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“There are a thousand and one stories under the big top . . .”
The above is a phrase oft repeated by circus publicists over and over. And those in the know jokingly add “. . . and some of the stories are even true.”
The Ringling publicity department distributed this photograph to the press, purported to illustrate the mustache cups of the five Ringling brothers, who were owners of the circus.
In the 1930s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey press genius, Roland Butler, created quite a stir when he released a photo of the mustache cups owned by the five Ringling Brothers. The photo appeared in newspapers and magazines around the country. The “Pictures to the Editor” section of Life magazine carried the photo, supposedly sent in by Ned Roberts from Sarasota, Fla. He claimed the cups were recently acquired by a local circus fan. It’s doubtful that was true and I suspect the photo was sent to Life by none other than Roland Butler.
The mustache cups photo appeared in the December 20, 1937 issue of Life magazine in the “Pictures to the Editor” section.
Years later, the photo began to appear in circus history books. Even the biography of the five famous brothers titled, “Circus Kings,” written by their nephew, Henry Ringling North, and Alden Hatch, included the photo. The caption read “The five who built the circus and their mustache cups.”
This page from Henry Ringling North’s “Circus Kings” shows the Ringling family on the top and the five mustache cups on the bottom.
So what’s the true story? It’s this: only one of the cups was real. The others were a creation of Roland Butler. In his biography, “Circus Press Agent,” written by Gene Plowden, Butler recalls the incident:
“Once, during a rare visit to the Charles Ringling home, he (Butler) saw the late Mr. Ringling’s mustache cup or shaving mug, an ornate thing with the name inscribed. An idea was born on the spot. Borrowing the antique, Roland called on George Blood, his friend in the cookhouse, to provide him with four coffee mugs of similar size and shape. Using paint, golf leaf and imagination, Butler converted the mugs to mustache cups of ornate design, complete with saucers. He lettered on the names of Al, Alf T., Otto and John to match that of Charles . . . Behind the display of five shaving mugs he placed a picture of the five brothers and had the collection photographed in color and in black and white.”
Because of media hype generated by the photo, Butler was contacted by a New York antique dealer who said he had a buyer for the cups. Butler replied that the cups were not for sale at any price. The Ringling family would never think of such a thing. He went on to explain that the priceless pieces of porcelain were personal items and were not even on display. After this close call, Butler says, he returned the authentic cup to the Charles Ringling family and the other four cups were returned to the circus cookhouse.
In researching for this article, I’ve made multiple attempts to find the location of the original Charles Ringling cup with no success. Perhaps, even it was a figment of Roland Butler’s imagination.
Note: “Circus Press Agent,” by Gene Plowden, is an oversized paperback and can be found for as little as $ 5. Unfortunately, the binding on the book was inferior and most issues are falling apart. However, it is fascinating reading.
“Circus Kings,” by Henry Ringling North, can be found for $ 5 to $ 10 in hardback and less than $ 5 in paperback.
Larry Kellogg is a WorthPoint Worthologist specializing in circus memorabilia.
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Childe Hassam’s “Royal Palms, Cuba,” an oil on canvas painting (1895, 25 by 31 inches), was part of an extraordinary and virtually unknown collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterworks amassed by the former president and later chairman of the board of Eastman Kodak. It is estimated to bring between $ 300,000-$ 600,000 at an auction to be hosted by John W. Coker Auctions on Sept. 15, 2010.
NEW MARKET, Tenn. – An extraordinary and virtually unknown collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterworks amassed by the former president and later chairman of the board of Eastman Kodak will be auctioned with no reserve on Sept. 15, 2010, at the John W. Coker Gallery in New Market, Tenn.
