tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85143223866645961852024-02-22T05:58:37.272-08:00Mangograms: Sundry Musings from America’s Greatest Comic Book Art Super-Savant, Don MangusDyno-Don has written auction descriptions for more than $50,000,000 worth of comic and illustration art. As they gasped in the EC comics -- Good Lord -- *choke*!Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-17732594881614928952018-12-26T19:14:00.001-08:002018-12-27T18:01:02.638-08:00Suspense Comics #3 Sale: SDCC 1996<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i><b>San Diego </b>Comicon</i><b>, July 4-7, 1996: </b>After selling my copy of <i>Suspense Comics </i>#3 (Continental, <b>4/44)</b> to a dealer, I ran around the dealers room and <i>spent all the money from its sale</i> on these<b> </b><i><b>23 pages </b>of original art</i>:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>John Severin/Bill Elder</b> - <i>"Two-Fisted Tales"</i> #27 (EC, <b>5/52</b>) - <i>"Luck,"</i> complete 8-page story</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Jack Davis</b> - <i>"Frontline Combat" </i>#4 (EC, <b>1/52)</b> - "Death Stand," page 4 and page 8</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Johnny Craig -</b><i> "Crime Patrol"</i> #7 (EC, <b>Summer 1948</b>) - page 3</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Russ Heath </b>- <i>"Our Fighting Forces" </i>#55 (DC,<b> 5/60</b>) - page 4</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers -</b><i> "Two-Gun Kid"</i> #62 (Marvel, <b>3/62)</b> - page 4</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Alex Toth/Dick Giordano </b>-<i>"Hot Wheels"</i> #1 (DC, <b>3/70</b>) - page 11 and page 21</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Dick Ayers/Sam Glanzman </b>- <i>"G. I. Combat"</i> # (DC, <i>6/81</i>) - complete 8-page <i>"Haunted Tank"</i> story</span></div>
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Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-85833037510977649072018-12-25T11:30:00.001-08:002018-12-30T18:52:17.213-08:00Autopsy of an Auction: Showcase #4, 2018<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The comic was prominently displayed at the check-out register area of the book store.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A show card touting the importance of this issue, at the book store.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This issue is a high-demand item.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The comic is purchased with VISA card payment at 12:12 PM on Thursday, 10-29-18.</b><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg4Ej3t2L4SDM-9KF8iolzTYdSrwDk3w2PpkPKW1pPHyw77QeIjrkFrGa6ZSdBbtYL_2WrqYsZHU97Uo_9M1g0n1C4brs2FawsK_c-uct3AVzaxG6i75-McwvljLpHd1UU358BwaTd_0/s400/blogger-image-550318.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A high-demand comic should always be graded and "slabbed" by a "third-party"certification service, so it is submitted to CGC. The invoice for the CGC grading fees, 11-12-18. Graded at 1.8.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Heritage Auctions Grader/Consignment Director Jerry Stephan holds up the now slabbed CGC 1.8 graded comic, 11-12-18.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Front of the slabbed copy in the online weekly auction listing.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Back of the slabbed copy in the auction listing.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The auction write-up</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The upcoming auction dates.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The graphic for the weekly auction on the Heritage Auctions home page.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A graphic displaying a list of the previous HA auction prices for a copy in CGC 1.8 (Good-) grade.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A<b> report on all the graded and slabbed copies of this issue in various conditions.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>More stats for the potential bidders to make an informed bid, based on recorded information of comparable items.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The bid price on Monday 12-24-18.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The bid price on Tuesday 12-25-18. Most likely, near the top price, but time will tell.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bid price has remained steadfast since<b> Tuesday</b>, but with 67 tracking and 6 bidders, the final price may yet climb during the <i>live bidding session</i>.<b> Sunday, 12-30-18,</b><i> 6:55 PM</i>.</td></tr>
