Tracking down the Original Owner 3 3

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

13 minutes ago, waaaghboss said:

 

This is a great story too. I wonder who else has Irene’s books

[waaaghboss]

36 minutes ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

This is a great story too. I wonder who else has Irene’s books

Apparently Saucentaur has a pair

 

If any more show up I'll be first in line 🙂

 

*edit*  I'll toss this in as well, sorry to spam your fun topic

 

It's pulp-related, which I honestly know less about than I do about comics, but I found it interesting.  From what I understand, there are only two pulp pedigrees, the Yakima collection, and something else.  I ran into the shop which originally purchased the Yakima collection, and the owner disputed what is currently promoted about the backstory of the yakima collection.

 

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/112594-ill-pound-you-to-a-pulp-if-you-dont-show-off-yours/?do=findComment&comment=10758644

Edited April 1, 2020 by waaaghboss

[sacentaur]

Check with Gary Dolgoff, he recently had Irene’s More Fun 15, CGC 7.0, up for sale on ebay (I have the CGC 9.0 copy otherwise I would have bought Gary’s).

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

23 minutes ago, DanCooper said:

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/

Good job finding this thread

[Tri-Color Brian]

Just noticed the name on these SA books, so I looked him up.  Died here in AZ in 2009...that might be why a local store had these comics in 2015...

William E. "Willie" Van Daele, 59, formerly of Moline, died Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009.

A memorial service will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at DeRoo Funeral Home, Moline. Visitation is 10 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's name to the American Cancer Society or John Deere Open-Birdies for Charity.

Bill "Willie" Van Daele, son of Cyril and Rose Gryp Van Daele, is an alumni of both Drake University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics, and the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting. Bill's career as a CPA spans over 30 years, the last five as controller for Gila River Farms.

Bill is survived by his loving partner, Josephine Abrams, her children, Brian and Stephanie, and grandchildren, Lucas and Rhiannon; aunts, Clara Downing, Virginia, Betty and Dorothy Gryp; cousins, Wilma Bellson, Wanda and David Van De Walle, and Donna and John Boynton also mourn his loss.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.deroofuneralhome.com.

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by Tri-ColorBrian

[Superman2006]

On 3/31/2020 at 10:32 PM, waaaghboss said:

Apparently Saucentaur has a pair

That's what she said

[waaaghboss]

Found another Irene Claxton book.  Bit more than I'd spend on it, but if anyone's interested in a non pedigree pedigree.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Popular-Comics-11-CGC-7-0-1936-1213329007/362972716510?hash=item5482dc1dde:g:1TQAAOSwxv1emTIM

 

Edit

And another one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/More-Fun-Comics-15-CGC-7-0-1936-4500-Guide-Only-one-graded-higher-c-23729/233608769739?hash=item36642af0cb:g:LMoAAOSwm-Bc-TzO

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Popular-Comics-17-CGC-6-5-1937-1213329012/133388840798?hash=item1f0e982f5e:g:Y3wAAOSw0nlemTIZ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Popular-Comics-20-CGC-6-0-1937-1213329013/362972822533?hash=item5482ddbc05:g:3Z4AAOSwJjtemVQl

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Popular-Comics-12-CGC-6-0-1937-1213329008/313056436214?hash=item48e39e1ff6:g:8B8AAOSwtANemTIP

 

 

 

Some damn nice books

Edited June 17, 2020 by waaaghboss

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 4/10/2020 at 9:21 PM, Tri-ColorBrian said:

Just noticed the name on these SA books, so I looked him up.  Died here in AZ in 2009...that might be why a local store had these comics in 2015...

William E. "Willie" Van Daele, 59, formerly of Moline, died Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009.

A memorial service will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at DeRoo Funeral Home, Moline. Visitation is 10 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill's name to the American Cancer Society or John Deere Open-Birdies for Charity.

Bill "Willie" Van Daele, son of Cyril and Rose Gryp Van Daele, is an alumni of both Drake University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics, and the University of Wisconsin, where he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting. Bill's career as a CPA spans over 30 years, the last five as controller for Gila River Farms.

Bill is survived by his loving partner, Josephine Abrams, her children, Brian and Stephanie, and grandchildren, Lucas and Rhiannon; aunts, Clara Downing, Virginia, Betty and Dorothy Gryp; cousins, Wilma Bellson, Wanda and David Van De Walle, and Donna and John Boynton also mourn his loss.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.deroofuneralhome.com.

 

It’s hard to reconcile this dry rendition of his life with the excitement he no doubt felt when he first got his hands on these books

[Keys_Collector]

Fantastic  thread and IMO the epitome of what really makes these boards special.

[Crimebuster]

I love names on books! I haven't tracked anyone down, but most of the names on my books are pretty generic, so it's a little tough. 

This is Silver Age, but I thought I'd show you the one book I own where I know something about the original owner. I can't say I had to do much research, though!

 

[Marty Mann]

I never wrote my name on any of my books but they shouldn't be to difficult to track down.

Marty

 

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

1 hour ago, Crimebuster said:

I love names on books! I haven't tracked anyone down, but most of the names on my books are pretty generic, so it's a little tough. 

This is Silver Age, but I thought I'd show you the one book I own where I know something about the original owner. I can't say I had to do much research, though!

 

Who was the OO? You?

[telerites]

2 hours ago, Crimebuster said:

I love names on books! I haven't tracked anyone down, but most of the names on my books are pretty generic, so it's a little tough. 

This is Silver Age, but I thought I'd show you the one book I own where I know something about the original owner. I can't say I had to do much research, though!

