What is the general consensus on getting a pedigree book signed? Yay or nay? 1 1

[CaseyJohnson]

I have a decent-sized collection of Spider-Woman books, including 2 pedigrees.  One from the Winnipeg collection and one Frank Miller cover from the Savannah collection.  I'm rather new to the pedigree thing so what is the prevailing thought on getting a pedigree book signed?  I know the whole idea is you have a book from an important collection as it was, back then.  Does "altering" that book impact that whole idea?  I hope I'm making sense.  Do you treat a pedigree kinda like an antique that you do not change?

[143ksk]

Totally depends on the pedigree. I wouldn't have any problem with having a bronze pedigree book signed...

[CardiacKid1]

And I long ago had this Western Penn pedigree signed by the creators of this comic.

[seanfingh]

This has been a spirited discussion for many years.  For me, the analysis came down to three factors: How available was the book, how special is the pedigree, how important is the signature?  That was then shaped by the opinions of Boardies like @Flaming_Telepath who vigorously and convincingly argued that we are not owners of pedigree comics we are curators or stewards.  So I would analyze thusly:  Can I get the XXXX Pedigree that I have signed? Yes.  Should I have the XXXX Pedigree book that I have signed?  Apply the three factors.  In doing so, I had a Western Penn Nick Fury 1 signed by Steranko (there are multiple WP copies of that book) and I had a couple of Northland Charltons signed.  I don't think I would ever get a big Golden Age Ped signed. Maybe for Frazetta.  But a Church Cap or an Okajima Jungle - not me!  Even a White Mountain Hulk, not me. 

[Flaming_Telepath]

On 9/6/2023 at 3:57 PM, seanfingh said:

This has been a spirited discussion for many years.  For me, the analysis came down to three factors: How available was the book, how special is the pedigree, how important is the signature?  That was then shaped by the opinions of Boardies like @Flaming_Telepath who vigorously and convincingly argued that we are not owners of pedigree comics we are curators or stewards.  So I would analyze thusly:  Can I get the XXXX Pedigree that I have signed? Yes.  Should I have the XXXX Pedigree book that I have signed?  Apply the three factors.  In doing so, I had a Western Penn Nick Fury 1 signed by Steranko (there are multiple WP copies of that book) and I had a couple of Northland Charltons signed.  I don't think I would ever get a big Golden Age Ped signed. Maybe for Frazetta.  But a Church Cap or an Okajima Jungle - not me!  Even a White Mountain Hulk, not me. 

Woah...I'm remembered.

Be still my beating heart.

 

[seanfingh]

On 9/6/2023 at 11:21 AM, Flaming_Telepath said:

Woah...I'm remembered.

Be still my beating heart.

 

Fondly remembered, you old sod.

[Flaming_Telepath]

On 9/6/2023 at 4:33 PM, seanfingh said:

Fondly remembered, you old sod.

There are some who would disagree but I'll take what I can get. How you doing, Sean?

 

[seanfingh]

Quite well, my friend. How are thing across the pond?

[Flaming_Telepath]

On 9/7/2023 at 12:50 AM, seanfingh said:

Quite well, my friend. How are thing across the pond?

In general, a complete excrement show.

However, they haven't banned alcohol yet so we're all good.

[thehumantorch]

On 9/6/2023 at 9:21 AM, Flaming_Telepath said:

Woah...I'm remembered.

Be still my beating heart.

 

Of course you're remembered.  Please post here a little more.

[MAR1979]

I would leave pedigree as is if in high grade for the books era. 

 

[Flaming_Telepath]

On 9/7/2023 at 1:49 AM, thehumantorch said:

Of course you're remembered.  Please post here a little more.

[namisgr]

On 9/6/2023 at 10:57 AM, seanfingh said:

That was then shaped by the opinions of Boardies like @Flaming_Telepath who vigorously and convincingly argued that we are not owners of pedigree comics we are curators or stewards. 

This.

If somebody owns the Edgar Church copy of a cool GA book and they wanted Stan Lee to sign it, then ownership gives them the right and opportunity to do so.  Or, for a less jarring example, one of the book's artist or writer creators.  But the book will never again look like it did the day Rozanski first gazed upon the stacks and stacks of the greatest surviving GA collection on the planet, and held some of the glorious and unsullied time capsules.

And yes, while it's less dramatic than all that when one of the great Silver Age pedigrees is concerned, it's also the case that there will be many, many other sharp copies of any book available for autographing.  For those pedigrees that aren't standouts or bronze age issues that likely exist in the hundreds in near mint or better shape, stewardship is less of a concern.