Copying Backgrounds

[cutiebunny]

Unless you're a fan of anime that only feature A1End cuts, there are bound to be times when you might have the master background for an entire sequence either with the matching cel or without it. Depending on the size of your collection, by posting it online, you're bound to have at least one experience over a lengthy collecting career where another collector will come across your background and recognize it as being a match to a cel they own.

So..

Assuming that a collector is willing to reimburse you for a copy background to be sent to them or is fine with a high-res scan, would you consider making them a scan? If no, why not and if yes, then do you have any conditions (ie. can't rescan to give to another collector)?

....

Call me a selfish B(unny), but, I won't make a copy for anyone until I have a cel from the sequence. I've seen several cels on RS where I do own the matching background, and in some cases, I've asked if the owner is willing to sell the cel. In some cases, I've mentioned that I have the matching background, but in most cases, though, I haven't. I don't know if that hampers any chance I have of buying the cel, but I don't want anyone to hold it over with me expecting that I'll spend $$$ just to reunite them. I guess I hope that, eventually, someone will lose patience and eventually sell theirs.

Assuming that I do have a cel from the sequence, I don't mind making a copy (or a copy of a copy). Yeah, I realize that it can lower the overall value of the set, but then again, if you have no intention on reselling it, the possible decrease in value isn't much of an issue. Besides, I'd still have the matching background.

I've run into other collectors who, despite owning the matching cel, won't make a copy for anyone under any circumstance. I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, I understand, from a resale point of view, that it's like giving me free money. But I'd hope they'd take into account that I have sold very few items over my tenure as a collector, and I'm not out to make a quick profit.

[pixie_princess]

If I could trust that the person wouldn't go "willy nilly" with making copies of said background and selling them, I'd be open to it. I mean, in this case I'd have the original background, and all they would have is a copy. There would be a few exceptions to who I'd be willing to make copies for (people like that Mary Walker? chick come to mind) but in general I know most people would be happy to 'complete' their cel/scene like that I think the ideal situation would be two collectors who were trading background copies.

[ReiTheJelly]

I've made color copies for other collectors before. I always mark them COPY in the bottom corner, so there is absolutely no confusion if they choose to sell their own cel at some point in the future. I've also received copy backgrounds from other collectors, which always makes my day. Sometimes people in this hobby can be so nice and friendly!

[blueshinma]

I've written and erased this response several times now. A copy background is a display piece, it enhances the cel. An original in hand will never be mistaken for the real thing, so why in the world would you be so greedy? There are backgrounds I would pay thousands for, but if someone needed a copy of something I had..... Copies are just that. With that said, all things have value.

[graymouser]

I used to have no problem making copies of original backgrounds if the other collector owned a cel from the same sequence. I would also occasionally make copies if someone just liked the background for their cel (usually from the same show). I also did not mind making copies of backgrounds that did not come from cel-based shows. I just did not want to see copies of my originals all over the place.

The problem was that even when the other collector promised not to give away or sell additional copies, it happened anyways. They may wait a year or two, but then they wold "forget" their promises, and I would see copies of my backgrounds pop up in other galleries. Yes, I know I have the originals, but it is really annoying to see copies of my backgrounds placed with the wrong cels across multiple galleries. For a couple of the shows I collect from, the backgrounds themselves are quite valuable, and I do feel all those copies reduce the value of the original. I was very disappointed when other collectors broke their promises to me, and I deeply regret making those copies. Now, I no longer make copies of my backgrounds.

[darksuzaku]

I have never found myself in this situation but i can understand why some people wouldn't like to have copies of their original backgrounds circulating. It's basically a matter of monetary value.

Of course it always depends on the sets. Some cels "need" a background to look complete while others can retain most if not all of their "glory" without any. It also depends on how many similar sequencemates are circulating.

I'll try to show a worst case scenario.... A sequence of 5 cels (A1 to A5). All 5 cels look very similar, i mean, there's not one with eyes opened and other with eyes closed. But the set has a problem, it needs a background to look complete. Also, lets say that we are not talking about cheap cels but expensive high end cels. A1 goes with the original background and cost for example $1000, while the others without background cost around $600 each. The higher price of A1 is not only due to the presence of the original background but also because it looks much better and it's consequently more desirable than the other cels of the sequence. If the owner of A1 then makes copies of the background for the cel owners of the other cels he can find himself with a less valuable original set. The reason of this is availability. If A2 receives receives a copy background raises in value because the cel now looks complete. Of course the raise will never go as high as A1, but lets say it can go up to $650 thanks to the background. With A2 being now enhanced the chances of the owner of A1 of selling his cel for $1000 decreases because there's now a cheaper version out there that looks more or less the same and a potential buyer might prefer the cheaper version due to the price difference. In the end the owner of A1 would have to lower his price if he wants to succesfully sell it. The more sequencemates are enhanced the more competition will find. A1 will always be better because of the original background but not as much.

Of course that worst case scenario is completely hipotethical, but if you look at it from a monetary value perspective it makes sense for the owner of A1 to refuse to make copies of the background.

Last year i had a similar situation with a bunch of auctions on YJ. A seller decided to put an entire sequence for auction, but he placed multiple auctions (Like one for A1-A2, another for A3-A4 and so on up to A20). All of the auctions were placed at the same time and the final auction was for the original background (The auctions for the cels themselves came without any kind of background). No need to say that we are talking of a sequence where the background really enhances the cel. Mi first idea was to go for 2 auctions, the one for A1-A2 (A1 was the best cel of the sequence) and then the one for the background. However there were other bidders interested in these auctions, specially one. I won the A1-A2 auction for around Y40000 and that other bidder won each and all of the other cel auctions for more or less Y20000-Y30000 each. Then we fought each other at the final auction for the background. When the bid was at around Y150000 i decided to let the auction go. Probably the other bidder had spent so much money in the other auctions that there's no way he could allow to lose the background, but the reason i stopped bidding was mainly because the combined price of A1-A2 + background for Y190000 was clearly overpaying. Now, if you were the other bidder how would you feel if i go and ask you for a copy of your background?

[star-phoenix]

I am generally okay with copying a background to match their cel. I only have issues when I find my cels all over bags and t-shirts at Anime conventions, or when I have had (several) fan cels made from cels in my collection and sold on Ebay. That is when I get super irritated.
But, making copies of backgrounds for people with matching cels, not a problem for me.