Glasgow comic collection of 30,000 issues heads to auction

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 16:44 · Archive

A collection of more than 30,000 comics amassed by a Glasgow enthusiast is set to go under the hammer.

A collection of more than 30,000 comics assembled by Glasgow resident John Culbard is to be sold at auction following his death earlier this year. The collection, which filled his flat in Springburn with rare and vintage titles from Marvel, DC and other publishers, will be handled by McTear's Auctioneers in Glasgow, with the first sale on 20 October.

Among the highlights is a rare UK 'pence' copy of The X-Men #1 from 1963, carrying its original 9d cover price and expected to fetch £4,000 to £6,000. The landmark comic introduced Professor X and the original X-Men—Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel and Iceman—as well as Magneto. Culbard's nephew Bob Gallagher said his uncle was 'incredibly meticulous', with everything boxed and catalogued, and records kept in manila files and on his computer. 'He wasn't buying comics as an investment, he genuinely loved them, read them and knew an incredible amount about the characters and their histories,' Gallagher said.

The collection nearly faced destruction after being declared a fire hazard due to the volume of paper. Gallagher said the family were astonished by the scale of what Culbard had amassed. 'We knew my uncle was a big comic collector, but when we first went into the flat we couldn't quite believe what we were seeing. We were gobsmacked by just how many he had collected,' he said. Due to its size, the collection will be offered across a series of auctions rather than in a single sale.

How it is being reported

• Thousands of rare X-Men and Batman comics found in Glasgow flat go to auction30,000-strong Glasgow comic collection, including rare X-Men and Avengers issues worth thousands, goes to auction on October 20.Glasgow Times · 9 Oct, 15:27
• Glasgow enthusiast's comic collection set to fetch thousands at auctionA "remarkable" collection of more than 30,000 comics amassed over a lifetime by a Glasgow comic book enthusiast could fetch thousands when goes under the hammer.The Herald · 9 Oct, 14:53

In this story: John Culbard · Bob Gallagher · Glasgow · McTear's Auctioneers · Marvel · DC

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