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<br>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-49942626903381091932018-12-10T15:30:00.001-08:002018-12-11T19:43:27.537-08:00Tales From the Auction Block: The Cover-Up Caper<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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I wanted to continue my <i>auction experiments</i> of the<i> hypothesis</i> that "<i>all the profits come from an outlier or two, in any group of similar offered lots." </i>Turning to <b>eBay</b>, I found the <i>cheap-o</i> items for my next round of experimenting.</div>
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As is so often the case, an artist was creating inked sketches of popular female comic book characters. Only this time, they were <i><b>TOTALLY</b> naked</i>, with all the<i> anatomically-enhanced details </i>-- and he only wanted $10 each. Still, they were a bit<i> explicit </i>for my taste. No mystery, no <i>"je ne sais quoi.</i>" The problem with such explicit material is you r<i>eally limit the size of the audience</i> and<i> narrow</i> where the art might be displayed. As I studied the drawings, I decided that I could ink on some clothing to <i>"tone down"</i> the content. And that's what I did.</div>
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I inked on clothing for <b>Lois Lane, the Huntress, </b>and <b>Sheena.</b><i> No one would be the wiser, as I had some cartooning talent myself.</i> As predicted, most of the profits came from the <b>Black Cat</b> illustration. In its original form, she was <i>"buck naked</i>," and riding her motorcycle. I <i>added in her trunks</i> and left her topless, but I added some humor by inking her <i>now-removed top </i>into the formerly waving hand. Now it looked like she was <i>"free-wheeling -- born to be wild."</i> I like to think that those changes helped sell the piece. All-In-all, I made a<i> tiny </i>profit. <i>More importantly, this little experiment supported the basic hypothesis.</i></div>
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But then, as always,<i> it got weird</i>. A graduate of the <i>Joe Kubert School</i> wrote an outraged email about how<i> his drawings</i> had been <i>"plagiarized"</i> by this artist. <i>This, in an industry of "swipers" and copycats.</i> Not only that, the characters in question were drawn in the style of the <i>"Animated Batman" </i>comics. This simplified style was perfected by<b> Bruce Timm</b> -- and <i>he</i> was <i>not the artist who was complaining</i>. In that style you are <b><i>SUPPOSED </i></b>to stay <i>"on-model.</i>" I mean, these were <i>purposely "low-end" items</i>. My co-worker made a<i> huge stink a</i>nd <i>dramatic scene </i>about how "<i>the auction house could be sued."</i> <i>He screamed to the high heavens</i>, etc., etc., -- and <i>on top of all that, he even sent out out an embarrassing email string about it all.</i> I was told to <i>stop</i> by the managers -- no more lots were to be offered by this artist. <i>OK, you got it.</i> The<i> fun </i>was only <i>momentary.</i></div>
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<i>No matter, the scientific results were in.</i> On to the next trial.</div>
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<br />Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-59806405581940571182018-12-10T15:20:00.001-08:002018-12-11T19:43:56.283-08:00Tales From the Auction Block: The Charlie Tuna Principle<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I forgot that I had these<i> "restrikes,"</i> printed from the actual etching plates of Rembrant, Whistler, and Renoir. They went for "bupkis" in my auctions -- less than $40 each. Obviously, not trashy enough. Good taste doesn't sale. The "Charlie Tuna principle"...</span></div>
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"...I had been accustomed to thinking of Rembrandt etchings as quarter-million-dollar commodities.</div>
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How come these were so cheap?</div>
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From Craig Flinner, an art gallery owner, I learned that the etchings offered for sale were not made during Rembrandt's lifetime but rather were later impressions printed anywhere from 100 to 150 years after the master's death.</div>
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Because the printing process gradually erodes the clarity of etched images, later engravers had had to rework the original copper plates that Rembrandt made. These reworkings subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) changed Rembrandt's lines and altered the delicate interplay of light and shadow for which he was famous.</div>
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Etchings made during Rembrandt's lifetime and under his supervision indeed sell for between $200,000 and $300,000 today, Flinner said. Images from the same plates 50 years later sell for slightly less.</div>