The Dr. Albert K. Chapman (1890-1984) collection, which has been privately held in three subsequent generations of the Chapman family since the 1930s, includes artworks by Childe Hassam, Alfred Sisley, Pierre Bonnard and 30 other distinguished artists from the period 1870 to 1950. None of the paintings were exhibited at any time while in the hands of either Chapman or his heirs. Additionally, the collection is graced by a superb pastel work by Mary Cassatt that has been exhibited only once since joining the Chapman collection—at the Smithsonian Institution in 1970.
The collection’s 80-plus artworks, many accompanied by bills of sale or other written provenance, are described by auctioneer John Coker as “lost and forgotten treasures that are sure to excite the fine art community.”
“Very few people even knew Dr. Chapman’s collection existed,” Coker said. “Most of his acquisitions were made prior to the 1960s, and once he purchased a painting, he did not want it out of his possession. With the exception of the Cassatt, the paintings were never exhibited or displayed outside the family home after he acquired them.”
According to Chapman’s grandson and granddaughter, who are the collection’s consignors, not even the few close friends their grandparents, and later their parents, chose to entertain in their homes had any idea the artworks were originals. “This is a family of intensely private, highly refined people who would not have made a point of mentioning the art was original, as this might have been misconstrued as an ostentatious show of wealth,” Coker said.
Chapman’s greatest prize was Childe Hassam’s (American, 1859-1935) oil on canvas titled “Royal Palms, Cuba.” Its bill of sale indicates that the 25- by 30-inch artwork depicting towering palm trees against a cloud-filled turquoise sky was purchased from the M. Knoedler & Co. gallery in 1948 for $ 1,500. The 1895 painting was previously owned by Horatio S. Rubens, a Cuban-American tobacco industry lawyer who boasted that he had bankrolled the sinking of the battleship U.S.S. Maine during the Spanish-American War. “We believe Rubens was quite likely the original owner,” Coker said.
In 1980, art historian Kathleen Burnside contacted Chapman in hopes of photographing “Royal Palms, Cuba” for a Childe Hassam catalogue raisonne. “Until that point, no one was really sure the artwork existed,” Coker said. “Unfortunately, both Dr. and Mrs. Chapman were in failing health at the time of Burnside’s request, and the painting was not photographed, but it is scheduled to be included in an upcoming catalogue raisonne.”
Mary Cassatt’s (American, 1844-1926) “Simone Talking to Her Mother,” a 25- by 30-inch pastel on paper, was another of Dr. Chapman’s purchases from the M. Knoedler gallery. He acquired it in 1950 for around $ 5,000. Making a rare exception, Chapman loaned the artwork to the Smithsonian in 1970 for Adelyn Dohme Breeskin’s exhibit and accompanying catalogue raisonne. Ten years later, Chapman received a letter from a man hoping to buy the painting from him. Paperwork discovered in the Chapman archive documents the doctor’s sincere reply: “Thank you for your enquiry of December 5, but I have no intention of selling the Mary Cassatt. Living with it gives us entirely too much pleasure to have it depart.”
The Cassatt painting’s colors are “extremely crisp,” Coker said, a reflection of the care it had received over three generations. “It was displayed in Dr. Chapman’s bedroom, then in his daughter’s bedroom, where there was no direct exposure to sunlight.”
The trail of provenance accompanying “Simone Talking to Her Mother” is an illustrious one. Its previous owners included ambassadors and dignitaries from Spain, Italy and other nations.
Mary Cassatt’s “Simone Talking to Her Mother,” pastel on paper, 25½ by 30½ inches, is expected to bring between $ 200,000-$ 400,000 at auction.
The spectrum of colors in the Chapman collection seems to parallel the world of prismatic color in which Dr. Chapman worked on a daily basis, said Coker. “He was a brilliant inventor who held a patent for some sort of prismatic effect used in photography,” Coker said. “When you look at his art selections as a whole, you’ll see the same array of colors as in a prism.”
Among the many artworks featuring a prismatic color palette is Pierre Bonnard’s (French, 1867-1947) “Landscape St.-Tropez,” a 1956 acquisition that depicts a lush view of mountains across a bay, with a bridge in the foreground that leads to a beachside village.
