Tracking down the Original Owner 3 3

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

When I find a name on a cover, I try to track them down. 

I just tracked down the guy, Bruce Lehr,  whose name is all over my Cap 36.  He said when he was of the age, he and all his buddies would trade comics.  He got tired of never getting his back, so he stamped and wrote his name on his books.  A lot.  He sold his collection 25 years ago to a LCS in Harrisburg, PA.   They told him his books were next to worthless due to him putting his name all over his books, and paid him pennies for them.  This was 25 years ago, and I think he's still ticked.   I didn't have the heart to tell him what I had paid for it.

A fellow boardie told me he had tracked down Tommy Thorsen, whose name is written on a number of pre-Robin Tecs.

Does anyone else have a story to share?  I remember hearing Jon Berk tracked down Larson, of the Larson pedigree.  Don't know if that's true or not, but its a cool story.

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[comicjack]

Berk did track Lamont down story was in a goldenage quarterly with the Ghost Rider on the cover 

[pemart1966]

Very cool story.  Did Bruce tell you where he would buy his comics?  What titles he collected?  Why he liked those particular titles?

I've never tried to actually contact previous owners but I do search uncommon names to see if anything pops up.  I also search street addresses to see what the house looks like now compared to what it did back in the day.  Uncommon names are always the best.  Sorry "John Smith" you don't help the cause LOL

Club envelopes are also a good source for this.

Edited March 31, 2020 by pemart1966

[Marty Mann]

Interesting topic.

Marty

Edited March 31, 2020 by Marty Mann

[Mmehdy]

Super idea.

[Gotham Kid]

1 hour ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

A fellow boardie told me he had tracked down Tommy Thorsen, whose name is written on a number of pre-Robin Tecs.

Tommy had good taste.

[Dark Knight]

Yes, more stories please

[jpepx78]

I like to trace former owners too especially if they write their address. This is what discovered about Shirley Kutina from her comic.

 

 

[pemart1966]

49 minutes ago, jpepx78 said:

I like to trace former owners too especially if they write their address. This is what discovered about Shirley Kutina from her comic.

 

 

Tremendous detective work!    A great story too - except for the ending.  It just adds SO much more to a collectible when you can attach a human element to it.  

Edited March 31, 2020 by pemart1966

[sacentaur]

Irene Claxton (b. 1922) lived most of her life in Dublin, Georgia. She had an illness as a child that left her deaf. Never married, Irene became a noted local photographer. She passed away in 2013.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

1 minute ago, sacentaur said:

Irene Claxton (b. 1922) lived most of her life in Dublin, Georgia. She had an illness as a child that left her deaf. Never married, Irene became a noted local photographer. She passed away in 2013.

Thanks, centaur. Even a picture. Did you actually communicate with her?

[sacentaur]

No, I did not. Several years after she passed away, her few books went to Gary Dolgoff who then offered them for sale. After purchasing those two DC’s, I contacted Gary to see if he had any more info about Irene or her estate, but unfortunately he did not.

I have no idea what the date stamps on her books represent.

Edited April 1, 2020 by sacentaur

[OtherEric]

Here's a thread on a specific example from last year.  The only time I've ever done tracking like that:

 

[batman_fan]

I would love to track down the original owner of this book but no last names 

Look in Robin's cape, Aunt Mildred gave it to her nephew Gerald.

I thought it was kind of cool.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

56 minutes ago, batman_fan said:

I would love to track down the original owner of this book but no last names 

Look in Robin's cape, Aunt Mildred gave it to her nephew Gerald.

I thought it was kind of cool.

That tells a story. It resonates. I picture a family gathering. Gerald is hating life, but than a miracle happens: old biddy Aunt Mildred pulls a Batman comic out, and the sun shines again. The only thing that could have been more shocking is if Aunt Mildred then handed Gerald  a Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle.

Edited April 1, 2020 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[batman_fan]

8 minutes ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

That tells a story. It resonates. I picture a family gathering. Gerald is hating life, but than a miracle happens: old biddy Aunt Mildred pulls a Batman comic out, and the sun shines again. The only thing that could have been more shocking is if Aunt Mildred then handed Gerald  a Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle.

You'll shoot your eye out !

[waaaghboss]

 

[waaaghboss]

2 hours ago, sacentaur said:

Irene Claxton (b. 1922) lived most of her life in Dublin, Georgia. She had an illness as a child that left her deaf. Never married, Irene became a noted local photographer. She passed away in 2013.

You got some of her books too?  That's cool as hell!  A batch showed up on ebay a few months ago and I'm still kicking myself I didn't get more.  Such a nice set, good to see others recognize her collection.  I'm almost tempted to get my copy graded.

[DanCooper]

9 hours ago, comicjack said:

Berk did track Lamont down story was in a goldenage quarterly with the Ghost Rider on the cover

Here's an early CGC thread where, in the first post, Jon rehashes the story contacting  Lamont Larson:

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/36180-larson-article-by-jon-berk/

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

1 hour ago, OtherEric said:

Here's a thread on a specific example from last year.  The only time I've ever done tracking like that:

 

This Ed Lehmann thread is the most amazing thread I’ve ever seen. This guy was a true pioneer in the collecting world. (Hey Gotham Kid: even back in 1971 he was talking up Pre-Robin Tecs!). And then, at the end of the thread, his son somehow catches wind that there’s a discussion about his late father, and just joins in the discussion. Like surprise!