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But for more recent printings, the price drops precipitously. Flinner says he has sold some 20th-century Rembrandt 'restrikes' for as little as $400.</div>
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'A serious collector of Old Masters probably wouldn't want those impressions,' he said.</div>
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'The people who buy them are mostly general collectors of old prints who want to say they have a Rembrandt in their collection.'</div>
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Still, I have not completely abandoned my original feeling that I had found a bargain. Flinner's comments just made me think more deeply about what is called 'authenticity' in art and how it is valued.</div>
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The Rembrandts in Flinner's gallery, for example, may be later impressions of the master's work, but they are supremely beautiful nevertheless."</div>
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<br />Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-88650798920601323592018-12-10T15:07:00.001-08:002018-12-11T19:45:24.140-08:00Tales From the Auction Block: The Killing Jest<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Here's the "corker." You have to throw out a lot of auction lots -- it's like diversification in stocks or other investments. Some lots go a little higher, some a little lower than what you have paid -- then, Wham -- a break-away, a home run. But, you don't know which one will be the winner, so you can over-spend and go bust on such "pure speculation" lots if you're not careful. Money management is key.</div>
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Risqué pin-ups of popular female super-villains are practically a cottage industry on eBay. The Filipino artists are very talented at this sub-sub-genre, but you have to pay that shipping cost from around the world. So to make up for the steep shipping charge, you buy several drawings for one package -- say, a couple of Harley Quinns, a Poison Ivy, a Vampirella, a Catwoman, etc., etc.</div>
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So I put up a typically big and bouncy $40 Harley Quinn drawing in a weekly auction -- my first offering of this type. </div>
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By Tuesday, it's up to a mind-blowing $2,868. I can't believe it. Will the price stick? Is it a mistake? Meanwhile, a few of my perhaps-overly-concerned co-workers are alerting each other to this incredible outlier. They're getting phone calls from their fanboy buddies, What's going on? It stuck. I got the money. Naturally, I immediately threw up another Harley Quinn by the same artist. That one sold for $26. </div>
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No matter -- I already had the home run.</div>
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<br />Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-42781284145768113992018-12-10T14:58:00.001-08:002018-12-11T19:44:50.351-08:00Tales From the Auction Block: Shake That Mexican Money-Maker<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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I bought a pile of painted erotic scenes, created for steamy Mexican paperbacks, at a very, very, low cost. Low risk with good potential for "up-side" on the bidding. These were to be for my "sexploitation sector" lots. They started out great guns, pulling in hundreds of dollars each, but as time went on, they deflated down to nothingness -- totally spent. But, all-in-all, they were a great return on investment. A winner. By the end, it was time to move on. "It's not them it's us."</div>
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BTW, I blame those school Science Fairs of yore for encouraging these "experiments" in auction theory. This research was definitely more fun than drawing up geologic exhibition posters. It was a kick to chart the results. More "walking around money."</div>
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<br />Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-39422381231701619132018-12-10T14:50:00.001-08:002018-12-11T19:45:04.943-08:00Tales From the Auction Block: That Low Down Fake<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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After the 2008 financial crisis, I realized I knew nothing about investing. I immersed myself in a "popular science book" study of the mathematical concepts of diversification, risk, gambling, behavioral economics, and of course -- auction theory. I found these topics intellectually fascinating. Of course, I later learned than most of the real financial sharks of Wall Street and banking simply relied on lying and cheating (not math) -- then settled any lawsuits, admitted no wrong-doing -- and still netted a huge payoff.</div>
