Who remembers Robert Bell? 0

[Ameri]

Yes, there was a path between the glass fronts to enter the store, about 15 feet (?) from Flatbush Avenue. There was a lot of platform to display things inside the two glass areas. I remember a lot of posters and the pulps. First time I ever saw a pulp so it sticks to my memory. I remember never venturing much passed Dottie and her glass showcase because all the good stuff was closest to her. I don't remember too much creaking but I was lighter back then so less creaks I met some interesting people in that shop like Warren Reece who eventually did some Timely golden age articles for Marvel. My friend Mike bought a high grade All Winners 12 and a Cap 38 for $20 each from My Friend's around 1972. That kind of money was astronomical to me. Regarding the Diamonds, I still have contact with Lou. He lives in Long island somewhere. There was a lot of comedy in that bookstore

 

I did a search and I came up with this about My Friend's posted by a Tony D. This was in an old forum thread called "earliest comic shops":

 

"The first book store that sold comics I can remember was "My Friend's Book Store" in Brooklyn, NY. I think I first went to the location on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn off of Flatbush Avenue in about 1964 or 1965. They were a used book store that also sold back issue comics and magazines. I bought FF #1 there for $8.50.

 

There were boxes filled with back issues grouped by title behind the counter on wooden shelves. The more rare issues, such as Golden Age and early Marvel Silver Age first issues were in binders inside the counter showcase. A friend of mine bought a Famous Monsters Of Filmland #1, with an autograph by Jim Warren on the cover, there as well. The owner was a man named Ruby. He had a price list hand lettered on a piece of cardboard from the back cover of a spiral notebook.

 

The more common and recent issue were in wooden bins and were not in any particular order. Included in this horde were Pre-Hero Marvels which were not as sought after as the Hero comics. He must have had a relationship with the "Passaic Book Store" in NJ because another friend of mine sold some Golden Age books to Passaic and they turned up in Ruby's stock.

 

"My Friend's Book Store" eventually moved to a larger location on Flatbush Avenue. A fire in the 1970's put them out of business."

 

Edited October 3, 2015 by Ameri

[jimjum12]

Awesome info, Ameri....... this is the type of stuff I never tire of reading. GOD BLESS.....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Jayman]

+1! I'm not familiar with these stores but love to hear people reminiscing about fond memories! (thumbs u also like how this thread is tied into the Passaic thread now!

[comicjack]

Love to hear those stories about the past,the new generation missed so much.

[sartre]

I remember when Robert Bell was in Woodside Queens, he had a weathered storefront shop then. Key issues were hanging in plastic bags by a clothespin on a cord overhead. I remember the musty smell... It was the late 60's before he put his name on plastic bags and it was the first time I had ever seen comics stored that way. So I started using plastic wrap and baggies as well.. ....couldn't afford the comics or the bags.. .. A few years later I began to go with my friends to the Phill Seuling conventions in Manhattan. I'd love to know if anyone here had ever gone to Bell's shop in Woodside and what they remember?

[Ameri]

I never visited his shop but I visited Bell at his house once to pick up a TOS 39 because I didn't want to wait for it in the mail. The only thing I remember was that it was a lot hilly roads going through a quaint suburb. Richard Muchin recently told me that Bell is retired in Miami.

[jimjum12]

I never visited his shop but I visited Bell at his house once to pick up a TOS 39 because I didn't want to wait for it in the mail. The only thing I remember was that it was a lot hilly roads going through a quaint suburb. Richard Muchin recently told me that Bell is retired in Miami.

 

..... if you have interest in Bell, my friend Lewis interviewed him for CBM years ago.... he had sold his business and used the proceeds to purchase a shopping center in Florida. Lewis' board name is The_Leader_Knows and if you search his posts there are links to his website where he discusses many topics relating to old school collecting. There are links there where the transcript tapes can be found, with the unedited interview that later appeared in CBM. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Ameri]

I never visited his shop but I visited Bell at his house once to pick up a TOS 39 because I didn't want to wait for it in the mail. The only thing I remember was that it was a lot hilly roads going through a quaint suburb. Richard Muchin recently told me that Bell is retired in Miami.

 

..... if you have interest in Bell, my friend Lewis interviewed him for CBM years ago.... he had sold his business and used the proceeds to purchase a shopping center in Florida. Lewis' board name is The_Leader_Knows and if you search his posts there are links to his website where he discusses many topics relating to old school collecting. There are links there where the transcript tapes can be found, with the unedited interview that later appeared in CBM. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Thanks! I'll look

[thedude]

here's the two part CBM interview, great stuff!

 

http://pristine.webspaceforme.net/Facebook/robertbell/robertbell.html

[batman_fan]

here's the two part CBM interview, great stuff!

 

http://pristine.webspaceforme.net/Facebook/robertbell/robertbell.html

 

Definitely going to have to listen to that. Thanks for posting.

[Ameri]

Yes, thanks for posting that!

[Peter G]

+1

 

Thanks for posting

 

 

[Ken Aldred]

Very, very interesting article. Many thanks.

 

When Robert Bell said he'd send a 'Mint' comic, would you get something ultra-HG or would it more likely be in what today would be classed as around VF ? He mentioned in the article that customers back then tended just to want a copy of a book and weren't quite so obsessive, and so perhaps grading, even at the top end, could've been somewhat looser than today's?

 

That said, it still sounds a much better deal than Rogofsky's crapshoot.

[lpsunburst]

I bought a few books from him back then and I would say that everyone's grading was looser back then than it is now. A mint book back then was essentially "newsstand fresh" which meant mostly glossy and no dirt or tears. You could easily have a crease (even a subscription crease was still mint). All the new comics I bought in the 60's and 70's came from spinner racks or in some cases vending machines, neither of which were as kind to books as stores are today. One example of a book I bought from him would be a Mint Conan 1 for $6, it would probably be a 9.2-9.4 today.

[batman_fan]

Very, very interesting article. Many thanks.

 

When Robert Bell said he'd send a 'Mint' comic, would you get something ultra-HG or would it more likely be in what today would be classed as around VF ? He mentioned in the article that customers back then tended just to want a copy of a book and weren't quite so obsessive, and so perhaps grading, even at the top end, could've been somewhat looser than today's?

 

That said, it still sounds a much better deal than Rogofsky's crapshoot.

 

I ordered from Robert Bell several times. I had a standard habit when selecting books. I would decide how much I wanted to spend on a book from a title. The one that really stands out is Avengers. I wanted an old book and was willing to spend $1.50 on it. I looked at his list and for the catalog I had, I could get an Avengers 39. This meant he would list a range of issues like 39-64 for $1.50 each so I would pick the earliest one. For this particular case, the book I got would grade ~9.6. Most of the books I bought would grade in the 9.x range.

 

I ordered once from Rogofsky but mapped out many months of orders from him (each month aligned with when I got paid). After my 1st ordered I quit buying from him. Everything was WAY over graded.

[comicjack]

[Peter G]

Ripoffsky

[jbcomicbox]

I never visited his shop but I visited Bell at his house once to pick up a TOS 39 because I didn't want to wait for it in the mail. The only thing I remember was that it was a lot hilly roads going through a quaint suburb. Richard Muchin recently told me that Bell is retired in Miami.

 

i was at his house also to nail down some silver age purchases.....i had just got back into collecting ("you mean you can get old copies of Spiderman"........!!!!!! Geez and I also like Daredevil".......huh buying old comics, who would have thought....jb

[Ameri]

Ripoffsky

 

[sartre]

!00 dollars was a lot for a Superman 9 or 10.. for 1977...and crazy there's no indication of condition.