Christine Farrell - DC Collector RIP 4 4

[sfcityduck]

On 9/18/2024 at 7:14 AM, DanCooper said:

Looks like the first wave of Chris's collection (pre-the main one being discussed here with the Mile Highs) will be in the weekly Heritage auction - September 29th - October 1st:

https://comics.ha.com/c/search/results.zx?term=%22christine+farrell%22&si=2&dept=1938&live_state=5318~5319~5320~5323~5321~5324&auction_name=122440&sb=4&mode=live&page=50~1&layout=list

A lot of interesting stuff - hard to find titles (like Big Towns) lower grade keys like Brave & Bold 1, Jimmy Olsen 1, etc. A restored Showcase 4, which indicates there are dupes since an unrestored Showcase 4 will be in the main auction later in October.

Already multiple books with two copies from her collection being offered in the main auction. Not sure the rhyme or reason of the listings. Runs are being sold with big gaps. Presumably, they broke up the Showcase 4s to elevate the profile of the weekly. I'd guess they are breaking up runs to ease the pain on the buyers.

[sfcityduck]

On 9/18/2024 at 10:30 AM, Silver Surfer said:

Any guesses on the final hammer for this one? The bidding will be fierce. 

It's a Mile High 9.6 white copy of one the books with the Action 1 ad. A 6.0 sold in 2022 for $16K or so. The 8.0 from the DC Universe Collection (now the third highest graded copy but the highest graded copy ever offered at auction when sold a few months ago) went for $25K to an astute poster here. Is this copy 3x or 4x more valuable? Bidders could see it so. The second highest graded is a 9.2. Is it a trophy? Yeah. Because of the Flessel underwater shark cover and the inside cover Action 1 ad does not hurt either (although it does not pre-date Action 1 the way the ads in three earlier DC's do).

Edited yesterday at 07:50 PM by sfcityduck

[Silver Surfer]

Yup I’m guessing $100K + another $50K in last minute crazy bidding. 

[Professor K]

On 9/18/2024 at 1:30 PM, Silver Surfer said:

Any guesses on the final hammer for this one? The bidding will be fierce. 

A beauty of an 8.0 sold for 31,250 last March. There is a 9.2 in between but I see no record of it ever selling publically. I doubt it'll reach 100 large but it'll probably hit at least 60 or 70 small. By small I mean large. 

So I'm guessing Mrs. Farrell acquired most if not all her Church copies way back when. Like BCGC (Before CGC).  Or WBCGC (Way Before CGC).

[sfcityduck]

On 9/18/2024 at 1:32 PM, Professor K said:

 

So I'm guessing Mrs. Farrell acquired most if not all her Church copies way back when. Like BCGC (Before CGC).  Or WBCGC (Way Before CGC).

She's got a really interesting story and it is worth repeating (and collating):

She started collecting as a young girl in the 1950s. She started on the goal of getting every DC superhero comic in 1970. She is photographed with mega keys in the 1970s. By 1987, she had finished the superhero comics and decided to get every DC. By 1992 she had reached this point:

Quote

In early 1992, Mike Wilbur of Diamond International Galleries and Alan Grobman (both then of Sparkle City) entered the ranks of the select few who have personally seen the collection. They spent three weeks that winter at the collector's house. Day after day, from morning until after midnight, they flipped through a seemingly endless succession of boxes, as they checked, verified and took notes.

Complete runs of Action, Adventure, All Star, Batman, Detective, More Fun, Sensation, Superman, and other titles both well-known and obscure passed through their hands as the weeks progressed. From early rarities like Big Book of Fun Comics and New Fun Comics up through the Golden and Silver Ages to then-current titles, the main core of the DC collection was there. All that remained at that point was to finish filling in the fringes with the rest of the war, western, romance, mystery, and humor titles.

 

The collection was thought finished in 2002 when she got an otherwise forgettable romance book. But, the search was reopened when an obscure DC was discovered and she picked that up in 2003. Since then she was just buying new DC books. It was publicly announced that "a collector" finished the DC collection in 2007, but her name was not released as she shunned publicity. She did however announce her thanks to those that helped her acquire the collection, including some familiar names around here:

Quote

The collector would like to extend personal thanks to Joe Vereneault of JHV Associates, Alan Grobman, Gene Carpenter of All-American Comics, fellow collector Mike D’Alessandro and Wilbur, with special mentions also going to Joe Mannarino, John Verzyl of Comic Heaven, Mike Goldman of Motor City Comics, Ron Pussell of Redbeard’s Book Den, Harley Yee, Richard Evans of Bedrock City Comics, Rob Ronin, Michelle Nolan, and Nostalgia Zone of Minnesota for their assistance, support, and encouragement.

She also owned non-DC comics and original art and some notable comic artist paintings/reproductions. It looks like a Wonder Comics 1 and Plastic Man 1 are in the auction from her collection (but not labeled as part of the DC collection).

A neat story about her that shows even her desire to avoid attention could not deter admiration:

Quote

 

Farrell wasn’t one for the spotlight; in fact, she was very shy and didn’t publicize her collection. Despite that, Farrell was known in the collecting community and people were impressed by what she had accomplished with her collection. After completing the DC collection, she continued to attend cons to socialize with other collectors and dealers, and would buy books to sell in her comic store. (Editor’s note: In 2007, Scoop wrote about Farrell’s collection. Since she was reluctant to be known, her name was not disclosed in the article.)