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Be that as it may, I still wanted to "test" the concepts I'd read about using real auction lots. Of course, to do that, with my limited finances, I needed cheap (but still saleable in the collector's market) items. Sex always sells, so in that "sector" I bought this modern Chinese stretched canvas painting (a knock-off of a Gil Elvgren Classic) on eBay. It's a "re-creation" of the 1957 scene, "That Low Down Feeling," which has been heavily exploited in many modern products. I flipped it immediately, for a 70% profit (ok, it was only $70, but it was fun-- and I had some "walking around" money.)</div>
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You can only promote these low-end "junk" offerings a few times, and then you have to find an all-new gimmick.</div>
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<br />Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-71755758666808731742013-03-22T16:34:00.003-07:002013-04-18T08:31:01.937-07:00Steve Ditko Out of This World #11 Cover <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8VR-nMGXiJcl5QBQf2gjwsHBXZRayNaCc6SHFnC-eLOlcD2FNh1fG1_uwc5jW39tDbUxdkxKGI4XJGjyx0SKIY5cq1FHvgCG6NmzxBO9VXfJ6Y6nzrgFyHhdqQvGWf_OP0IOEeH9wEo/s1600/lfCA3BO7W8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8VR-nMGXiJcl5QBQf2gjwsHBXZRayNaCc6SHFnC-eLOlcD2FNh1fG1_uwc5jW39tDbUxdkxKGI4XJGjyx0SKIY5cq1FHvgCG6NmzxBO9VXfJ6Y6nzrgFyHhdqQvGWf_OP0IOEeH9wEo/s640/lfCA3BO7W8.jpg" ssa="true" width="406" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: <strong>$15,535</strong> on November 19, 2010.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Steve Ditko</strong> <b><i>Out of This World</i></b> <b>#11 Cover Original Art (Charlton, 1959).</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Is your mind blown yet? Here is one of the most iconic and infamous Charlton science fiction covers ever. Over fifty years after it was drawn, this piece has made it to market for the first time. For many comics fans, Steve Ditko's work for Charlton in the fifties was some of his most memorable. Bid high on this one -- the sky's the limit. This show-stopper has an image area of 13" x 19.5", and aside from missing a small Charlton logo stat at the upper left, and the CCA stamp at the right, the art is in Excellent condition.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-20700107025803460382013-03-22T16:29:00.000-07:002013-03-22T16:29:08.668-07:00J. C. Leyendecker Saturday Evening Post cover, November 24, 1928<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lp3vBHY8ff7ZRVXJPWSXLkxGsrXdLjdPO_K5NibIgCiaBDpbXQAZ3779GpuF_ZqE9M_wWpeULd368m4ytc7e2hKYhJ52K2z5IeXu3YzN9PPaFXWrXPQXANCh8jA2Azsu30HuEIhmNk8/s1600/lfCAB5C3FD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Lp3vBHY8ff7ZRVXJPWSXLkxGsrXdLjdPO_K5NibIgCiaBDpbXQAZ3779GpuF_ZqE9M_wWpeULd368m4ytc7e2hKYhJ52K2z5IeXu3YzN9PPaFXWrXPQXANCh8jA2Azsu30HuEIhmNk8/s640/lfCAB5C3FD.jpg" ssa="true" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: <strong>$98,587.50</strong> on October 31, 2004.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>JOSEPH CHRISTIAN LEYENDECKER (1874-1951)</strong><em>Saturday Evening Post</em> cover, November 24, 1928<br />Oil on canvas<br />28.5in. x 20.5in. (sight size)<br />Initialed lower left: JCL<br /><br />As <strong>Michael Schau</strong> noted in <i>J.C. Leyendecker</i>, "Leyendecker painted his first <i>Saturday Evening Post</i> cover in 1899 and he continued to work for the magazine until 1943, creating 322 covers for <i>The Post</i>. The reputation gained as a result of his magazine covers established Leyendecker as one of America's most popular illustrators." This painting is reproduced on page 142 of Michael Schau's book. Leyendecker was elected to the <strong>Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame</strong> in 1977.<br /><br />This sensational painting shows America's evolution over three centuries of Thanksgiving holidays. From the accomplishments of the stern, pioneering, and freedom-fighting colonists of 1628, to the entertainments provided by the battered, yet playful grid-iron stalwarts of 1928, this blessed country has plenty to celebrate each November. Both figures regard each other as they are each given a heroic and monumental presence by Leyendecker. His vigorous and energetic brushwork bathes the figures in a sparkling light, creating a noble vision of pure Americana.</span></span></div>