 

You don't think that is the cartoonist Denis Kitchen, do you?

Spells his first name the same way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Kitchen

http://www.deniskitchen.com/

P.S. Shoot him an e-mail to ask.  That would be pretty cool if he could verify it.

Edited June 17, 2020 by telerites

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

11 minutes ago, telerites said:

You don't think that is the cartoonist Denis Kitchen, do you?

Spells his first name the same way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Kitchen

http://www.deniskitchen.com/

P.S. Shoot him an e-mail to ask.  That would be pretty cool if he could verify it.

Wow. Seems right

[Crimebuster]

11 minutes ago, telerites said:

You don't think that is the cartoonist Denis Kitchen, do you?

Spells his first name the same way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Kitchen

http://www.deniskitchen.com/

P.S. Shoot him an e-mail to ask.  That would be pretty cool if he could verify it.

 

I think it is him, yes - didn't mean to be coy. I will drop him a line and see if he will verify it. 

[telerites]

1 minute ago, Crimebuster said:

 

I think it is him, yes - didn't mean to be coy. I will drop him a line and see if he will verify it. 

Sorry, I read your post more closely.  You already had the idea.  

Great book, regardless but that would be cool if he does say it was his.

Let us know if you find out.  Thanks for posting.

[Robot Man]

The Rex Parker Collection

About 20 years ago, I went to the best estate sale I have ever seen. My wife saw it the day before and asked me if I wanted to go. It said Howdy Doody, Hoppalong Cassidy, Vehicles and Comics. No pictures. Wasn't going to go for a number of reasons but decided to do it any way.

My wife and I arrived at 6:00 AM for the 9:00 show and wrote our names on the list. We were #7 & 8. They said they would let in 10 people at a time. It was a tiny, run down house in a bad part of town. We were chatting with people in line several we knew in the area. At 8:30 they opened the door but left the screen closed.

There were tables around all the walls in the small living room. My eyes popped out when I saw the tables piled high with all kinds of toys from the very late '40's to the mid '50's. All were in incredible condition and the price stickers were VERY cheap. The doors opened at 9:00 and everyone hit the first table first. I went down to another table and grabbed a nice Tom Corbett Space Rifle and a cool Marx Motorcycle with side car. My wife grabbed a few things. It was a feeding frenzy!

I turned around and there they were with nobody even looking at them. Two large boxes of comics. I grabbed them both without even looking inside. My wife came up and told me to go into the side bedroom. There were tables of kids books. Lots of character stuff. Another small box of comics. Then she said look there. Under one of the tables were original toy boxes. I recognized them as going with the toys in the front room. I scooped them all up. Grabbed a few more things that a guy had to put back because he didn't have enough money.

Then we dragged everything to the checkout table. The lady quoted me an "each" price on the comics. I just said how much for all of them. Without even counting them, she gave me a price which I quickly accepted. When I brought out all the toy boxes she looked at me kind of funny and asked if I really wanted them? She said she was going to throw them out but I could have them for $2. each. Thank you very much! I had made note of who bought the toys. I ending up offering them to the buyers of the toys or buying the toys from the purchaser.

I called in sick from work and went home to check out my load. Got about 250 comics from about 1949-1955. About half were funny animal and western. The other half were superhero, horror, crime and sci-fi. I had no idea what I had untill I started looking through them. First handfull included a Famous Funnies #214, a couple Batman a horror book and some western & funny stuff. Was quite a time going through them not knowing what the next one would be. Most had the name "Rex" or "Rexford Parker" written on the front or back cover. Many had no markings.

I spoke to the checkout lady. She told me the house had been cleaned out but when they went into the attic, it was literally packed with toys, books, games and the comics. She told me that Rex had polio and that he was a "poster child" and had been given all this stuff. There were two of many of the toys. One played with and one never opened. He was an only child and had spent his whole life in the house. One thing I got was a Mickey Mantle Baseball glove un-opened in the original box with it and a baseball still wrapped in tissue paper. Guess you can't play much ball if you have polio. Rex never married and was an accountant until he died in a rest home.

The kicker, she also said this was only half the stuff. That they were having another sale in two weeks for the rest. We went to it but no more comics and by then the word was out and the place was packed. Got another box full of stuff but nothing like the first sale. BEST estate sale I've ever gone to before and since!

I wasn't too good about taking pictures back then and it was before the real digital age. But I got a couple. I didn't photo everything. Over the years I've gotton rid of most of the stuff but did keep a nice little pile of comics and a few toys.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

Wow.  That was a once in a lifetime experience.  Absolutely surreal.  

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 3/31/2020 at 12:37 PM, pemart1966 said:

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

Unfortunately, I didn't think to ask those questions in my first email.  But yours was a great idea, and I followed up with a second email.  Unfortunately, he never answered back.  I fear age and infirmity may have caught up with the OO, and I'm feeling fortunate to have even gotten any response at all.

[pemart1966]

47 minutes ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

Unfortunately, I didn't think to ask those questions in my first email.  But yours was a great idea, and I followed up with a second email.  Unfortunately, he never answered back.  I fear age and infirmity may have caught up with the OO, and I'm feeling fortunate to have even gotten any response at all.

How long ago did you track him down?

Interesting to note his stamp - it says in part "Somerton".  Somerton is a neighbourhood in Philadelphia (I looked it up )  I wonder why he didn't have his street address on the stamp or was it a time where everyone knew where Bruce lived?   

Or maybe that's all the room he had on his stamp 

Edited June 18, 2020 by pemart1966