Does Anybody Trade High End Art in 2023? 4 4

[Messier3499]

On 2/19/2023 at 7:11 AM, Michael Browning said:

What is realistic, though, is that, if the OP has been around for 30 years, he would already know this. I cannot imagine that he has been able to make straight-up trades to build this great collection of original art he’s saying he has now without giving up more on his end in these trades — or burning other collectors. It just ain’t possible, and we all know that.

I would sure love to see what he has, but I don’t believe that will happen because he’s been silent since he made this post.

 

Yep - been silent on this one as it took a few twists and turns from what I originally posted - I'm looking for a trade. AND venting about the comments I got directly.  

MikeB you'd like some feedback?  Well for those - like yourself - defending the dealers' right to earn a living - that was not my point and not contested.  The dealer's did not ask what i had in trade.  My original person_without_enough_empathying and moaning was because I miss the fist-class treatment (think Mitch I, Conrad E, etc) that was the norm, for much less expensive product.

Fisch - yeah sometimes you need to add a bit extra to your four quarters for that dollar bill - pretty naïve though on your part to think it impossible to happen. 

And lastly MikeB - the reason I have been successful is that I am private.  Do I really need to provide references to you? In the last year I've traded/sold/bought (with some $$) from many of the guys on this board.   

I'll attach one from a recent 4 quarters for a dollar trade.  Cover to MK14 - "Stained Glass Scarlet" - 100% Bill S - sorry for the crappy photo

 

Mess

 

 

 

[Fischb1]

I don't think it "impossible" to happen. Just unlikely. And ESPECIALLY unlikely when dealing with a savvy dealer that's offered the "quarter" pieces by collectors all day long. 

That's a beautiful cover. 

[Messier3499]

On 2/19/2023 at 11:37 AM, Fischb1 said:

I don't think it "impossible" to happen. Just unlikely. And ESPECIALLY unlikely when dealing with a savvy dealer that's offered the "quarter" pieces by collectors all day long. 

That's a beautiful cover. 

to clarify - all of my best pieces including this one - came from other collectors one on one.  But thx for the kind words - 

[Rick2you2]

On 2/19/2023 at 1:39 AM, Fischb1 said:

I'm surprised no one's made the obvious comment yet.

It's a given in any collectible market that 4 quarters are worth less than a dollar bill. (It's the same reason that you have to give up so many pieces to get a mega-star in sports.) It's relatively easy to find a quarter-piece in the wild (or at auction) but a top piece? A "dollar bill piece" is much harder to obtain.

No collector I know would give up a primo top piece for it's "equal value" in a lot of smaller pieces. The same way you wouldn't trade your Kirbys for 50 Isherwoods. 

I think your expectation is unrealistic. 

No collector would, but a dealer might. This market presumably has some pieces with value that doesn’t change much over time (like Sekowsky), but other artists and pieces appreciate more quickly (in general, 1990’s and 2000 pieces). So, I could see trades in which the trade value is close to even. 

[Will_K]

OP didn't seem to be referencing a specific piece of interest, just a general idea of what he wants.  So the only part of the transaction known to OP is what he has to offer in trade. 

I like the "4 quarters < $1.00 bill" analogy.  On the other hand, I could see a dealer wanting to "change" their $1.00 bill into 4 (or 5, 6, etc) quarters because it's cash flow or diversifying.  From the stories about the much maligned "Los Bros", they don't care about cash flow.  But some dealers might.  HA is certainly willing to auction Kirby's non-splashes and even non-Kirby art.  And I think @artdealer has mentioned in the past that a lot of dealers are selling some art on consignment.  So dealers don't have so much flexibility that they can trade art that they don't actually own.

Also, great Moon Knight cover art, it certainly appears better than how it looks in print.  I'm sure your quarters are better than my $1.00 bills.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Will_K

[DeadpoolJr.]

I haven't done any trades with collectors in the hobby but think it could be an enjoyable experience as long as both parties are fair in the valuing of the pieces. I've been offered trade before but have turned it down in the since I didn't see the offers as being equal to what I had price wise or because it was something that I wasn't interested in.

If you ever want to trade ROM Spaceknight or Fanfare pinups pieces though please hit me up!

Edited February 20, 2023 by DeadpoolJr.

[Michael Browning]

On 2/19/2023 at 9:40 AM, Messier3499 said:

Yep - been silent on this one as it took a few twists and turns from what I originally posted - I'm looking for a trade. AND venting about the comments I got directly.  

MikeB you'd like some feedback?  Well for those - like yourself - defending the dealers' right to earn a living - that was not my point and not contested.  The dealer's did not ask what i had in trade.  My original person_without_enough_empathying and moaning was because I miss the fist-class treatment (think Mitch I, Conrad E, etc) that was the norm, for much less expensive product.

Fisch - yeah sometimes you need to add a bit extra to your four quarters for that dollar bill - pretty naïve though on your part to think it impossible to happen. 

And lastly MikeB - the reason I have been successful is that I am private.  Do I really need to provide references to you? In the last year I've traded/sold/bought (with some $$) from many of the guys on this board.   

I'll attach one from a recent 4 quarters for a dollar trade.  Cover to MK14 - "Stained Glass Scarlet" - 100% Bill S - sorry for the crappy photo

 

Mess

 

 

 

I didn't ask for references at all; I just wanted to hear more from you. When I make a post, I don't go silent and not followup.