Another alluring work is Gustave Loiseau’s (French, 1865-1935) oil on canvas titled “Roof Top View from Artist’s Studio.” “This is one of my favorites from the collection,” said Coker. “The view through an open window overlooks the rooftops of the city, all in pastel shades, and it’s accented by a vividly colored red geranium plant on the window sill. When you look at this artwork, the range of hues is quite compelling.”
“Pont Aven” by Emile Bernard (French, 1868-1941) was one of Chapman’s later acquisitions, purchased in 1961 from the M.R. Schweitzer Gallery on Madison Avenue in New York. The hilly village landscape with grazing fowl and a church steeple is accompanied by a two-page letter (written in 1961 in French, with translation to English) from the artist’s son, in which he confirms that his father painted the unsigned picture in 1889 in Brittany.
“Paysage Ain,” a 1917 painting by Suzanne Valadon (French, 1865-1838)—mother of Maurice Utrillo—was purchased from Sam Salz Inc. of Park Avenue, New York in 1953, for $ 5,750. The verdant, long-range view from a hillside perspective was previously in the collection of Edouard Herriot (1872-1957), three-time Prime Minister of France. The picture was exhibited twice in Paris in 1924 and 1931. The Chapman archive included a letter from Sam Salz in which the art dealer wrote: “I have known of this painting for a long time, and it was always my intention to buy it for myself.”
Coker said he made it his mission to locate all existing written provenance held in Chapman’s records so the paperwork could be permanently reunited with the artworks. “Luckily, Dr. Chapman kept his receipts, and eventually I was able to find all of the backups by digging through his files,” said Coker. “I felt it was very important to document the history of these paintings so it wouldn’t be lost.”
The Chapman collection is far from one-dimensional, Coker said. “Dr. Chapman grew up in Ohio, and of course he lived in Rochester, New York, as president and later chairman of Eastman Kodak, but he appreciated the work of a variety of regional artists.” Three noteworthy regional paintings in the collection are Anthony Thieme’s (American, Rockport school, 1888-1934) “Entrance to Magnolia Gardens in Spring, Charleston, S.C.”; A.T. Hibbard’s (American, Rockport school, 1886-1972) “Late Sun”; and Harry Leslie Hoffman’s (American, 1871-1964) oil on board titled “The Cotton Pickery – Savannah.”
Additional highlights of the collection include Camille Pissaro’s (French, 1830-1903) graphite-on-paper work titled “Young Lady Reading in Bed” and Alfred Sisley’s (English, 1839-1899) Conte crayon-on-paper sketch for the painting “La Rade de Cardiff.”
Coker said the condition of the artworks in the Chapman collection is “as original as anyone could ever wish for. The paintings are untouched, with no visible signs or cleaning or repairs.”
“This magnificent collection most certainly would have been welcomed by any of the major auction houses in New York, London or Paris, so it is a tremendous honor for us to have been chosen to sell the artworks for Dr. Chapman’s heirs,” Coker said.
The no-reserve auction of the Dr. Albert K. Chapman Fine Art Collection will be held on Sept. 15, 2010 commencing at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. All forms of bidding will be available, including live in the gallery, absentee, phone and live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com. Complete auction and bidding details appear on John Coker’s Web site. The fully illustrated auction catalog will be available to view online at Liveauctioneers.com, Antiquesonline.com or Auctionzip.com.
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- Dimension: 20 x 5
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This To The Trains vintage metal sign measures approximately 20-inches by 5-inches. Unlike most tin signs, we design and make our signs in the United States using 24 gauge American steel and a process known as sublimation, where the image is baked into a powder coating for a durable and long lasting finish. We then perform a vintaging process by hand to give this sign an aged look and feel. The edges of this sign are rounded for extra rigidity and the corners are drilled and riveted for easy hanging.
