The 2 Non-Certified Silver Age Pedigrees

Of the many high grade Silver Age comic book collections unearthed since the 1980’s, most have attained pedigree status and are recognized by the Comics Guaranty Corporation. From the White Mountain collection, which was originally brought to market in 1984, to the Pacific Coast collection, founded in 1999, most of these pedigrees had sufficient data, methods of identification and uniformity in appearance and storage of individual books to warrant such acceptance in the marketplace and subsequent designation on a CGC holder (e.g. Bethlehem, Northland, Boston, Western Penn, Curator, Mass collection, Ohio, Green River, Winnipeg, Mile High II and Circle 8).

However, and perhaps most unfortunately, two known Silver Age collections that appear to have the characteristics of these more well known pedigrees have not been afforded this loftier status by the experts at CGC. Both the Slobodian collection (from the private collection of Calvin Slobodian from Calgary, Canada) and the lesser known Edenwald collection (from dealer/collector Conrad Eschenberg of Cold Spring, New York) are both high grade collections, purchased by a single owner, in which the books share a common look, feel and smell. What separates these two collections from the more nationally recognized and CGC certified ones mentioned above is the lack of sales records and data needed to track the dissemination of the individual issues once brought to the public and sold. Another factor, solely in the case of Mr. Slobodian, was the existence of some restored comics among those he had purportedly purchased off of the newsstand, causing a lack of certainty as to which books were actually bought by this original owner.

Perhaps over time this information will become available and/or the confusion caused by the restored books will be explained. Whether either collection is finally CGC ratified is not known. What is known, however, is that both of these Silver Age holdings have some of the highest graded early Marvel comic books, especially in the Fantastic Four title, that are far superior to those of the CGC accepted pedigrees.

For example, the Slobodian Fantastic Four No. 1 graded a 9.2; the 2, 9.4; the 3, 8.5; the FF 4 is a 9.6 (highest graded copy) and the 5 graded a 9.4 (tied with 2 others for best copy). The Slobodian FF 13 is a 9.2; the 22 is a 9.6 (highest graded copy); 23, 9.4; 24 is a 9.4 as is the FF 28.

The Edenwald Fantastic Fours are quite beautiful as well. The No.1, although still ungraded and now within a collector’s possession, is a strong near mint minus to near mint copy; the FF 2 is a 9.2, the 3, 9.2 (second best copy); the 4 is a 9.4; the 6 graded out at 9.0; the 7 is a 9.4 (tied with one other copy for highest grade); the 8 is also, at 9.4, tied for the highest grade given so far by the CGC, while the 9 and 10 are strong 9.2's; the FF 12 is a 9.2; the 14, 9.4; 15, 9.2; 17 9.4; 24 and 30, 9.4.

The early grades on some of the other titles are very high as well. The Edenwald Amazing Spider-Man 1 is a 9.4, for example, the 3 is a 9.2; 4 is a 9.2; the 5 certified at 9.0; the 6 is 9.2 and the 7 & 8 both received grades of 9.4; the 9 and 10, similar to the FF's are 9.2's and the 13 graded out at 9.4.

Meanwhile, the Slobodian ASM 4 is a 9.4 (tied for best in existence), the 7, 9 and 10 are 9.4’s while the 26 and 28 at 9.6 are tied as the best copies graded by the CGC. In addition, the Slobodian ASM 35 and 36 are both a killer 9.6 (highest graded); the 37 & 38 are 9.4s, while the 39 and 40 are both killer and at 9.6, tied for nicest copies certified so far.

The Incredible Hulk is well represented in both pedigrees as well. The Edenwald Hulk 1 graded an 8.5 with white pages, while the No.5 received a 9.4 with off white paper. The Slobodian Incredible Hulk 2, graded strictly by the CGC, is a 9.2 while the beautiful Hulk 4 from Calvin's run is a 9.6 with white pages, the nicest copy in existence.

Many other high grade examples exist, too numerous to name herein.

Although both of these collections have not yet met the criteria for a recognized provenance or pedigree within the eyes of the CGC, these two original owner collections are impressive nevertheless.