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2015 May 28-30 Comics Signature Auction

Started by Brian Peck,

277 posts in this topic

Nexus

Nexus

Posted
Posted
I spent the most I`ve spent on a Heritage auction in almost a decade, and the vast majority was OA, which was by far the most I`ve ever spent on OA, ever. But the selection was that good.

 

I got outbid on only one piece that I was really going after, at a price level way beyond anything I would`ve imagined I would have to go to. The winning price apparently shattered all previous records... and I hope the winner chokes on it.

 

I'm guessing that you were focused on strip art, as the selection and overall quality was arguably the best that Heritage has offered (or close to it).

 

Great selection of quality strip art! Maybe the all star merger?

I'm sure Joe & Nadia had some impact on this, but also there seems to be a concerted effort by Heritage to go after the European market (live auction times appeared to have been adjusted to better accommodate European (and other foreign) bidders).

 

Europeans seem to be more into American vintage comic strip art than Americans. I was struck by how reverential the recent Sothebys and Christies European auctions were towards Raymond, Foster and Caniff work, and European collectors seem to prize artistic excellence for its own sake, whereas American OA collectors seem indifferent to anything that doesn't have a nostalgic connection for them.

 

When are you going to let us know what you won Tim (shrug)

I won pieces from 2 of the 3 artists that I mention above.

 

And that's all I'm saying!

 

Why so coy? Congrats, regardless!

 

And yes, Europeans value/appreciate superior draftsmanship and technically sound OA. But they have their nostalgic soft spots, too.

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AKA Rick

AKA Rick

Posted
Posted

I got outbid in part due to the psychology of Heritage's commission structure... you're bidding X but paying Y, makes me a bit gunshy at times knowing a $2,500 bid is really more like $3,000 out of pocket. It's not like they don't calculate it for you and have full disclosure about it, it's just I think all perception in the process. That's why I kinda like ComicLink's what you bid is what you pay format better.

 

Overall, I didn't have too much bidders remorse of not pulling the trigger on any pieces other than maybe the Gil Kane Inhumans splash and the Perez Judas Contract Teen Titans pages.

 

 

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Nexus

Nexus

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Posted
Much of the strip art came from The Al Williamson Collection.

 

Nice strip examples from the Tom T. collection, too.

 

Regarding the Williamson collection, I've been told by someone who knows the collection well that what we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. Presumably the real prizes will come later.

 

On a separate note, with so many lots this time, I thought it was a good buying opportunity for classic strip collectors, Wrightson collectors, as well as anyone looking for value in the B/B+ level...especially the latter. The auction was just overloaded with that stuff (900+ lots!) and it seemed like there weren't enough dollars to go around this time. I consigned several pieces of that quality. Nothing unquestionably A, but all strong B/B+. And I don't think any of it did as well as it would have if this had been a regular 500-600 lot auction (and definitely not up to some private offers I've received in the past). Anything that would have been $5K-$8K on a normal day underperformed. I'm sure many dealers stocked up on relative bargains. I'm still ahead overall, so won't complain...too much!

 

It's also easier for me to live with since I consigned the art to pay off some recent purchases. I always view this as a trade of sorts, so the actual dollar figures aren't as relevant. As long as Group A nets me Group B, I feel OK enough about everything else.

 

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tth2

tth2

Posted
Posted
Nice strip examples from the Tom T. collection, too.

Yes there was.

 

Regarding the Williamson collection, I've been told by someone who knows the collection well that what we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. Presumably the real prizes will come later.

:wishluck:

 

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mtlevy

mtlevy

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Posted

At Heritage the Widow page I saw was Heck/Buscema

 

Don Heck and Sal Buscema Amazing Adventures #6 Story Page 5 Origin

 

$4,063 with vig

 

Very big surprise to me - but if it were Colan/Everett, not so much

 

Mark

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Flint Ironstag

Flint Ironstag

Posted
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It wasn't even Heck/Everett... it was Dashing Don Heck inked by Our Pal Sal Buscema! This was an extreme market outlier, as best I know... and I've been pretty immersed in Amazing Adventures Black Widow art for a while, now.

 

Here's how this one happened... from my side of things anyway!

 

The page was sitting at $1,100 ($1,314.50 with BP) when the live auction started... well over market already, from my experience. Having at least one Black Widow page from each of her eight Amazing Adventures solo stories except #6 (this issue), I figured OK, I guess I'll overpay to achieve this collecting goal, and then resume my grail quest for Colan/Everett Black Widow art from Amazing Adventures #'s 3, 4 and 5.

 

Lacking wisdom, I set up a proxy bid for $3200 ($3,824.00 with BP), which by any metric is drastically overpaying but, I thought, so far in excess of market that I was safe to deal with other demands dragging me away from the live bidding on HA on Saturday.

 

I ran back upstairs to discover that bidding for the following lot was underway, and someone had outbid my astronomical proxy bid by one increment! I was completely crushed that personal had dragged me away at the wrong moment, but thunderstruck that anyone would pay over $4K for a Don Heck/Sal Buscema Widow page! I'm still utterly gobsmacked!

 

If everyone with one of the ubiquitous Natasha disrobing pages can get that kind of coin, a lot of money will start moving around the tiny silver age Black Widow niche market... which I expect is me and one other guy! I'd be very seriously surprised if the third highest bidder bid more than $1300, but I guess anything's possible.

 

Major congratulations to the winner! Drop me a line when you're tired of her and want to trade or... *choke* gasp *sputter*... sell!

 

Pax,

Sean

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Terry Doyle

Terry Doyle

Posted
Posted
I spent the most I`ve spent on a Heritage auction in almost a decade, and the vast majority was OA, which was by far the most I`ve ever spent on OA, ever. But the selection was that good.

 

I got outbid on only one piece that I was really going after, at a price level way beyond anything I would`ve imagined I would have to go to. The winning price apparently shattered all previous records... and I hope the winner chokes on it.

 

I'm guessing that you were focused on strip art, as the selection and overall quality was arguably the best that Heritage has offered (or close to it).

 

Great selection of quality strip art! Maybe the all star merger?

I'm sure Joe & Nadia had some impact on this, but also there seems to be a concerted effort by Heritage to go after the European market (live auction times appeared to have been adjusted to better accommodate European (and other foreign) bidders).

 

Europeans seem to be more into American vintage comic strip art than Americans. I was struck by how reverential the recent Sothebys and Christies European auctions were towards Raymond, Foster and Caniff work, and European collectors seem to prize artistic excellence for its own sake, whereas American OA collectors seem indifferent to anything that doesn't have a nostalgic connection for them.

 

When are you going to let us know what you won Tim (shrug)

I won pieces from 2 of the 3 artists that I mention above.

 

And that's all I'm saying!

 

And yes, Europeans value/appreciate superior draftsmanship and technically sound OA. But they have their nostalgic soft spots, too.

 

I'd also say that there's more of a heavy bias towards superhero comic-book art with American collectors than their European counterparts.

 

a lot of our home-grown stuff (at least here in the UK) covered a wide variety of different genres that have remained popular for a long, long time.

 

Most of the classic US newspaper strips saw syndication over here, too, hence their sustained popularity.

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