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Question by elln: Want to read the first two pages of my story?
let me know what you think about it and suggestions, thanks
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Lilian and her three dogs walked by the store front, watching all the exciting products behind the windows, when they noticed something they just had to have, a big yellow rocking chair.
Lilian pressed her face against the glass, seeing as many different people sat on the chair and tested its rocking potentials. Her three dogs, a black lab, a Sheppard and lasa apso all agreed to go inside and take a closer look at the colorful piece of furniture.
As they went in, they noticed the store was full of other artifacts that seemed to be very expensive, and some items looked completely out of place to them. Lilian stared wide eyed at all the store had to offer, when suddenly an old man approached her and said, "How may I help you today young lady, looking for a special antique?"
Her three dogs sat shyly behind her, panting with their tongues out without yet being noticed by the store owner. Lilian thought about what she was going to say for a second, "I'd like to see that yellow rocking chair over there please," she said, vaguely pointing a finger in the chair's general direction.
The old man looked concerned, "Oh, I'm sorry but someone just bought it half an hour ago and is picking it up later today."
----
Lilian then noticed a sign on it with 'sold' printed with bold letters. "Oh," she replied, "that's too bad, me and my friends were very interested in it when we saw it on the window."
"Yes," the store owner added, "they don't make them like these anymore."
Although Lilian and her dogs felt disappointed by the sale of the chair as they exited the store, they still wanted to find out who had bought it. That someone must have a similar taste in chairs as she and her dogs. "I'd really love to meet the person who beat us to buying it," the girl told her dogs. The smallest of them, a Lasa Apso with brown curly hair stared at her eyes in agreement. The Sheppard however thought it would be best to forget all about the chair, "why don't we go and find some Italian food? I'm in a mood for meat balls," he barked.
Lilian and her dogs walked along the sidewalk until they reached an ice cream shop, there she bought one vanilla cone and shared it with them.
The street was a little busy today since it was a holiday, and after they finished their cold treat, Lilian saw somebody carry out the yellow rocking chair out of the antique store
she cant speak to them but she can sort of understand them
she just liked the chair, its not a large part of the story itself
some of u guys are acting like the shepherd in my story
Best answer:
Answer by ♥KaRa♥Writer♥In♥The♥Works♥
I have to be honest. Its pretty boring. If you picked something a lot more exciting to write about I'm sure you'd write it well. But this has very little potential.
What do you think? Answer below!
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
List Price: $ 18.75
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This great handy case is perfect for holding credit cards, business cards, gym membership cards, cash, cigarettes -- all those small items that are easy to lose track of. IT'S NOT JUST FOR SMOKERS. It's made of durable stainless steel, and it measures 4" x 2.75" x 1/2". It has a strong latch and a spring-opening mechanism. The cigarette or card-holding bar is held in place with a spring.
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The polished steel lid is a perfect compact mirror. The case comes bubble-wrapped with a blank gift card. Gift-wrapping and a personalized gift-card free upon request!
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No film in history has captured the worlds imagination like Walt Disneys first full-length animated masterpiece. Through astonishing Blu-ray high definition technology, experience this timeless classic in its most spectacular presentation ever! With an all-new, state-of-the-art digital restoration and Disney Enhanced High Definition sound, the breathtaking animation and unforgettable music of the most revered Disney film of all time will enthrall you like never before!