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Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-1495414535650571912013-03-21T14:33:00.001-07:002013-03-21T14:33:17.973-07:00Norman Rockwell: Saturday Evening Post Cover Study 1944<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpvBIZghqYgrjMP2spV4u82_322bpIr0PqMRLlydExBuymlUg3DMzwyXkJgFPkR98F9v3bzjViynYEyUrKozQmz6-kAPgbg8PcMBibvLAoMmEwhKanIvjFmCZXCXuz9a8bissJufKC7I/s1600/lfCA612K1Z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpvBIZghqYgrjMP2spV4u82_322bpIr0PqMRLlydExBuymlUg3DMzwyXkJgFPkR98F9v3bzjViynYEyUrKozQmz6-kAPgbg8PcMBibvLAoMmEwhKanIvjFmCZXCXuz9a8bissJufKC7I/s640/lfCA612K1Z.jpg" ssa="true" width="560" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result:<strong> $203,105</strong> on June 14, 2007.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3P4kv3Pn0hD7JIC0Q_M5bsOFzf4pXyadS5U09B0xHN_0Z_BRShpO-ZjmgGKcalPyy50S2QgnmCu77VtYl9ZRuLmFvDop39yT3u-TcqQZflVZ423ivuUsFNgb9u7QpobzrC_tDWB43b_k/s1600/lfCABLD8B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3P4kv3Pn0hD7JIC0Q_M5bsOFzf4pXyadS5U09B0xHN_0Z_BRShpO-ZjmgGKcalPyy50S2QgnmCu77VtYl9ZRuLmFvDop39yT3u-TcqQZflVZ423ivuUsFNgb9u7QpobzrC_tDWB43b_k/s400/lfCABLD8B5.jpg" ssa="true" width="343" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A printed copy of the finished cover painting, for comparison.</td></tr>
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<strong>NORMAN ROCKWELL</strong> (American 1894 - 1978)<br /><i>Little Girl Observing Lovers on a Train,</i> <i>Saturday Evening Post</i> cover study, 1944<br />Charcoal drawing on paper<br />33 x 28in.<br />Signed lower left<br /><br />Norman Rockwell drew this finely detailed study for the cover scene which appeared on <i>The Saturday Evening Post,</i> August 12, 1944. In <i>Norman Rockwell and the Saturday Evening Post, The Later Years,</i> Dr. Donald R. Stoltz and Marshall L. Stoltz comment, "In this picture we see the serviceman and his best girl cherishing those few solitary moments together. Their thoughts are of only each other, and for just a little while, they will try to blot out of their minds that this leave like all other good things, must come to an end. The airman has lowered the window shade about as far as it will go and has hung his coat over the window to afford himself just a bit more privacy. Despite these precautions though, there is no way to shield themselves from the prying eyes of the young passenger in the front seat. She is closely watching the scene and waiting for that moment when the happy couple will again steal a little kiss. She will plant that picture firmly in the back of her mind so, first thing tomorrow morning, she can run and tell all her friends." In <i>Norman Rockwell, 332 Covers,</i> Christopher Finch adds, "Here we see a splendid example of Norman Rockwell's newly evolved style. It is very different from what we find in his work prior to the forties. It is almost as if we were looking at a candid photograph of some master of the genre like Henri Cartier-Bresson."<br /><br />This work is reproduced as figure C412a on page 157 of <i>Norman Rockwell A Definitive Catalogue</i> by Laurie Moffatt. The caption notes that this work was inscribed in the lower right, "To Pvt. William Schmidt from Norman Rockwell."<br /><br />This lot also includes a signed letter from Norman Rockwell to the consignor regarding the cover scene, as well as a framed puzzle box featuring the final painted magazine cover scene. The letter, dated June 15, 1971 reads, "Thank you for sending me the photographs of my painting. It was a <i>Saturday Evening Post</i> cover years ago. I wish I could tell you more about it but it was done so long ago that I don't remember who the models were that posed for it. I think I did it in New Rochelle, New York, but I am not even sure of that. The name 'William Schmidt' doesn't even mean anything to me. Sorry I can't be of any more help. Sincerely yours, Norman Rockwell"Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-77605051180570490902013-03-20T13:18:00.000-07:002013-03-21T14:35:02.661-07:00Jessie Willcox Smith: A Child's Garden of Verses<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUYi_Kk6a7kPQ1gWsJzubSIa-btzAZwxgwQlHfeq4hB6JV7VGuRN2CMTpiKnM1YZqvS0Vz6kpLMJKiR86Vs0tO00prHcuXZBK82NBiu0IYnEBOZefrAl_Qc4_tSOBFjMnVAZKBj6qYWc/s1600/lfCAP9DBM6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUYi_Kk6a7kPQ1gWsJzubSIa-btzAZwxgwQlHfeq4hB6JV7VGuRN2CMTpiKnM1YZqvS0Vz6kpLMJKiR86Vs0tO00prHcuXZBK82NBiu0IYnEBOZefrAl_Qc4_tSOBFjMnVAZKBj6qYWc/s640/lfCAP9DBM6.jpg" width="444" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result:<strong> $310,700</strong> on February 18, 2010.</td></tr>
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<strong>JESSIE WILLCOX SMITH</strong> (American, 1863-1935)<br />
<i>A Child's Garden of Verses, book illustration</i>, 1905<br />
Mixed media on paperboard<br />
33.5 x 23 in.<br />
Signed lower right<br />
This delightful piece hails from one of <strong>Jessie Willcox Smith's</strong> most important projects, and the masterfully composed, swirling composition is one of her most intricate, nothing less than a <strong>glowing celebration of childhood--and motherhood</strong>.<br />
