I just checked the Heritage Auction has anyone else?

[adamstrange]

I just got my catalog... it's fun playing "Where have I seen that book as a lower grade before?" I call it the "Heritage Pressed Challenge"

 

Mile High Magic Comics #1 old label 6.0

Mile High Magic Comics #1 new label 7.0

 

Mile High Magic Comics #3 old label 5.5

Mile High Magic Comics #3 new label 6.5

Thanks to you and ClarkKent for identifying these books. Anyone else spot any other upgrades that I can add to the upgrade database?

 

Would it be easier to enter all the books in the Heritage auction and then delete the ones that aren't pressed?

 

Just asking.

[tth2]

I just got my catalog... it's fun playing "Where have I seen that book as a lower grade before?" I call it the "Heritage Pressed Challenge"

 

Mile High Magic Comics #1 old label 6.0

Mile High Magic Comics #1 new label 7.0

 

Mile High Magic Comics #3 old label 5.5

Mile High Magic Comics #3 new label 6.5

Thanks to you and ClarkKent for identifying these books. Anyone else spot any other upgrades that I can add to the upgrade database?

 

Would it be easier to enter all the books in the Heritage auction and then delete the ones that aren't pressed?

 

Just asking.

[LordRahl]

I just got my catalog... it's fun playing "Where have I seen that book as a lower grade before?" I call it the "Heritage Pressed Challenge"

 

Mile High Magic Comics #1 old label 6.0

Mile High Magic Comics #1 new label 7.0

 

Mile High Magic Comics #3 old label 5.5

Mile High Magic Comics #3 new label 6.5

Thanks to you and ClarkKent for identifying these books. Anyone else spot any other upgrades that I can add to the upgrade database?

 

Yes, the FF 32 CGC 9.6 that's currently up on ebay was a 9.4, sold in the Heritage Signature auction in January. Considering the source on ebay I'd say it's been pressed but looking at the scans it might be a straight resub because the top right corner is still bent back as is the overflash just a bit. As an aside, people can bash Heritage all they like but it is really nice to have permanent archives with huge scans to compare to. Something no one else in the hobby does.

[tth2]

[Aman619]

As an aside, people can bash Heritage all they like but it is really nice to have permanent archives with huge scans to compare to. Something no one else in the hobby does.

 

YES we love and appreciate the scan archives... but

is that enough cover to forestall us from questioning other aspects of their BP?

 

Wouldnt you trade the scans for a promise to cease all their pressing and improving of books without disclosure?

[delekkerste]

I just checked the 3 now at Heritage and as much as I like many parts, they just dont do it.... Ill keep looking though.

 

WOW, the Heritage Fine Arts auction ended today and those Elvgren paintings all went for some big bucks...$41,825 for "Fresh Breeze", $65,725 for "Claws for Alarm" and $38,837.50 for "Making Friends", all absolutely obliterating the pre-auction estimates. I wonder if the days when you could get a decent Elvgren for less than $30K have passed us by.

[comicseekers-migration]

I just checked the 3 now at Heritage and as much as I like many parts, they just dont do it.... Ill keep looking though.

 

WOW, the Heritage Fine Arts auction ended today and those Elvgren paintings all went for some big bucks...$41,825 for "Fresh Breeze", $65,725 for "Claws for Alarm" and $38,837.50 for "Making Friends", all absolutely obliterating the pre-auction estimates. I wonder if the days when you could get a decent Elvgren for less than $30K have passed us by.

 

[Aman619]

I just checked the 3 now at Heritage and as much as I like many parts, they just dont do it.... Ill keep looking though.

 

WOW, the Heritage Fine Arts auction ended today and those Elvgren paintings all went for some big bucks...$41,825 for "Fresh Breeze", $65,725 for "Claws for Alarm" and $38,837.50 for "Making Friends", all absolutely obliterating the pre-auction estimates. I wonder if the days when you could get a decent Elvgren for less than $30K have passed us by.

 

yeah. I was wondering too. I checked all the Elvgrens in Heritage auctions back to 2003. They were all around 15-20K . Even a couple of fabulously detailed ones! Then around your win they were 40K... and as you say, each of these went for more. one a LOT more!

 

Funny thing is, when they sat at 15 I still considered them too much at close to 20K with the vog because I thought they were "lesser" pieces.

 

 

As you say, looks like I missed the train.... At least you got a good one.

[delekkerste]

yeah. I was wondering too. I checked all the Elvgrens in Heritage auctions back to 2003. They were all around 15-20K . Even a couple of fabulously detailed ones!

 

A number of the ones that sold in the teens were his later advertising work (like for the NAPA calendars), but there were still a few nice ones from his prime pin-up years that sold in the high teens to mid-$20Ks. It seems like in the past year that prices have definitively moved to another level, though.