Join the beautiful princess Snow White as she escapes her jealous stepmother, the queen, and befriends a lovable group of dwarfs. But when she falls under the queens wicked spell, only true loves kiss can save her
Bonus Features Include: Snow White Returns Storyboard Featurette Was Walt planning a Snow White sequel? With newly discovered storyboards Disney animators show how this sequel would have played out, Princess and the Frog Sneak Peek Exclusive sneak peek at the 1st 5 minutes before it hits theaters, The One that Started it All Featurette This featurette within Hyperion Studios reveals how Snow White forever changed the world of movies and the world at large, All New Tiffany Thornton Music Video to Someday My Prince Will Come, Audio Commentary with Walt DisneyOne of the brightest nuggets from Disney's golden age, this 1937 film is almost dizzying in its meticulous construction of an enchanted world, with scores of major and minor characters (including fauna and fowl), each with a distinct identity. When you watch Snow White's intricate, graceful movements of fingers, arms, and head all in one shot, it is not the technical brilliance of Disney's artists that leaps out at you, but the very spirit of her engaging, girl-woman character. When the wicked queen's poisoned apple turns from killer green to rose red, the effect of knowing something so beautiful can be so terrible is absolutely elemental, so pure it forces one to surrender to the horror of it. Based on the Grimm fairy tale, Snow White is probably the best family film ever to deal, in mythic terms, with the psychological foundation for growing up. It's a crowning achievement and should not be missed. --Tom Keogh
Stills from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Click for larger image)
One of the brightest nuggets from Disney's golden age, this 1937 film is almost dizzying in its meticulous construction of an enchanted world, with scores of major and minor characters (including fauna and fowl), each with a distinct identity. When you watch Snow White's intricate, graceful movements of fingers, arms, and head all in one shot, it is not the technical brilliance of Disney's artists that leaps out at you, but the very spirit of her engaging, girl-woman character. When the wicked queen's poisoned apple turns from killer green to rose red, the effect of knowing something so beautiful can be so terrible is absolutely elemental, so pure it forces one to surrender to the horror of it. Based on the Grimm fairy tale, Snow White is probably the best family film ever to deal, in mythic terms, with the psychological foundation for growing up. It's a crowning achievement and should not be missed. --Tom Keogh
Stills from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Click for larger image)
Rating: 
(out of 660 reviews)
List Price: $ 39.99
Price: $ 12.00
Question by Skepticat: "All science is either physics or stamp collecting." Agree or Disagree?
Ernest Rutherford was a physicist who discovered the atomic nucleus with his famous "gold foil experiment." For this feat, he was awarded the Nobel Prize . . . in Chemistry. He accepted the prize, but said the quoted statement as he did so. To my knowledge, no one has EVER mooned the Nobel Committee more thoroughly (metaphorically, of course).
So was Rutherford right? And what do you think of him saying this?
Best answer:
Answer by Kes
That which is not measurable is not science (and therefore must be similar to stamp collecting). Science is the pursuit of knowledge or knowing as in conscious (same sci root?). You can collect stamps without understanding their physical nature. Rutherford had a point.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Beautiful large (16" x 20") NASA photograph of the space shuttle Discovery lifting off.
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One of three unsigned Roseville pottery pieces—this one a 15-inch 2-handled floor vase, circa 1930s, with cherry blossom pattern—that will be among the 700 lots in an auction to be hosted on Sept. 10-11, 2010, by Woody Auctions.
WICHITA, Kan. – A pair of premier consignments—the Steve and Gloria Zak collection and the estate of Louise Hefling—will be sold without reserve (everything goes, regardless of price) at an auction scheduled for Sept. 10-11, 2010, in the 4H Hall of the Sedgwick County Extension Center in Wichita. Woody Auction of Douglass, Kan., will conduct the sale.
The Zaks had a wide range of interests, and this is reflected in their collections. Among their items are wonderful pieces of Royal Bayreuth, teapots, Black Forest Depression glass, salt and pepper shakers, art glass, vintage radios and American art pottery. The Hefling estate offers full-size carousel animals, vintage lamps, carnival glass, Hummel figurines and cut glass pieces.
In all, nearly 700 lots will come under the gavel. “Either one of these consignments would make for a great auction all by itself,” said Jason Woody of Woody Auction. “It’s just fortunate that both presented themselves at once, so we could offer them in one sale. I would encourage all serious collectors to make plans to attend this unique and diversified auction.”
