age ashcans, and how this long and winding road ended up here. 

 

 

 

I've always been curious!  Thanks for posting!

[Captainwonder]

I’ve never heard of these. I’d love to know what the ashcan Wonder Woman is? 

[pemart1966]

On 2/26/2022 at 12:38 AM, tth2 said:

 I can relate!

(well, except that "I'm sure it'll work out" has never been uttered by Mrs. tth2) 

Probably more like "This had better work out...."   

[lou_fine]

On 2/26/2022 at 12:21 PM, pemart1966 said:

On 2/25/2022 at 9:38 PM, tth2 said:

 I can relate!

(well, except that "I'm sure it'll work out" has never been uttered by Mrs. tth2) 

Probably more like "This had better work out...."   

Well, having had the distinct pleasure of meeting Tim's much much better half, I don't think he would have any problems at all and certainly need not worry about finding his suitcase packed outside the front door of his place.    

On the other hand, after getting that quarter of a million dollar cheque or whatever from Heritage for his latest handful of books, I do believe somebody's going to be busy going down to Harbor City or Causeway Bay to shop for the latest in fashion Hermes bag.    

[pemart1966]

On 2/28/2022 at 2:23 AM, lou_fine said:

Well, having had the distinct pleasure of meeting Tim's much much better half, I don't think he would have any problems at all and certainly need not worry about finding his suitcase packed outside the front door of his place.    

On the other hand, after getting that quarter of a million dollar cheque or whatever from Heritage for his latest handful of books, I do believe somebody's going to be busy going down to Harbor City or Causeway Bay to shop for the latest in fashion Hermes bag.    

Tim's got good taste is what I hear you saying...