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One of America's greatest illustrators, <strong>Jessie Willcox Smith</strong> attended the <strong>Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,</strong> and studied under <strong>Thomas Eakins</strong> in <strong>Philadelphia,</strong> and graduating in 1888. A year later, she found work in the production department of the <i>Ladies' Home Journal</i><b>,</b> for five years. After that, she continued her art education with classes under <strong>Howard Pyle</strong>, first at <strong>Drexel</strong> and then at the <strong>Brandywine School.</strong>Smith then established her reputation, illustrating stories and articles for <i>Century</i>, <i>Collier's Weekly</i>, <i>Leslie's Weekly</i>, <i>Harper's</i>, <i>McClure's</i>, <i>Scribner's</i>, and the <i>Ladies' Home Journal</i>. Smith was closely associated with the artists <strong>Elizabeth Shippen Green</strong> and <strong>Violet Oakley</strong>, who also studied with <strong>Pyle</strong>, and the group became known as "<strong>The Red Rose Girls."</strong> Smith's papers are deposited in the collection of the <strong>Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts</strong>. From 1918 through 1932, Smith illustrated covers exclusively for <i>Good Housekeeping</i> magazine.<br />
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As Jessie Willcox Smith biographer <strong>S. Michael Schnessel</strong> has aptly observed, "<em>Jessie Willcox Smith was the creator of the ideal child. She pictured a child that was without equal in reality -- innocent, unblemished, never naughty, always perfect. Smith's touching, sensitive portraits of children at play won her the hearts of millions of Americans."</em><br />
This illustration appeared on page 116 of <strong>Robert Louis Stevenson's</strong> book, <i>A Child's Garden of Verses</i>, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1905.<br />
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Smith's <strong>unparallel talent for figure painting with personality</strong> is on full display in this charming group portrait.<br />
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<i>From an Important California Collection.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Don sez</strong><em>: From <strong>2006-2010</strong>, I catalogued <strong>both</strong> original Comic and Illustration Art. After <strong>Heritage Auctions </strong>acquired the <strong>Charles Martignette</strong> <strong>Estate</strong> and exponentially ramped-up the scale and frequency of the Illustration Art Signature Sales, I had to admit, <strong>super-savant or not</strong>, I <strong>couldn't maintain the pace required</strong> -- so in late 2010, it was back to Comic Art only. My father, <strong>Marvin D. Mangus</strong>, was a landscape painter from the <strong>Pennsylvania Impressionist</strong> tradition, exported to <strong>Alaska</strong>, and I grew up immersed in the works and lore of well-known Pennsylvania artists and illustrators such as <strong>Thomas Eakins</strong> and <strong>Howard Pyle</strong> -- I was thrilled to at this chance drop their names into my description.</em></span>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-87504555632115127402013-03-20T12:19:00.002-07:002013-03-20T12:23:17.201-07:00Norman Rockwell: The Song of Bernadette<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_XufT_ep8EsKOUwYfLCkQpGSMxyZs_5mdt6YHTi6YfGRgSk67olMu5f71DBEMst_PehpNQZcHZSr4ikd3icZZURIen2pBkOr78j__kzL7wRdJYUWxR6xc-Vc0lItLkDz4voU8lzor9w/s1600/rockellbernadette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_XufT_ep8EsKOUwYfLCkQpGSMxyZs_5mdt6YHTi6YfGRgSk67olMu5f71DBEMst_PehpNQZcHZSr4ikd3icZZURIen2pBkOr78j__kzL7wRdJYUWxR6xc-Vc0lItLkDz4voU8lzor9w/s640/rockellbernadette.jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: <strong>$478,000</strong> on November 18, 3005.</td></tr>
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<strong>NORMAN ROCKWELL (American, 1894-1978)</strong></div>
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<i>The Song of Bernadette,</i> 1944</div>
Oil on Canvas<br />
53in. x 28in.<br />
Signed lower right: Norman Rockwell<br />
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Inscribed along lower edge in block letters: 'BERNADETTE' (overpainted by artist himself)</div>
Original Movie Poster Illustration featuring <strong>Jennifer Jones</strong>Literature: <i>Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue,</i> <strong>Laurie Norton Moffatt</strong>, p.82, fig. A607<br />
<i>Norman Rockwell, Illustrator,</i> Arthur Guptill, p.132<br />