Vases will be very much in evidence in this auction. For openers, there will be three unmarked Roseville pottery two-handled vases, all made in the 1930s. One is a 15-inch floor vase in brown tones with a cherry blossom pattern. Another, nearly as tall, is in brown and green tones, in a luffa pattern. The third is 7 ¼ inches tall, green and brown tones, in a wisteria pattern.
Other vases include a 12-inch Carnival glass mid-size vase by Northwood in a tree trunk pattern, colored a rare lime green; a 9-inch Van Briggle pottery vase with an embossed floral design (circa 1920s); and a quality 5 ¼ inch signed Richard three-color cameo cut vase with tree, lake and mountain scenic décor.
A Stein & Goldstein carved wooden child's horse barber shop chair with hydraulic base.
Yet more vases include a 10-inch pink Depression glass vase with a Black Forest décor; a 7 inch by 7 inch Orrefors heavy art glass vase with cased purple glass, by Sven Palmgvist (circa 1960); a 20-inch Murano glass pedestal vase with free form stem, aqua coloring; and a signed 14 ½ inch Mark Louis art glass vase with whimsical design titled “Killer Robots From Mars” (1988).
Vintage carousel collectibles will feature an original 57-inch by 64-inch wooden English double-seated “Rooster” carousel set on a metal stand, with no visible maker’s mark but with a colorful iridescent paint scheme and mounting step on the side; and an original 41-inch by 53-inch carved wooden Allan Herschell “Uncle Sam” chariot carousel in very nice condition.
From the same genre, two items sure to generate crowd buzz will be a 44-inch by 55-inch one-cent coin-operated “Sandy” pony ride with leather saddle in good working condition, once a fixture at Dillon’s Grocery Store in Hutchinson, Kan.; and an original 49-inch by 40-inch Stein & Goldstein carved wooden horse child’s chair for barber shop use with a porcelain hydraulic base.
Teapots and tea services will include a scarce 6 ½-inch by 9-inch Clarice Cliff “Tipi” teapot, with Indian spout and totem pole handle, in good condition; and a three-piece James Kent stackable tea service (teapot, creamer and sugar), mottled green with gold highlights. Also sold will be more than 700 pairs of salt and pepper shakers, grouped in 17 assorted lots.
A scarce Clarice Cliff “Tipi” teapot, with Indian spout and totem pole handle, 6 1/2” x 9”.
Vintage collectibles will feature a rare RCA Coca-Cola cooler style model radio in good condition; an early and historical brass fire wagon horn, powered by bellows (in need of repair); a rare 8-inch figural bisque Black Memorabilia humidor, depicting a young boy jumping out of a cotton bag; and an original complete tile set Mahjong game with a mother of pearl traveling case.
Decorative accessories will include an 11 ¼-inch by 8 inch Royal Bayreuth (Blue Mark) rose tapestry dresser tray; a 10 ½-inch Lladro figural bust of a clown’s head; a 12-inch Milifiori glass font kerosene oil lamp with cobalt blue basket weave and fruit design; and a nice 14 ½-inch Sevres artist-signed pedestal covered urn with figural depictions and gilt metal handles and base.
Rounding out the day’s expected top lots will be a 45-inch by 74-inch Victorian walnut sofa made in the style of John Jelliff, with burl panels, ornate carved design, an inset bronze plaque and wonderful red velour upholstery; and a 13-inch Wannoopee Pottery large-handled candlestick, made circa 1900 and with a rope twist design and brown and green high-gloss finish.
Online bidding will be available through Proxibid.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Absentee bids should be submitted in a written statement, indicating the amount of the bid, and must be received no later than Thursday noon, Sept. 9. For convenience, they may be sent in by fax (316.747.2145) or e-mail (info@woodyauction.com).
For more information about this auction, call 316.747.2694, e-mail to info@woodyauction.com or visit the Woody Auction Web site.
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Darkwing Duck #2 sells out.
