The Chicorel Collection
by Barry Sandoval
40-year-old oversight turns golden for comic book collector
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One of the Detroit-area collectors who saw the comics was Al Milgrom, who would become a well-known artist and editor at Marvel Comics. At the time, Milgrom was 18 years old and unable to top the $3,500 bid. Even today, Milgrom remembers inspecting Chicorel's books.
"I drove over to his house and, lo and behold, there were all these well-preserved Golden Age comics, runs of all the great superhero stuff from issue #1 on," Milgrom recalls. "I really wanted to get them but I had no money. There were early issues of everything. Whiz #2, All-Flash #1, Flash #1. It was all the very best, very earliest Golden Age books in the mintiest condition I've ever seen."
For Chicorel, it might have been the end of the story, except for one fact: He sold only half of his collection that day — because he wasn't able to find the other half in time for his sale. "God was watching over me, I think," Chicorel says now. "Go figure."
2009The second half of Chicorel's collection includes the likes of Batman #1 as well as the earliest Timely superhero comics, such as Marvel Comics #1, Marvel Mystery Comics #2, Daring Mystery Comics #1, and more.
The Chicorel Collection anchored Heritage Auctions' Vintage Comics & Comic Art Signature® Auction #7007, which took place May 21-23, 2009. It was among the very best the company has auctioned. Chicorel received an over $625,000 payday.
None of this would be happening if not for that oversight four decades ago.
"Ralph had an uncanny knack for buying comics that would be considered key issues later," says Heritage Auctions Vice President Ed Jaster, who picked up Chicorel's consignment and also reviewed a list of the issues sold in 1968. "He also preserved them better than almost anyone."
Jaster was particularly excited about Chicorel's Marvel Mystery Comics #9, a scarce issue with a classic cover. "It's the best copy I've ever seen by far, and as far as I know it's the best one that exists."
Born in 1930 in Detroit, Chicorel bought comics off the shelf from 1939 to 1947. He learned an early lesson after filching a comic from a local drugstore. "I was 10 years old and I was caught and kept in the store until my parents picked me up and I never stole anything again!" he recalls. "In spite of that incident, I'm thankful my parents understood my love of comics."
His favorite characters? "The obvious ones: Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel — I was no different than any other kid."
By age 16, like so many young people, Chicorel moved on to other pursuits. "I switched to collecting movie magazines and other things," he says.
As time passed, he saw the values of old comics increasing, but his successful career operating a Weight Watchers franchise meant there was no need to sell off his remaining comics. In the early 1990s, he re-connected with comic book collecting by taking his son to comic stores.
As a successful businessman, husband, father of six, and a songwriter for more than 40 years, Chicorel is enjoying life and retirement. "Thank God," he says, "I've lived to this age and I've got my health."
 Marvel Mystery Comics #9 (Timely, 1940) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white pages. Probably the best-existing copy of Marvel Mystery #9, featuring the legendary showdown between the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner, is featured in May's auction. Sold: Heritage Auctions, May 2009, $107,550. |
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Heritage Auctions Magazine Summer/Fall 2009 Copyright ©2009 by Heritage Auctions, Inc.