“Back in the 1990s at one of the NYC Comic shows I was talking to a big time dealer from down south when all of a sudden, he stopped and pointed across the aisle from his booth and in a whisper said, ‘Do you see that lady walking over there?’ I didn’t as she had moved out of sight. Then she walked into view, and I saw Christine Farrell for the first time, though I did not talk to her. With genuine awe in his voice, he told me she was one of the greatest comic book collectors in the world. That made it my turn to be in awe of her, and even more so when I found out she had every DC comic ever published up to the newest releases,” Overstreet advisor Art Cloos said. “Over time at the big shows I got to meet and talk to her, and we would go out to dinner when a show closed for the night. It hit hard to learn of her passing. The legacy she leaves behind can never be topped and comic fandom is much poorer for having lost her.

 

Gone but hopefully won't be forgotten.

Edited yesterday at 09:41 PM by sfcityduck

[vheflin]

No Detective 1, 27, or 31, wonder if they will be added.

Lot count is 491, same as last night.

[Silver Surfer]

Marvel #1?

[tth2]

On 9/19/2024 at 1:25 AM, Crowzilla said:

It was just a few months ago that Peter shared his joy in being able to acquire the 8.0 copy of NA27

I guess Peter will soon be sharing his joy in being able to sell the 8.0 copy of NA27.

[RareHighGrade]

On 9/18/2024 at 8:27 PM, tth2 said:

I guess Peter will soon be sharing his joy in being able to sell the 8.0 copy of NA27.

 

On 9/18/2024 at 12:47 PM, Silver Surfer said:

Yup I’m guessing $100K + another $50K in last minute crazy bidding. 

[RareHighGrade]

Here's another unicorn that will be offered.  Ian Levine's 3.5 sold for $37,500 earlier this year.

[IngelsFan]

On 9/18/2024 at 8:50 PM, RareHighGrade said:

Here's another unicorn that will be offered.  Ian Levine's 3.5 sold for $37,500 earlier this year.

Damn that is a beautiful book.

[Professor K]

Thanks for that sfcityduck. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Wonder Comics. Makes sense though that she would have it. Can't help wondering if the writing on top of the cover has any importance.

 

 

[sfcityduck]

On 9/18/2024 at 8:50 PM, RareHighGrade said:

Here's another unicorn that will be offered.  Ian Levine's 3.5 sold for $37,500 earlier this year.

 

Nothing can top Zaid's set.

Edited 16 hours ago by sfcityduck

[sfcityduck]

On 9/18/2024 at 11:59 PM, Professor K said:

Thanks for that sfcityduck. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Wonder Comics. Makes sense though that she would have it. Can't help wondering if the writing on top of the cover has any importance.

 

Great catch. Yeah, it does. Someone should page Zaid (beyond my skill set), because it likely means this comic is a court copy that was used as an exhibit in Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc., 111 F.2d 432 (2d Cir. 1940) - the famous lawsuit by DC against Fox that put Wonder Man out of business in an attempt to stomp Superman imitators - or was a copy used by one of the legal teams.

This is a really historically important book. And the guy who specializes in this sort of thing - yeah it is Zaid.

PS: I realize I can post too much. It's a flaw. Just enjoy sharing the many bits of info, perhaps trivia, that I've acquired from a lifetime of enjoying this hobby. And on other threads I can fall prey to the weakness of enjoying an argument. Feel free to let me know if I'm thread bombing. My wife's telling me to give it a rest.

Edited 16 hours ago by sfcityduck

[Professor K]

On 9/19/2024 at 3:10 AM, sfcityduck said:

Great catch. Yeah, it does. Someone should page Zaid (beyond my skill set), because it likely means this comic is a court copy that was used as an exhibit in Detective Comics, Inc. v. Bruns Publications, Inc., 111 F.2d 432 (2d Cir. 1940) - the famous lawsuit by DC against Fox that put Wonder Man out of business in an attempt to stomp Superman imitators - or was a copy used by one of the legal teams.

This is a really historically important book. And the guy who specializes in this sort of thing - yeah it is Zaid.

PS: I realize I can post too much. It's a flaw. Just enjoy sharing the many bits of info, perhaps trivia, that I've acquired from a lifetime of enjoying this hobby. And on other threads I can fall prey to the weakness of enjoying an argument. Feel free to let me know if I'm thread bombing. My wife's telling me to give it a rest.

Ok ok it does say Bruns. I thought it might be related to the court case. It could be that someone just wrote that on there who knows when. I would think there would be (or maybe would have been) a copy with the district court stamp on it but I just looked up the 14 past sales I could find and didn't see it. Maybe this is it and Mrs. Farrell knew it. 

[sfcityduck]

On 9/19/2024 at 1:12 AM, Professor K said:

Ok ok it does say Bruns. I thought it might be related to the court case. It could be that someone just wrote that on there who knows when. I would think there would be (or maybe would have been) a copy with the district court stamp on it but I just looked up the 14 past sales I could find and didn't see it. Maybe this is it and Mrs. Farrell knew it. 

The copies that would have had the D.Ct. stamp were likely those which were used as exhibits and placed into evidence, and stamps could also have been put on "conformed copies" for the attorneys or judge. The copies for the plaintiff counsel, defense counsel, and judge may or may not get stamped and they usually stay with the attorneys (the judge would probably throw his away unless he wanted a momento or a gift to a kid). Back then my guess that generally only the copy that was used for the witnesses would have a court stamp.  This copy looks like it was used by an attorney so they could read and view what the witness was seeing as that witness was being questioned on the exhibit.

I'm interpreting the pencil on the left to say "KC" or "KU".  This could be a reference to a legal counsel that represented Bruns/Fox in litigation with DC - Charles Kahn of Kahn Unger. Or it could be a reference to another legal counsel that represented Bruns/Fox - the Koenig firm. Or it could have been a reference to an associated defendant with Bruns/Fox - the Kable News Corp. Who knows? But my gut tells me it was associated with the lawsuit.

Edited 5 hours ago by sfcityduck