What ever happened to collector Harold Anderson?

[esquirecomics]

You here Harold?

 

I'm reading through some past issues of Comics Values Monthly and Overstreet's Comic Book Price Update that I picked up earlier this year and the Overstreet issue #21 from May/June 1992 provides a special update report of the Sotheby's comic auction of December 1991. It reports:

 

A collector from Alabama, Harold Anderson, stole the show by buying many of the number one issues and other unique items, some bringing record prices. Anderson is shown above with his copy of Detective Comics #27 for which he paid $50,000. He plans on promoting the hobby by possibly sending a traveling museum to all of the Wal-Mart stores across the country.

 

The photograph reveals a very young looking man. Whatever happened to him?

[Moondog]

Anderson News (Harold's family business) was the exclusive distributor of magazines, comics and other periodicals in all the Wal-Marts. The family made a fortune as Wal-Mart continued growing. He and I met in 1993 when I formed the Direct Line Group. He was hoping to break into comics distribution as well as bring some of his goods (cards and other pre-packaged collectibles) to the comics marketplace. The DLG was a consortium of 20 big comics retailers...

 

I was at Sotheby's when he bought all those books. It was fun to watch - he bought all the best stuff (I believe he spent $250,000). But he had no real love for any of it. It was just a way of drawing attention to his goods a la McFarlane's McGuire baseball. He once owned a Honus Wagner card that Wal-Mart gave away in a sweepstakes during the baseball card speculation period.

 

He was a horrible chain-smoker. I believe he flew to Chicago to meet me on his private jet.

 

[esquirecomics]

Thanks Gary. I figured he must have some connection to Wal-Mart given the write-up reference.

 

Wonder whether he kept the books?

[shadroch]

Hey, Gary.

Reading your post,I couldn't help but think how it would read if written by MH Chuck.

Not to hijack Marks thread,but whatever happened to the DLG? Did it wither away or die a violent death? I know many of the smaller stores were pretty annoyed with (name deleted) and a few of the members.

[esquirecomics]

Hey, Gary.

Reading your post,I couldn't help but think how it would read if written by MH Chuck.

Not to hijack Marks thread,but whatever happened to the DLG? Did it wither away or die a violent death? I know many of the smaller stores were pretty annoyed with (name deleted) and a few of the members.

 

I'll let you get away with it cause its your b-day!

[drsone]

I'm a small time collector, but I remember reading about this in overtreet publications and in comics buyers guide and I always wondered what happened with this guy and the books he bought also.

 

Anyone know? In the past decade plus has he sold them to big dealer or what? Never heard hide nor hair about him in the the last 15 or so years. Enquiring minds want to know...

[Mr. Zipper]

Wonder whether he kept the books?

 

I read somewhere that Sam Walton would light his cigars with pages torn from Detective 27.

 

[Moondog]

Shad:

 

I believe there's a new organization founded by Joe Fields that's today's version of the DLG. Not really sure since I dread the thought of comics retailing...

 

I think the DLG may have survived and thrived had the bottom not fallen out of the market. All the members had too much to worry about in their own businesses to be involved in any group plans.

 

--Gary

[Moondog]

I thought he sold all his books a long time ago. Ed Jaster may know...