I have been collecting for 25 years and, if you go further back than me, you know for a fact that dealers have never traded straight up and they always make trades that are in their favor.

I'm glad you have a great collection and I hope it continues to grow. But, when you make a post fussing about dealers not wanting to trade straight up, having been in the hobby so long, you should also know that other collectors will chime in with their opinions and experiences.

[artdealer]

So, just the other day, I was offered a trade, that was probably the most lopsided offer ever. 
This collector wanted to trade me his “debatable” (by his own admission) first appearance of Killer Croc from Detective Comics #524 pg 3 for the Golden Age Jerry Robinson Batman/Joker page from Detective Comics #76……even trade. Once I pulled myself off the floor from laughing, I told him no. 
Besides the fact I don’t trade, I told him nobody in their right mind would trade a “supposed” first appearance of a lower 2nd tier villain for a Golden Age page of the top villain drawn by his creator. 
Talk about a lofty trade expected!

Edited February 20, 2023 by artdealer

[buttock]

On 2/19/2023 at 7:51 PM, artdealer said:

So, just the other day, I was offered a trade, that was probably the most lopsided offer ever. 
 

I've got work to do

[alxjhnsn]

On 2/19/2023 at 8:51 PM, artdealer said:

So, just the other day, I was offered a trade, that was probably the most lopsided offer ever. 
This collector wanted to trade me his “debatable” (by his own admission) first appearance of Killer Croc from Detective Comics #524 pg 3 for the Golden Age Jerry Robinson Batman/Joker page from Detective Comics #76……even trade. Once I pulled myself off the floor from laughing, I told him no. 
Besides the fact I don’t trade, I told him nobody in their right mind would trade a “supposed” first appearance of a lower 2nd tier villain for a Golden Age page of the top villain drawn by his creator. 
Talk about a lofty trade expected!

Wow! 

I guess you can't blame a guy for trying, but wow!

[Rick2you2]

On 2/19/2023 at 7:58 PM, DeadpoolJr. said:

I haven't done any trades with collectors in the hobby but think it could be an enjoyable experience as long as both parties are fair in the valuing of the pieces. I've been offered trade before but have turned it down in the since I didn't see the offers as being equal to what I had price wise or because it was something that I wasn't interested in.

If you ever want to trade ROM Spaceknight or Fanfare pinups pieces though please hit me up!

I’ve only done one “sort of” trade, because, well, this is my stuff and Phantom Stranger art can be hard to find. Someone was willing to trade some PS art I really wanted but  I had nothing to offer. So, he advised me that something was coming up for sale at auction, and if I won, he would accept it. I won it, at a pretty low price, and he honored our deal. I felt guilty, so I threw in a Phantom Sunday section I had lying around. Never heard from him again and he vanished from CAF. Then, I felt even worse.😕. But no, I didn’t offer to give my new stuff up.

[Nexus]

On 2/18/2023 at 8:44 AM, MAR1979 said:

Collectors trade, dealers gouge

Is it only dealers who gouge? I take it you've never witnessed a Comic Art Live event...

From what I've seen in my time in the hobby, most collectors become dealers when they decide to sell.

[New School Fool]

On 2/21/2023 at 7:23 PM, Nexus said:

Is it only dealers who gouge? I take it you've never witnessed a Comic Art Live event...

From what I've seen in my time in the hobby, most collectors become dealers when they decide to sell.

Never a truer word spoken!

[Michael Browning]

On 2/21/2023 at 1:09 PM, Rick2you2 said:

I’ve only done one “sort of” trade, because, well, this is my stuff and Phantom Stranger art can be hard to find. Someone was willing to trade some PS art I really wanted but  I had nothing to offer. So, he advised me that something was coming up for sale at auction, and if I won, he would accept it. I won it, at a pretty low price, and he honored our deal. I felt guilty, so I threw in a Phantom Sunday section I had lying around. Never heard from him again and he vanished from CAF. Then, I felt even worse.😕. But no, I didn’t offer to give my new stuff up.

Wait, did he get away with your art without sending you yours? I mean, did he steal your art?

[Rick2you2]

On 2/21/2023 at 9:24 PM, Michael Browning said:

Wait, did he get away with your art without sending you yours? I mean, did he steal your art?

Oh my, no. He sent me what he said he would, as well as a few of his own orphan pieces I'm sure he didn't know what to do with. They included what may be the strangest Phantom Stranger illustration I have ever seen, and wouldn't recoginze if I didn't know what it was (heck, even the Bristol Board is from the wrong company).  By Duke Mighten, for a proposed pre-Justice League Dark kind of book:

Aside from a companion Plastic Man piece like this, the other things were lovely. By the way, I sent him a Green Lantern story.

[romitaman]

I don't believe you contacted me with your art for trade....(just saying.....)

[Messier3499]

On 2/22/2023 at 2:02 AM, romitaman said:

I don't believe you contacted me with your art for trade....(just saying.....)

In fairness, Mike is correct....

 

Mike I just sent a PM 

[Infamouspure22]

On 2/22/2023 at 6:35 AM, Messier3499 said:

In fairness, Mike is correct....

 

Mike I just sent a PM 

Hi I sent you a PM