R.I.P. Conrad Eschenberg (1953-2023) 2 2

[delekkerste]

I learned only yesterday that Conrad Eschenberg ("Conrad's Comic Art" and "Conrad's Comics-n-Art") passed away on February 14. As he was one of the early major dealers in the comic art hobby, and still in contact with a number of people, I was stunned that almost nobody seems to have heard the news either:

Conrad Eschenberg Obituary

I didn't know him well, but, enjoyed seeing and speaking with him at conventions, especially the early NJ art cons, which he attended despite suffering from Parkinson's disease (which he lived with for well over a decade). While he hasn't been at conventions for a long while now, I was told that he really wanted to somehow make it out to SDCC this year.  I think the last time I spoke with him was on the speakerphone in the car as me and a mutual friend were driving to SDCC, probably around 2017-19.

In any case, I thought people would want to know and maybe share a memory or two here.

R.I.P. Conrad. 

Edited March 21, 2023 by delekkerste

[vodou]

Thanks for posting this Gene.

Conrad was a character, for sure, but always and certainly - honest, fair, and willing to dicker favorably to all on prices if you wanted to get several at once. His word was his bond, and I never had a single issue with him or his business practices; there are very few others I can write that about.

Even though only 1% of my collection by piece count came to me through him, they probably represents 25% of my overall gross value today…and that’s because he had art I wanted at a price I could pay and he never changed the rules after the fact or reneged, meaning I never had to cut him off - from my future business. He was a great guy and a real credit to “dealers” who mostly, and deservedly, have a relatively weak reputation.

[grapeape]

Very sad to hear this. I had a few dealings with Conrad in the nineties and referred friends to him that got some of their favorite pieces from him.

I'm very sorry for his family and wish them peace and comfort in this time of sorrow.

 

[Bronty]

Really sorry to hear that.   RIP Conrad.

[thehumantorch]

So sorry to hear of his passing.  Rest in peace Conrad

[christosgage]

Very sorry to hear about Conrad's passing. I didn't know him well at all but he seemed like a very nice guy. The Godzilla cover in my avatar was purchased from him...my wife (then girlfriend) heard me talking about it when I got back from SDCC (this would have been around 1998) and she tracked him down and arranged to buy it from him. When I heard the whole story I really appreciated the way he worked with her instead of being inaccessible or condescending to someone who wasn't steeped in the hobby. He will be missed. Condolences to all his loved ones.

[Readcomix]

Always a good guy in my experience. I mostly interacted with him years ago, when he was predominantly a comics dealer. (Or at least that’s how I knew him, as a high school kid myself at the time, in the 80’s). RIP good sir.

[namisgr]

I also knew him as a comic dealer.  He was one of the early ones to recognize the considerable added value of high grade for early silver age comics.  As a dealer, he was known for acquiring and bringing to market a large pre-hero and SA collection in great condition, that if memory serves me was purchased from the original owner in the nearby Bronx, and became known in collecting circles as the Edenwald collection.

RIP

Edited March 21, 2023 by namisgr

[goldust40]

I remember buying some art from him at a NYC show at the Sheraton in 1996. Bought a Kirby and a Byrne page with my brother - wish I'd bought more, as one would. Conrad was very easy to deal with, and did cut a little deal so that we could pick up that extra piece. Very sad to hear of this.

[bisquitodoom]

I never got the chance to meet him, but I've definitely heard several stories about him.  Very sad to hear.  RIP. 

 

[Will_K]

I don't recall ever having any dealings with him.  But it's nice to see that he's remembered well.

Edited March 21, 2023 by Will_K

[hmendryk]

Sad news. He was a frequent presence in the Big Apple Con in the late 90's when I entered the hobby. As others have said, only a small portion of my collection was purchased from him. But boy oh boy what I got from him. Most of my collecting is not nostalgia driven. My nostalgia was for Kirby silver age Captain America. I don't have much, but most was from Conrad. It was always pleasant doing business with him.

[taro90]

RIP.... One the of top guys in the business.

[trimpehulk]

On 3/21/2023 at 7:47 PM, taro90 said:

RIP.... One the of top guys in the business.

Conrad was an interesting gentleman for sure purchased my all time favorite Sal Buscema  Incredible Hulk splash from him in Philadelphia. Made my day way back then one of my most memorable art days ever. 

[The Voord]

I purchased some artwork from Conrad, from over  here in the UK, quite a while back . . . a Ditko ASM page, a Kirby/Sinnott FF page and a complete book of pre-code Horror.

I always regarded him as a straight-shooter, totally honest and reliable, responding quickly to my enquiries and his art offerings seemed reasonably priced.

Sorry to hear of his passing . . . I always regarded him as one of the good guys amongst dealers.

Edited March 22, 2023 by The Voord

[MyNameIsLegion]

Conrad was one of the dealers I preferred to visit at SDCC in the late 90s-early 2000s. One of the few OA dealers that carried comics and ephemera also. I still have the art I purchased from him. I had not seen him in nearly 20 years and I could tell his health was failing then. RIP Conrad.

Edited March 22, 2023 by MyNameIsLegion

[DC's Showcase]

Conrad loved the Silver Age, especially Ditko and pre-hero, and he always brought the good stuff. He didn't suffer fools, but he was a fair trader. His pricing always seemed just a little too steep, but he understood the market and values usually quickly caught up.

What a terrible disease, which he was strong enough to handle with utmost dignity.

RIP Conrad.

[Lee B.]

Conrad Eschenberg ran lots of ads in the Comic Buyer's Guide and even published one or two art catalogs.  Here are some examples of pieces he offered and his asking prices.  RIP Conrad.

http://comicartads.com/content/godzilla-4-cover

http://comicartads.com/content/daredevil-22-page-24

http://comicartads.com/content/avengers-2-page-19

http://comicartads.com/content/journey-mystery-101-page-5

http://comicartads.com/content/captain-america-223-page-1

http://comicartads.com/content/amazing-spider-man-12-page-11

[hmendryk]

Thanks Lee B. for reminding me about Conrad's catalogs. I didn't know about his catalog while I was buying art from him at Big Apple Con in the late 90's. But when they appeared on the web in more recent years, I found that a couple of the pieces I bought from him were advertised by Conrad.

One was a Captain American page from Avengers #6 where he was asking $2300

http://comicartads.com/content/avengers-6-page-20

Another was, for me, the first appearance of Captain America in Strange Tales #114. Yeah I know Cap was really the Acrobat, but when I bought and read it as a youngster I was instantly a Captain America fan. Conrad was asking $2200.

http://comicartads.com/content/strange-tales-114-page-17

Interestingly those were not the prices I paid. I paid half of that. I don't think I haggled with him, I believe that the lower prices are what he offered them to me when I asked. I do remember he later ask if I wanted to sell back the Avengers #6 page. I didn't know any other collectors at that time so I just thought that some collectors only kept art for a time until they found the next new item. But now I wonder if someone had approached Conrad about the piece at the advertised price.

For a better image of the two pieces:

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by hmendryk

[shadroch]

I set up next to him at the Rockville Center show for several months.  He was an established dealer and I was a new kid.  He wasn't particularly friendly, but he gave me some great tips. Over the years we'd run into each other and have brief discussions. 

He always struck me as a good man, which is not something I can say about a lot of old school dealers.

Rest in Peace.