Frankenstein 6-sheet on Hollywood Treasures

[bigbud]

Was over at a friends last night and caught my first episodes (2) of Hollywood Treasures. The main guy has a business of tracking down super rare and one-of-a-kind collectibles then auctioning them off. Anyway, he flew to NY to check out an original Frankenstein 6-sheet.......It was truly magnificent! All for naught..... he got all excited, proclaimed it as the only such poster in existence and the most valuable poster in the world. He then estimated the poster value in his auction at 3 million dollars (two mill over the owners estimate). The owner thanked him for the valuable information, but due to the unlikely chance he would find another he declined to hand it over for auction. Also had a guy from San Diego ComiCon hand  over the complete interior artwork to Fantastic Four #12 to this guy for possible auction.      Bud

[bigbud]

So I'll reply to my own post...... I've been in the comicbook world since I was 7, and that's awhile ago. The way the Hollywood Treasures guy went about things gave me the impression he wasn't at the top of his game....1st off, comic art has become a super-star of escalating value, but to tell the guy it was worth 400-600 thousand dollars, and then suggest he could possibly get the owner a million at his auction didn't work for me. I believe the owner would have handed the art over without the outrageous values thrown at him. The owner was shopping the art around, to tell him the auction would guarantee him the most he could possibly get would possibly have worked. As it turned out, the Hollywood Treasures guy gets back to the office to find out from his secretary that the art owner has called and  changed his mind......he no longer wants the art auctioned, he wants a private buyer found.......and......he expects the sale price......drum-roll.......one million dollars! Period.  Seemed like Mr. Hollywood Treasures shot himself in the foot (or other part of the body).      Bud

[Scatter]

I saw that episode too Bud...............I freaking LOVE that show! Watch for the one where he tracks down an original biplane from King Kong.

I thought the same thing on the comic book art. If he estimated it a $3 mill for auction, then he pretty much HAS to find a private buyer for at LEAST a mill. I wonder why not go to auction though. Makes no sense. Why not get multiple bidders waging war and get the best price?? You can be an anonymous SELLER as well as someone can be an anonymous BIDDER, so it makes zero sense.

I would have assumed the art was stolen based on that, but obviously it can't be if it's just been featured on national TV. Odd.

[bigbud]

Hi there Scatter, my friend! The Frankenstein poster he estimated to go for 3 million......the comic art to FF #12 he estimated at $400,000 to $600,000 but then added "maybe even a million". Where it gets interesting is this....the artwork to FF#12 was done by the King of Comics- Jack Kirby, and written (in part) by Stan Lee. The Kirby family has aggressively attempted to gain all rights to any of Jack Kirby's work as their property even claiming ownership to several of Marvel's flagships......X-men, Thor, Fantastic Four. This owner of the complete art to FF #12 just flashed to the world on national TV his possession of property that was never returned to Kirby after publication or during the period when Marvel relented and returned all art to original artists that it had in it's possession. So you are not far off in saying that the art could be considered by some parties as stolen. The owners subsequent contact with the Hollywood Treasures office demanding that the art be sold only to a private buyer could very possibly be an attempt to mask the sale from view.............then again the owner of the art must have loaded his pants when they also aired that demand on the show! My bet is that if that art had gone to auction the Kirby heirs and their lawyers would have been in the front row. But they know now that the art exists....and a million dollars is incentive to come calling.....Bud

[Monsters For Sale]

This show is also being discussed in "General Discussion".  Look for the topic "Hollywood Treasures..."

I posted the auction pictures of the King Kong Biplane there.

[Universal Steve]

My friend just showed me that show last night. I have never seen it before. The guy said they found the poster in an old suitcase that didn't sell at a yard sale. What a find! Even though it is worth 3 million I don't think I would sell it if I had it. I do collect because I like it and not for profit. I I was in charge of Universal , I would send a lacky down to buy the poster for the studio. You think they would want a part of their own history. Especially something of that caliber. It is because these movies saved the studio more than once is why they have their cushy jobs.

[Monster Bob]

I like the show in general, but alot of it is recreated for TV drama, as was the spot on the Frankenstein poster (apparently Joe needed a trip to NYC?). That poster is very well known, and the owner isn't selling... 

[mjaycox]

I like the show in general, but alot of it is recreated for TV drama, as was the spot on the Frankenstein poster (apparently Joe needed a trip to NYC?). That poster is very well known, and the owner isn't selling... 

It's Bruce Hershonson, isn't it Bobby? The owner, I mean.

Matt

[Monster Bob]

That is Steve Fishler's poster.

[Mitchellmania]

On the Frankenstein six sheet, I would of had a beautiful reproduction made to keep, and sold it in a heartbeat!

[Mike Scott]

I would of had a beautiful reproduction made to keep, and sold it in a heartbeat!

Me too, but Fishler doesn't need the money. (I don't need a million bucks, but it would be nice!)

[Monster Bob]

I would be real scared to have a piece of paper worth that kind of money laying around. I was thinking during the show- if something was to hit that huge glass, it would do hellacious damage to that poster.

Not to mention if your drunk friend fell into it, or hit it with a bat.

[Mike Scott]

I was thinking during the show- if something was to hit that huge glass, it would do hellacious damage to that poster.

Unless it's bulletproof.

[Scary Terry]

I wanted them to stop and show the framed original comic book art that was hanging on the wall near the Frankenstein poster -- looked to be some amazing covers and such there -- and they just breezed past it.

[bigbud]

That is Metropolis Comics, and the art on the walls is incredible......mostly comic covers. The second I realized where they were and who they were approaching I got a feeling this was done for show effect only. The owner of Metropolis Comics doesn't need either the money or anyone to sell his items for him. I would bet Metropolis connections to prospective collector/buyers rivals or exceeds Mr. Hollywood Treasures. Made for an interesting portion of the show though. If he truly believed he was crossing the USA to bring back that poster he doen't know comic folk. The art is in the deal......Hollywood Treasures put too many cards on the table......against one of the top if not the top comic collector/dealer in the nation......Bud