1953 MAD Issue 8 Complete “Frank N. Stein” Story
Watch
APPRAISER:
When you came to the table this morning, I literally felt my heart almost jump out of my chest. So I would love to know how you ended up with these Mad magazine pages.
GUEST:
Six years ago, my uncle died, and I inherited them from him. And he always had such cool things, so it was really exciting to get them, because I really like Mad magazine, and so I knew it had to be worth something. I know that they are from issue number eight, and from December 1953 to January '54, it was that issue.
APPRAISER:
Everybody commonly refers to it as Mad magazine...
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
But actually it wasn't even referred to as Mad magazine until issue 24. Mad, just Mad, was released in 1952, and it was created by Harvey Kurtzman and William Gaines. It covered anything, it poked fun at everybody. Mad is super-edgy, and it was meant to be enjoyed by the 12-year-old. It was meant to be enjoyed by the freshman in college. Everybody enjoyed Mad, and that's why so many people covet it today. Just as you stated, this is from issue eight, which is very early in the Mad series. And when you look at it, it pokes fun at who? Dr. Frankenstein, the Universal monster. You have the creation of Frankenstein and Dr. "Frank N. Stein." And as you follow, you see the monster throughout the whole story, but you only find out right at the end, who did he create? Adolf.
GUEST:
Right. (chuckles)
APPRAISER:
So you see the poking fun at the German regime there, with Hitler as the monster created by the crazy doctor.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Will Elder was actually one of the four founding artists and illustrators that worked on Mad in the first initial run of one through 24. When it comes to comic art, Mad magazine art, anything-- having the original artwork is the pinnacle of collecting. It's incredibly rare to see that, and the other thing is, to have the complete storyboard is absolutely ridiculous. When it comes to comic art, it literally cannot get any better. You have the ultimate package with a cherry on top.
GUEST:
Mm.
APPRAISER:
It's unbelievable. So do you have any idea what your uncle paid? Do you have... Or what...
GUEST:
I think he paid, uh, $3,150 or $3,250 in...
APPRAISER:
So, like, $3,100?
GUEST:
Yeah. Back in 1987.
APPRAISER:
In today's market, conservatively at auction, I would put an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000 for the entire storyboard.
GUEST:
(chuckles) Wow.
APPRAISER:
It's literally... Only one other example of an early Mad storyboard-- complete-- has ever come to the market. That's the key thing.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
To have the whole package, i, isn't that crazy?
GUEST:
(laughing): It is crazy.
APPRAISER:
Talk about a good investment.
GUEST:
Yes, oh, my God.
APPRAISER:
Thank your uncle, huh?
GUEST:
Yes.
Appraisal Details
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.
