Okajima?

[rob_react]

Anyone have any information on this pedigree? It's recognized by CGC, but I know nothing about it. I just got this book in the mail this morning, so I'm curious:

 

[ArAich]

Nice book Rob...for what it's worth.... HERE is the extent of my knowledge on this pedigree...

[greggy]

Anyone have any information on this pedigree? It's recognized by CGC, but I know nothing about it. I just got this book in the mail this morning, so I'm curious:

 

[img'>http://comics.drunkenfist.com/linked/exciting64Thumb.jpg[/img]

 

I believe Alan Bahr from Heroes Comics in Campbell, CA discovered the collection.

 

Here's his eBay feedback profile so why don't you give him a shout ==> http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=turboterri]Link' to turboterri

[PedigreeMan]

Anyone have any information on this pedigree? It's recognized by CGC, but I know nothing about it. I just got this book in the mail this morning, so I'm curious:

 

Going by memory here as I'm at work right now and don't have access to any provenance statements ....

 

Basically, it was a single owner collection of about 1500 1940s-era books that surfaced in northern California circa 1995. Typical "relatives inherit house, find a buncha comics stashed somewhere, make some cash" story. However, this family was apparently more savvy than most since they shopped the books around to a couple of stores instead of taking the first deal that came along. Alan Bahr of Hero's Comics in Fresno got about a third of the books, with the rest being distributed elsewhere. I know Wonderland Comics got some, but I'm not sure of the quantity.

 

The only provenance statements were produced by Bahr, so there could be up to 1000 books floating out there that may not be identified as Okajimas. However, on the earlier issues, the young girl who purchased them had written her name across the front cover, making them fairly easy to recognize. For the others, there can usually be found a date stamp on the back cover that is familiar if you've seen enough of them. But, since it's only a date stamp, identification can probably be misrepresented, mistaken or missed altogether.

 

The books I've seen from the collection are nice. Not Edgar Church flawless, and I've only seen one with "blinding" white pages, but still "high grade."

 

In reality, though, I'm not sure how this collection became a pedigree. I have yet to see or hear of the existence of any of the top dozen-or-so GA keys, the number of issues is rather small, and the condition of the books are not "super high grade." My assumption is good marketing on the part of Bahr added with a lot of turnover has kept the name out there, unlike others (i.e. the "Aurora" or "Twilight" "pedigrees").

 

Al

[PedigreeMan]

Here's is eBay feedback profile so why don't you give him a shout

 

I concur.

 

Alan's a good guy ... I contacted him to try and establish the provenance of one of the 1000 books he didn't handle, and he went above and beyond the call of duty to help me out!

 

Al

[lou_fine]

The only additional piece of information that I would have is that the original owner was a young Janpanese girl who PROBABLY started collecting and reading the books while she was in a Japanese internment camp towards the end of WW2. Ibelieve that most of these books are not super high-grade and would most likely grade out in the VF- to VF/NM range. Does anybody know if there is any kind of a premium paid for these books?

[PedigreeMan]

Does anybody know if there is any kind of a premium paid for these books?

 

I don't recall ever seeing an Okajima go for any more than guide. I know I've certainly not paid any more!

 

Al