[Flaming_Telepath]

As an aside, people can bash Heritage all they like but it is really nice to have permanent archives with huge scans to compare to. Something no one else in the hobby does.

 

YES we love and appreciate the scan archives... but

is that enough cover to forestall us from questioning other aspects of their BP?

 

Wouldnt you trade the scans for a promise to cease all their pressing and improving of books without disclosure?

 

 

Oh, and can we add in the shill bidding on their own auctions?

[awe4one]

The rampant pressing of comics, demonstrated by the numerous examples in this auction alone, is completely out of control...

 

So where are all those that said a year ago that pressing wasn't a widespread problem in the hobby? I've noticed a distinct lack of defenders lately compared to the ignorant glory days of a year ago...

 

Jim

[tth2]

It`s kind of hard to deny it in the face of all this evidence.

[awe4one]

It`s kind of hard to deny it in the face of all this evidence.

 

True...

 

I don't want to said we told you so...but some of us caught a lot of flack, and some rather unflattering comments directed squarely to discredit us and our views, at the time...

 

Jim

[Timulty]

Well, looks like the reserves have come in and....I won't be buying anything at this auction. I am sure though, someone else will buy the books I have been looking at.

[tth2]

It`s kind of hard to deny it in the face of all this evidence.

 

True...

 

I don't want to said we told you so...but some of us caught a lot of flack, and some rather unflattering comments directed squarely to discredit us and our views, at the time...

 

Jim

Even the paranoid have enemies.

[awe4one]

It`s kind of hard to deny it in the face of all this evidence.

 

True...

 

I don't want to said we told you so...but some of us caught a lot of flack, and some rather unflattering comments directed squarely to discredit us and our views, at the time...

 

Jim

Even the paranoid have enemies.

 

Can't be called paranoid when you're proven right...

 

Jim

[drbanner]

The rampant pressing of comics, demonstrated by the numerous examples in this auction alone, is completely out of control...

 

So where are all those that said a year ago that pressing wasn't a widespread problem in the hobby? I've noticed a distinct lack of defenders lately compared to the ignorant glory days of a year ago...

 

Jim

 

To be fair Jim, those of us that have been active on the boards since '02 when ablue proclaimed that "cleaned and pressed is the way to go!" have known that pressing was going on to some degree. Is it a widespread problem? I don't know, but I would say that it's much more prevalent now than it was 1-2 years ago since within the last year, both Tracey Heft and Matt Nelson have publicly advertised pressing services (Tracey on his website and Matt on the OS guide), and PCS was cranked up within that timeframe as well.

 

So while I'm not sure I agree that "the rampant pressing of comics is completely out of control", the number of pressed books has probably increased quite a bit since then, which makes the statement more accurate today than it was 1-2 years ago.

[awe4one]

The rampant pressing of comics, demonstrated by the numerous examples in this auction alone, is completely out of control...

 

So where are all those that said a year ago that pressing wasn't a widespread problem in the hobby? I've noticed a distinct lack of defenders lately compared to the ignorant glory days of a year ago...

 

Jim

 

To be fair Jim, those of us that have been active on the boards since '02 when ablue proclaimed that "cleaned and pressed is the way to go!" have known that pressing was going on to some degree. Is it a widespread problem? I don't know, but I would say that it's much more prevalent now than it was 1-2 years ago since within the last year, both Tracey Heft and Matt Nelson have publicly advertised pressing services (Tracey on his website and Matt on the OS guide), and PCS was cranked up within that timeframe as well.

 

So while I'm not sure I agree that "the rampant pressing of comics is completely out of control", the number of pressed books has probably increased quite a bit since then, which makes the statement more accurate today than it was 1-2 years ago.

 

How many Mile High books have been identified to date? I'd say it a pretty serious problem...especially where pedigrees are concerned. And it very obvious with Silver/Bronze as well...

 

It's starting to seem like comics that aren't slabbed are the best bets to be safe...because it's very apparent that those slabbed are getting boosted by the pressing mania...

 

Jim

[drbanner]

It's starting to seem like comics that aren't slabbed are the best bets to be safe...

 

Not if you're buying expensive books. Outside of low-mid grade GA, I can't see myself spending more than a few hundred $$ on a raw book anymore, and wouldn't recommend it for anyone else either. 2-3-4 years ago I'd say yes as there were still lots of high grade and untampered with books in circulation, but today, no.

[awe4one]

It's starting to seem like comics that aren't slabbed are the best bets to be safe...

 

Not if you're buying expensive books. Outside of low-mid grade GA, I can't see myself spending more than a few hundred $$ on a raw book anymore, and wouldn't recommend it for anyone else either. 2-3-4 years ago I'd say yes as there were still lots of high grade and untampered with books in circulation, but today, no.

 

Why? It's very obvious the chances of you getting a "restored" book, if pressing is in your resto vocabulary, is just as great, or probably greater, with a slabbed comic than without...

 

Jim