Dave Sutherland auctions
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Post Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:30 am 
 

Hello all,

I just finished looking through Paul Stormberg's Dave Sutherland auctions.  My first reaction was to salivate uncontrolably.  My second has been a little different.  I can't help but feel a little unsettled to see so much of a man's creative output/life being put up on the auction block.  I can totally understand Dave's sitiuation, but I suppose on a philosophical level placing a dollar value on the milestones/momentos of a man's life (particularly that of a man which we all admire so much) leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I'd like to bid on some of those auctions myself (to help Dave's family and, I admit, for my own selfish reasons), but I can't help but feel a little like a ghoul - profiting from someone (especially one who I admire) elses misfortune.

Maybe once the auctions have finished, the Acaeum community can show its appreciation for Dave by making a charitable donation (the American Diabeties Association(?) - he's diabetic isn't he?) in his name or something.  Possibly with a letter being sent to him with a list of those people he influenced in a positive way.  I wouldn't want Dave's last interaction with the gaming community to be limited to watching us fight over his things.

Would anyone be interested in such a venture?

Just some thoughts,

Egg of Coot

  


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Post Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 7:54 pm 
 

I'd contribute.

There are 75 lots. Which will sell for the most $?

If I were wealthy, the Dungeon Master's Guide would be mine.

Are there any other first prints or just this one?

Sorry if this sounds insensitive following Egg of Coots nice post.

  


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Post Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:15 pm 
 

Please help!

Dave Sutherland, a longtime TSR employee and the artist behind much of the early D&D and Tekumel products, is terminally ill. To pay his medical bills and hopefully leave something for his wife and daughters, he and his sister are auctioning off much of his gaming stuff on eBay, including some real rare gems. You can find the link here:

cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...s=1&stab=0

If you have any interest at all, take a look. This is a real trove of
gaming history, and the money would be going to help out a family in dire need. Please pass this on to whoever you like and post it wherever you can.


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Post Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 1:24 am 
 

Howdy All,


geomendez wrote:Please help!

Dave Sutherland, a longtime TSR employee and the artist behind much of the early D&D and Tekumel products, is terminally ill. To pay his medical bills and hopefully leave something for his wife and daughters, he and his sister are auctioning off much of his gaming stuff on eBay, including some real rare gems. You can find the link here:

cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...s=1&stab=0

If you have any interest at all, take a look. This is a real trove of
gaming history, and the money would be going to help out a family in dire need. Please pass this on to whoever you like and post it wherever you can.


Thanks for the interest. The link is:

stormber | eBay


Futures Bright,

Paul


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Post Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 9:58 pm 
 

(After seeing the items)
My God.
What a wonderful thing to do.
He's parting with his history so that we may enjoy it.
And he doesn't even know us.
Wish the circumstances could be better, though.


"Is it secret; is it safe?"

  


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Post Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:46 pm 
 

The current bid on the DMG Proof Copy is >$500  8O

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 5920952196


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Post Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 2:30 am 
 

If you think THAT is insane, look at what the dice are going for...

  

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Post Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:30 am 
 

Cernunnos wrote:If you think THAT is insane, look at what the dice are going for...


Alot of the prices are getting out of control. Whats up with all these people we haven't seen before who are willing to pay this kind of money?

Maybe they are just willing to pay more because the money is going to help out Sutherland.

Just wish some old TSR art by Sutherland was up for auction. What happened to all that history, hopefully his family retained it?

  


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Post Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:45 am 
 

Howdy All,


burntwire wrote:
Cernunnos wrote:If you think THAT is insane, look at what the dice are going for...


Alot of the prices are getting out of control. Whats up with all these people we haven't seen before who are willing to pay this kind of money?

Maybe they are just willing to pay more because the money is going to help out Sutherland.

Just wish some old TSR art by Sutherland was up for auction. What happened to all that history, hopefully his family retained it?


The auction is clearly shifting from collectables to charity for some items. Then again my auctions do get some crazy prices. :P Check out this thread on Dragonsfoot:

Dragonsfoot • Information

As to the original art. David rescued the DMG cover along with The Paladin in Hell illustration from the PH from a, "pyramid, about 3' high and 6' at the base, of old artwork" that was "thrown out" in the mid 1990's. All of the black and white illos from the AD&D books were in there. An agent of Gary Gygax rescued both the PH and MM cover for him, and who knows what else. David left the MM cover painting in the pile because he hated the painting! Then Gary turned around and sold it for $4,500 in 1999. Surely Gary recovered other bits, as I am sure many other artists and TSR staffer's did. None of it has shown up for auction because it is mostly privately traded and sold.

At some point in all of this (1993-1995), Lorraine Williams ordered a confiscation of all original art from TSR staffers at the time. The last bit, ""Pete" the facilities manager had not a nostalgic bone in his body and saw most of the accumulated artwork as trash ... and had the maintenance guy treat it as such."


Futures Bright,

Paul


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Post Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 1:44 pm 
 

Cernunnos wrote:If you think THAT is insane, look at what the dice are going for...


I was thinking the same thing... I was looking at that picture carefully trying to figure out if I were missing something...  :wink:

burntwire wrote:Alot of the prices are getting out of control. Whats up with all these people we haven't seen before who are willing to pay this kind of money?

Maybe they are just willing to pay more because the money is going to help out Sutherland.


