Red Hook
04-13-2008, 08:38 PM
What qualifies a collection for pedigree status?
One of the often debated issues surrounding pedigree collections is the criteria for awarding pedigree status to a particular collection of books. In general, for a collection to be considered a pedigree it must have several of the following characteristics:
1. The books must be traceable back to a single collector who purchased them directly from a newstand or similar source. Also referred to as lineage or provenance.
2. The books must be of consistantly high grade.
3. The collection must contain a good sampling of key issues.
4. The size of the collection must be substantial. Well known collector Jon Berk has stated that this requirement is even more important for Silver Age collections than Golden Age.
5. The books should ideally have some kind of characteristic feature by which to identify them. This may be as subtle as a consistant "smell" or as obvious as a signature or a date stamp.
6. The pedigree collection should be accepted over time by the market. It should not simply be declared at point of introduction to the market.
These are just a few of the criteria about which collectors debate. Personally, I feel that you cannot declare a collection a pedigree without a clearly traceable provenance. If not, then any well-heeled collector could "fabricate" a pedigree collection by simply placing buy orders over time for back issues. I believe that true pedigree collections are quite rare and that they should be determined by strict adherence to the generally agreed upon guidelines.
There is nothing wrong with a great collection of books being considered just that...a great collection. In many cases, collectors will scoop them up anyway. Pedigree status goes beyond marketability. They represent small slices of true collecting history and should be treated with respect.
One of the often debated issues surrounding pedigree collections is the criteria for awarding pedigree status to a particular collection of books. In general, for a collection to be considered a pedigree it must have several of the following characteristics:
1. The books must be traceable back to a single collector who purchased them directly from a newstand or similar source. Also referred to as lineage or provenance.
2. The books must be of consistantly high grade.
3. The collection must contain a good sampling of key issues.
4. The size of the collection must be substantial. Well known collector Jon Berk has stated that this requirement is even more important for Silver Age collections than Golden Age.
5. The books should ideally have some kind of characteristic feature by which to identify them. This may be as subtle as a consistant "smell" or as obvious as a signature or a date stamp.
6. The pedigree collection should be accepted over time by the market. It should not simply be declared at point of introduction to the market.
These are just a few of the criteria about which collectors debate. Personally, I feel that you cannot declare a collection a pedigree without a clearly traceable provenance. If not, then any well-heeled collector could "fabricate" a pedigree collection by simply placing buy orders over time for back issues. I believe that true pedigree collections are quite rare and that they should be determined by strict adherence to the generally agreed upon guidelines.
There is nothing wrong with a great collection of books being considered just that...a great collection. In many cases, collectors will scoop them up anyway. Pedigree status goes beyond marketability. They represent small slices of true collecting history and should be treated with respect.