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<strong>Norman Rockwell's</strong> famous full-length portrait, <i>The Song of Bernadette,</i> was the most reproduced work of Rockwell's entire career. With its somber palette and astonishing realism, this work is stunning in its conception and execution, recalling seventeenth century genre paintings by such masters as Diego <strong>Velasque</strong>z and<strong> Jusepe de Ribera</strong>.<br />
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This original work was commissioned as the centerpiece of an unprecedented publicity campaign announcing a film of the same name by <strong>David O. Selznick</strong> and starring <strong>Jennifer Jones</strong>, which opened in December, 1943. 'Nothing else I have ever painted was reproduced in so many ways,' said Rockwell of this work.<br />
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<strong>Peyton Boswell Jr.,</strong> editor of the <i>Art Digest</i> and author of <i>Modern American Painting,</i> provided many captions in the official press book for the 20th Century-Fox production of Franz Werfel's novel, <i>The Song of Bernadette.</i> In the book, Boswell chronicles the events in Rockwell's life immediately prior to his creation of this work:<br />
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'Early in 1943, Norman Rockwell completed his famous series of paintings, <i>The Four Freedoms.</i> Now his stature became international and he was the recipient of a global wave of acclaim. It was at this time that the artist conceived of a subject comparable in emotional appeal and perhaps even more challenging to his mature craftsmanship. He saw <strong>Jennifer Jones</strong> as the simple girl of <strong>Lourdes</strong> in <i>The Song of Bernadette,</i> and she was the inspiration for one of his finest canvases. Here, through the medium of one lone girl, glorious and exalted, could be created a painting to inspire people of all walks of life. This portrait of <strong>Bernadette</strong> will reach the hearts of all who see it - for in its subtle expressiveness, in every stroke of the brush - it conveys the essence of everything that was so movingly written into <i>The Song of Bernadette</i>.'<br />
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In this the most highly acclaimed film of 1945, <strong>Jennifer Jones</strong> starred in the title role of<strong> Bernadette Sobirous, the Maid of Lourdes</strong>, whose fame derived from her unshakable faith and courage. Film reviewers enthused: 'In the title role of the <strong>Maid of Lourdes, Jennifer Jones</strong> makes the most <strong>auspicious debut</strong> in Hollywood history. Here is a star -- and one who has flared into being with a brilliance that shines the mark of greatness. A bow to<strong> David O. Selznick</strong> for her discovery!' Indeed, the film<strong> won five Academy Awards,</strong> including 'Best Actress of the Year' for Miss Jones.<br />
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In the press book for the film, the image is reproduced over fifty times, including one with a photograph of the artist at work at his easel. In <strong>Arthur Guptill's</strong> monograph, <i>Norman Rockwell, Illustrator,</i> which features this work on page 132, Rockwell commented, 'Nothing else I ever painted was reproduced in so many ways. In addition to its being run in magazines, newspapers, and on theatre posters, I was told that it covered the entire wall of one eight-story building.' In an essay for the Norman Rockwell Museum's 1999 show of Rockwell movie poster art, the author noted: 'In an unusually ambitious 20th Century Fox publicity campaign, advertising director <strong>Charles Schlaifer</strong> decided to use a <strong>150-foot high display</strong> of Rockwell's illustration for <i>The Song of Bernadette</i> above a Broadway theater marquee. According to Schlaifer, 'It absolutely sold the picture' and was one of the most effective pieces ever created for a motion picture.<br />
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<strong>Laurie Norton Moffatt's</strong> comprehensive <i>Norman Rockwell: A Definitive Catalogue</i> reproduces the work on page 483, as entry A607, and notes that the painting's location was unknown for a number of years. It was later discovered in the private collection of the film's producer, <strong>William Perlberg</strong> (1900-1968). Ownership subsequently passed to the <strong>Mount Saint Mary's Academy</strong> in <strong>Los Angeles</strong>; thence, to the present owner.<br />