I guess it is charity, but a zero feedback bidder still gives me pause.  I don't mind paying "extra" to help DCS out, but I don't want to outbid someone whose plan it is start a new eBay account to bid up collectors to help out DCS and doesn't plan to purchase if he/she wins.  That would be a bummer.  

burntwire wrote:Just wish some old TSR art by Sutherland was up for auction. What happened to all that history, hopefully his family retained it?


I have to admit I was disappointed that there wasn't more original art up for sale.  I guess a lot of it is already in the hands of other collectors or ended up in the trash bin.  I noticed that the 10th Anniversary chess set didn't get put for auction.  I was wondering what it would go for this time around....

  


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Post Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 2:25 pm 
 

Howdy All,


dathon wrote:I guess it is charity, but a zero feedback bidder still gives me pause.  I don't mind paying "extra" to help DCS out, but I don't want to outbid someone whose plan it is start a new eBay account to bid up collectors to help out DCS and doesn't plan to purchase if he/she wins.  That would be a bummer.


Now don't go shaking peoples confidence!. We all started as zero feedback bidders too. Besides, there is a Charitable Fund set for David. There are other ways to contribute. I think what is happening is that people are saying, "Wow! I could have [insert item here] from Dave Sutherland and I'll be helping out he and his family in the process!" The prices are clearly for David's benefit but have the added value of an actual collectable item. As for the dice, how much would we pay for Gary Gygax's dice?

dathon wrote:I have to admit I was disappointed that there wasn't more original art up for sale.  I guess a lot of it is already in the hands of other collectors or ended up in the trash bin.  I noticed that the 10th Anniversary chess set didn't get put for auction. I was wondering what it would go for this time around....


The original artwork is being retained by his family, for now. The TSR stuff is gone - in somone else's hands or lost.

The chess set. Well there was not a chess set, the teaser title was misleading and I was mistaken. That lot title was for the pewter figures now up for auction. They were all stamped TSR 1984 and I thought for sure they were part of the chess set. They were not. The unpainted miniatures up for auction were sculpted by David and cast at TSR. They were never released. The ogre magi miniatures had only 100 cast and were never made public. The other fine pewter figures had even fewer cast and were also never released. All were done in-house at TSR c. 1984.

It was at the same time as the chess set. TSR was trying to get into fine pewter statuary at the time. The fine pewter chalice was also a 10th anniversary item. All done in fine pewter in 1984! Notice a trend?

I'll tell you all now. I have not excerpted anything from the collection. I bought the DMG cover and The Paladin in Hell. Then through conversations  with Davis's sister, was selected to auction the rest.

Everything I was presented to auction is up for auction. The few 60+ pieces of original art are in the possession of the family. They have several choices to consider and we'll have to wait. If they go for auction, you bet I will let you know!


Futures Bright,

Paul


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Post Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 4:21 pm 
 

stormber wrote:
dathon wrote:I guess it is charity, but a zero feedback bidder still gives me pause.  I don't mind paying "extra" to help DCS out, but I don't want to outbid someone whose plan it is start a new eBay account to bid up collectors to help out DCS and doesn't plan to purchase if he/she wins.  That would be a bummer.


Now don't go shaking peoples confidence!. We all started as zero feedback bidders too. Besides, there is a Charitable Fund set for David. There are other ways to contribute. I think what is happening is that people are saying, "Wow! I could have [insert item here] from Dave Sutherland and I'll be helping out he and his family in the process!" The prices are clearly for David's benefit but have the added value of an actual collectable item. As for the dice, how much would we pay for Gary Gygax's dice?


Indeed, you're right.  And that's a really good move setting up the Charitable Fund as well.  And, yeah, I could see myself bidding a chunk of change for Gygax's dice... but it would have to be the ones he used in Don Kaye's house when Arneson's dwarves "came to life" at the castle walls.  I hope to come out on top on at least a couple of these auctions at the finish line.

  

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Post Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 12:51 am 
 

Why are there so many 0 feedback bidders with ID's created only a few days ago? I was glancing thru the bids and it seems a ton of the auctions have them.


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Post Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 9:02 am 
 

Deadlord36 wrote:Why are there so many 0 feedback bidders with ID's created only a few days ago? I was glancing thru the bids and it seems a ton of the auctions have them.


In normal circumstances I would worry about numerous 0 bidders.   However, given the cause and  the fact that I have watched numerous artist friends struggle just to pay the bills I hope the auctions do exceedingly well.

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Post Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:21 am 
 

I think word of this has spilled onto many D&D/RPG forums where people are not normally eBayers and collectors like we are.

I posted it on the Paizo Publishing boards, for example.

  

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Post Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:38 am 
 

Well, even if word has gotten out, I'm sure anyone interested in them already has an eBay account.


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Post Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:45 am 
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 5920963998

Now, I see nothing unusual about this. It's not autographed or anything, right? Am I missing something?
So if and when someone goes to sell it, it is merely a BO5A. If you tried to tell the buyer "Well, this is a gem because Dave Sutherland owned it", he'd most likely say "Of course he did. Therefore, I'll pay you triple."
However, I see an awesome side to this. If indeed newbies are coming in because of the "word", it will mean new collectors, and price increases. Bwahahahaha! My Swiss lodge is almost within reach!


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Post Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 4:15 pm 
 

Each lot comes with its own unique Letter of Authentication personally signed and dated by David C. Sutherland III.

  
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