The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Sales numbers and rankings are courtesy of ICV2.com. The codes under the prices of new titles discussed are Diamond Comics order codes that can be used to help your local comic retailer in ordering the issues discussed.
The Back Issue Report:
It’s time to once again take a look at the fast-paced, action-packed world of back-issue comics. I know it’s been a while but from here on out this is going to be a weekly blog. You’ll notice, if you’ve been following my other TCS blog, the sell out news has moved over to this blog. It just seemed like a better fit here. Let me know if you agree. Now let’s get into it.
Sell Out News:
These could be the hot back issues of the future so pay attention and buy now or pay way too much for them later. The sell-outs discussed here are at the distributor level meaning there may be copies still available at your local comic shop.
BOOM!:
On August 25, BOOM! Studios announced that Darkwing Duck #2 sold out at Diamond and has a second printing scheduled to ship on Sept. 15.
Darkwing Duck #2 Second Printing (JUN108175)
DD #2 seems to have disappeared from comic shops as well, judging by the $ 13-$ 17 price tag for first-printings on eBay. Darkwing seems to be a runaway hit and issue #3 looks to sellout before the issue even ships. I don’t mean to say I told you so, but I did. And then I didn’t buy the issues, either. One day I will learn to trust my own instincts.
Image:
Chew #13 Second-printing
On Aug. 27, Image announced that Chew #13 sold out at the distributor level and will return with a second-printing on Sept. 15.
Chew #13 Second-printing (JUL108129)
The news of the Chew #13 sell-out is pretty fresh, so copies are still selling for cover price online but there aren’t many for sale. Watch for this one to go up in price very soon.
Marvel:
New Avengers #2 second printing
On Aug. 26, Marvel announced that the Avengers sellout streak is holding strong with the sellout of New Avengers #2. A second printing has been scheduled to ship on Sept. 22.
New Avengers #2 JUL108102
Unlike Darkwing Duck, retailers saw this one coming a mile away and there’s still piles of New Avengers #2 available at comic shops everywhere.
Daredevil #509 Second Printing
Also from Marvel; on Aug. 24 it was announced that Shadowland’s sell-outs also continued with the sell-out of Daredevil #509. A second printing with an awesome variant cover is scheduled to ship on Sept. 15.
Daredevil #509 Second Printing (JUL108027)
There still seems to be plenty of DD #509 first-printings around, which is keeping the prices just below cover price online.
Gold and Silver News
Action Comics #1 CGC graded at 5.0
The Comicconnect.com Auction for the Action Comics #1 CGC graded at 5.0, that is reportedly going to save a family’s home from foreclosure, began on Friday, Aug. 27 and with nine bids already, the price is up $ 246,000. Now, don’t panic; you still have 21 days left in the auction to scrape up 300 grand if you’d like to throw a bid on this one. I would have to guess that the family that found the comic is pretty happy with how the auction is going so far.
Coverless Pep Comics #22
On August 23, a coverless copy of the first appearance of Archie which is . . . anyone? Pep Comics #22 (I didn’t know either) sold for $ 3,000. Keep in mind, this is a coverless copy. Pep #22 is one of the most prized and rarest golden-age comics selling on the back-issue market today and regularly sells for record-breaking prices. Pep #22 is also the first appearance of Jughead, Betty and Bob Montana. Don’t feel bad, I don’t know who Bob Montana is either.
$ 5 million Flash Comics #1?
