Robert Bell - Anybody Buy From RB? 2 2

[lou_fine]

On 6/29/2020 at 5:44 PM, JohnFranklin said:

Back in the day my brother and I bought quite a few books from Bell and what made me think about this, I haven’t a clue, but if you bought from him do you recall if he simply put the books in an envelope and shipped them or did he at least put them between two pieces of card board?  I simply can’t remember.

Well, looks like your thread here also brought back some fond memories for some of the Golden Agers here as somebody just rebooted this thread here from the GA boards that you might find interesting and right down your alley:  

  

[01TheDude]

just checked out the Bell thread in GA. Had been a while since I went through it.

They had some sort of interview referenced there but the link was dead.

So I found this other one that might be of interest.

https://comicsbulletin.com/rogofsky-bell-dealers-speak/

 

 

Edited July 1, 2020 by 01TheDude

[DanCooper]

5 hours ago, 01TheDude said:

They had some sort of interview referenced there but the link was dead.

Try this link below

Board member Lewis Forro (aka The_Leader_Knows here on the boards) conducted the CBM interview. There are even audio links with Robert Bell included!

http://ditkofan.com/Facebook/robertbell/robertbell.html

[NP_Gresham]

On 6/29/2020 at 8:12 PM, 01TheDude said:

not my picture

He always sent his stuff in his comic bags that he also had for sale.

I still have one of his mailer catalogues. spoilered below....

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing, great stuff!

The boys from modern should check out the ROI from HTD #2 over the years and think long and hard before investing in the latest "hot title/cover/variant, etc".

Edited July 1, 2020 by NP_Gresham

[Ken Aldred]

40 minutes ago, NP_Gresham said:

Thanks for sharing, great stuff!

The boys from modern should check out the ROI from HTD #2 over the years and think long and hard before investing in the latest "hot title/cover/variant, etc".

Do you mean HTD 1? 
 

Or, was the first appearance of The Space Turnip hot as well in the States?  Here in the U.K. it was just the first issue. I could be wrong.

Regardless, as you said, it’s a cautionary tale.

[NP_Gresham]

36 minutes ago, Ken Aldred said:

Do you mean HTD 1? 
 

Or, was the first appearance of The Space Turnip hot as well in the States?  Here in the U.K. it was just the first issue. I could be wrong.

Regardless, as you said, it’s a cautionary tale.

Actually,it was #2.

$6 and that was not the "100% more for a mint copy" - so figure a fine or so copy.

Is HTD #2 worth $6 even today in mid-grade? 

The #1 at $12 is actually a slightly better deal, still the ROI is outrageously poor.

[lou_fine]

6 hours ago, NP_Gresham said:

The boys from modern should check out the ROI from HTD #2 over the years and think long and hard before investing in the latest "hot title/cover/variant, etc".

 

4 hours ago, NP_Gresham said:

5 hours ago, Ken Aldred said:

Do you mean HTD 1? 
 

Or, was the first appearance of The Space Turnip hot as well in the States?  Here in the U.K. it was just the first issue. I could be wrong.

Regardless, as you said, it’s a cautionary tale.

Actually,it was #2.

$6 and that was not the "100% more for a mint copy" - so figure a fine or so copy.

Is HTD #2 worth $6 even today in mid-grade? 

The #1 at $12 is actually a slightly better deal, still the ROI is outrageously poor.

Well, how about speculators who are paying out big dollars for CGC 9.8 graded copies of what are basically common as dirt worthless books.  

I still remember in one of the Overstreet updates posting a picture of somebody paying $2,500 for a CGC 9.8 graded copy of the DC Shadow Comics #1.  For his sake at least, I hope it was the Kaluta version and not the Chaykin version which still sits at only $4 in top of guide right now.  Go figure......manufactured graded collectibles.  

[Motor City Rob]

On 6/29/2020 at 11:12 PM, 01TheDude said:

not my picture

He always sent his stuff in his comic bags that he also had for sale.

I still have one of his mailer catalogues. spoilered below....

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Another thing I find interesting about his catalog is that the silver age books don't have any grades associated with them. He does have a statement at the bottom of the page stating that mint copies are twice the cost. In general, what were the conditions of the books he would send out? The Golden Age section did have grades associated with them. Most were either G or VG. I wonder how today's VG compares to something labeled VG 40 years ago? Fun stuff.

[batman_fan]

2 hours ago, Motor City Rob said:

Another thing I find interesting about his catalog is that the silver age books don't have any grades associated with them. He does have a statement at the bottom of the page stating that mint copies are twice the cost. In general, what were the conditions of the books he would send out? The Golden Age section did have grades associated with them. Most were either G or VG. I wonder how today's VG compares to something labeled VG 40 years ago? Fun stuff.

I bought a lot of stuff from him in the 70s and early 80s.  Everything I ordered was vfn to nm with the vast majority in nm.  I use to go through his catalog and pick a dollar amount (usually $1.50) and buy the oldest books I could get at that price.  Most of the time I had no idea what the cover was or story was.  I know I specifically ordered out of the posted catalog.  My biggest disappointment was ordering 100 of the lightweight bags and two comics, Not Brand Ech 1 and something else, likely a Spiderman.  I got the bags but not the comics. 

[Ken Aldred]

Was the padded mailing bag sufficient protection by itself?

When I’ve been sent a comic like that via the Royal Mail, it’s usually arrived dinged or creased.  Bad karma.
 

It’d be a shame to hear that key issues bought from him were damaged in transit by this.

[Motor City Rob]

1 hour ago, batman_fan said:

I bought a lot of stuff from him in the 70s and early 80s.  Everything I ordered was vfn to nm with the vast majority in nm.  I use to go through his catalog and pick a dollar amount (usually $1.50) and buy the oldest books I could get at that price.  Most of the time I had no idea what the cover was or story was.  I know I specifically ordered out of the posted catalog.  My biggest disappointment was ordering 100 of the lightweight bags and two comics, Not Brand Ech 1 and something else, likely a Spiderman.  I got the bags but not the comics. 

Very cool (except for the part about not getting your comics). I'm sure you had no idea how rare those books would be today in VF to NM condition. Thanks for sharing. 

[JohnFranklin]

On 6/30/2020 at 3:03 PM, MatterEaterLad said:

I bought a DD 8 and an X-men 6 from Bell in the 70s. I wish could remember what I paid for each, but I don't think it was more than $5. I have a vague recollection of having to include stamps for return postage, but I may be confusing that with another old mail-order comic dealer.

I bought my DD #1 from Bell, early 70s, paid $10 and kept it in a Bell bag for at least 30+ years, finally put it in a Mylar bag.  I got it graded a few years ago....2.5 universal. I do miss the days of Robert Bell, Kirby drawing Thor, FF, Colan drawing DD, Steranko drawing Shield/Nick Fury, etc., black light posters of SpiderMan and Cap and the Falcon and comics on newsprint.