In “total B.S.” news; apparently, an ashcan version of Flash Comics #1 (DC, 1939) CGC graded at 9.6 condition sold for $ 4,950,990. Approaching $ 5 million making this easily the highest price paid for any comic book, ever, and no one cared. No news coverage, no “screw you, Superman and Batman”—just a quiet $ 4,950,990 sale. Sounds a little strange, right? Well, it is. According to the auction, the seller is willing to ship this $ 5-million comic for the very reasonable price of $ 10. With insurance, of course. Oh, and the pic is great. It looks like the seller leaned his $ 5-million -comic against a wall to take the picture. There’re a lot of weird things about the sale, but perhaps the weirdest is this; the comic is back up for auction. What a coincidence. Just days after the record sale of a comic that—according to the seller, is one of only six copies of in existence—also lists a second one in the same condition with the same picture. Is it just me, or is there something funny going on? I contacted the seller to see what happened with the sale and was immediately answered. According to the seller, the buyer couldn’t come up with the money so the comic has been re-listed, this time with a “Buy it now” of $ 5 million. Good luck to you, sir.
Bronze-Age and Beyond
Star Wars #1 35-cent variant
It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned the Marvel 35-cent price variant covers of the late 1970s, but just this past week a 35-cent variant of Star Wars #1 (Marvel 1977) CGC graded in 8.5 condition sold for $ 1,802.78 on eBay with 21 bids. What’s a Marvel 35-cent variant? Click here for a great site detailing the history of the 35-cent variants. The short version of the story is that, supposedly, Marvel was conducting a price experiment at the time and copies of all the comics they were publishing at the time were printed with both 30- and 35-cent variants. The 35-cent variants were printed much lower and today command much higher prices than the 30-cent versions. Case-in-point here, a copy of Star Wars #1 (Marvel, 1977) in CGC 9.8 condition did not sell for $ 595 recently on eBay. Now, the seller who’s offering a 35-cent variant of Star Wars #1 for $ 10,000 is aiming pretty (unreasonably) high, but collectors are paying top dollar for these variants.
Amazing Spider-Man 252
The CGC Signature Series is still blowing up on eBay, this time with a copy of Amazing Spider-Man 252 (Marvel, 1984) graded in 9.8 condition and signed by Stan Lee and Ron Frenz sold for $ 838 with 34 bids on Aug. 16. Amazing Spidey #252 is the first appearance of Spidey in the black costume (technically, I think it was a tie with Marvel Team-Up #141, which came out that same month) and is a hot Spidey back-issue that guides for $ 48 in Near Mint condition. I’m guessing the winning bidder was shooting for the Stan Lee autograph. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ron Frenz—think he’s way under-appreciated—and the Mary Jane Watson sketch on the cover is awesome, but let’s not kid ourselves here. It seems the CGC Signature Series is going to be commanding ridiculous prices for the near future and could reignite the autographed comic market.
Bull vs Bear
Buy or sell? Every week I get asked “what’s hot in comics these days?” Well, here’re a few comics that are either moving right now or just begging to be added to your collection:
Daredevil #131
Buy: Daredevil #131 (Marvel,1976): Recently in the pages of Shadowland #1 (the latest Daredevil event) Daredevil killed his long time nemesis Bullseye by running him through with a Sai in a very similar fashion to how Bullseye killed Elektra in Daredevil #181. With Bullseye’s death, speculators flooded the market with his first appearance, a comic that guides for $ 200 in Near Mint condition, and prices on the comic crashed. Currently, you can pick up high grade copies of Daredevil #131 on eBay for less than $ 50. Of course, CGC graded issues are still selling for high prices, but if you can find an auction for an ungraded issue from a seller with a good feedback rating, now is a great time to pick up this key DD issue.
Bone
Sell: Bone (Cartoon Books/Image): Back in March of this year there was an announcement that Warner Bros, which bought the rights to the series in 2008, was moving closer to bringing Jeff Smith’s epic to the big screen. At the time, speculators flooded the market with Bone comics and prices got very high on the early issues. Things have cooled off a bit since then but you can still expect to pay at least $ 200 for a first print of issue #1 (with the Red logo) which, honestly, is a steal. Early Bone comics are very hard to find and, with the impending announcement of the movie version, you can expect the price to go way up. But I don’t see the general public scrambling for these.
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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow him on Twitter, where I’m always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all Matt’s new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally, a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers, even though he would graciously accept them.
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