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Included in this lot is the large 32-page press book for the film, and a copy of <i>Norman Rockwell, Illustrator</i>.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Don sez:</strong> <em>When I described this stunning <strong>Norman Rockwell</strong> movie poster painting from the forties, I was struck by <strong>how much</strong> it reminded me of the <strong>Diego Velasquez</strong> masterworks I used to study at the<strong> Meadows Museum</strong> in <strong>SMU</strong></em> <em>and so I worked that into my description. I used to vist the Velasquez paintings frequently when I was earning my BFA and MFA degrees in 1974-81. Anyway, the heartfelt "magic realism" of this Rockwell painting, stripped of NR's usual lighthearted Americana, was</em> that good<em>, IMHO.</em></span>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-82741757635413338632013-03-19T06:07:00.002-07:002013-03-20T12:28:31.708-07:00HA Hall of Fame Description: Frank Frazetta "The Solar Invasion" Cover Painting<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxna8zDR7wAu66lMcUYaEG3cuK3bCj8wb-6cE1_GXETjT_CLLfGpCTmvuPOzvvjVIhZSWDnV6y8JJDjb_JO9poM3nXTVQQeiZEoHTrGfCzzI1qwHeeYT50d1jtH7Gl4BuHT8rHAazZqbw/s1600/lfCAVVPHMJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxna8zDR7wAu66lMcUYaEG3cuK3bCj8wb-6cE1_GXETjT_CLLfGpCTmvuPOzvvjVIhZSWDnV6y8JJDjb_JO9poM3nXTVQQeiZEoHTrGfCzzI1qwHeeYT50d1jtH7Gl4BuHT8rHAazZqbw/s640/lfCAVVPHMJ.jpg" width="516" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result:<strong> $262,900</strong>, on November 16,2012</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b>Frank Frazetta</b> <b><i>The Solar Invasion</i></b> <b>Paperback Cover Original Art (Popular Library, 1968).</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Manley Wade Wellman's</strong> pulp hero <strong>Captain Future</strong> is ready for cosmic adventure in an eye-popping cover painting by <strong>Frank Frazetta</strong>. This classic fantasy painting from the master's peak period is one of the finest examples we have ever offered, boldly incorporating all the elements collectors could hope for in a published Frazetta cover -- a ruggedly handsome hero with weapon drawn, flanked by not one but two beautiful Frazetta girls, all framed within a masterfully dramatic composition. As <strong>Frazetta expert</strong> <strong>"Doc" Dave Winiewicz</strong> tells us, "<em>Frank thought it was the most ambitious and most successful of all his early sci-fi compositions and was particularly happy about the girls. He thought they had a special sexy quality about them. Frank also was pleased with the color blending in the background -- he was disappointed that the published paperback washed out the intensity of the colors. I remember Frank explaining to me how the foreground snake creature, the mid-ground characters, and the colorful background all worked well to present a nice three dimensional presentation. Everything 'stood out' that was supposed to stand out. Frank said: 'I always want your eyes to go where I want them to go. If I can do that, then it's a success.</em>'"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px;">This oil on canvas painting measures approximately 17.5" x 23.5", and has been attractively matted and framed, without glass, for an overall size of 25" x 31". It was given a light protective coating of clear varnish, and is in Excellent condition. This magnificent painting has remained out of the public eye, stashed away in the same private collection since the 1970s -- the very definition of a fresh-to-the-market masterpiece by the greatest fantasy artist of all time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Don Sez:</strong> <em>I plan on adding some addition commentary and insights to these posts of some of the art I've described, when I get the time, so check back on my earlier listings. There is no contemporary comic artist more highly regarded than <strong>Frank Frazetta</strong> by comic and illustration art collectors. It's often startling to see the original art supply store sticker of 29 cents found on the backd of his vintage canvas boards. Apparently, true genius needs no expensive materials.</em></span></span></span></div>
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Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-31232659991710556712013-03-18T16:18:00.000-07:002013-03-20T12:37:45.541-07:00HA Hall of Fame Description: John Romita Sr. Amazing Spider-Man #121 Cover <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzAxhMaDV9MLF6ywqad4lEfl9UtVyUmWdeBN_9nw9ymamGQRuOk6b7wCjDLwkYSraw3AW1MI9CN18NmDFK4ZRO0KL8ZyuxT9WJv27GMTDHonOZkFsiiIGSG631Jf8_CEDmEcOazO7Tiw/s1600/lfCA1SFXW3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzAxhMaDV9MLF6ywqad4lEfl9UtVyUmWdeBN_9nw9ymamGQRuOk6b7wCjDLwkYSraw3AW1MI9CN18NmDFK4ZRO0KL8ZyuxT9WJv27GMTDHonOZkFsiiIGSG631Jf8_CEDmEcOazO7Tiw/s640/lfCA1SFXW3.jpg" width="422" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: <strong>$286,800</strong> on February 22, 2013</td></tr>
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<strong>John Romita Sr.</strong> <b><i>Amazing Spider-Man</i></b> <b>#121 "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1973).</b><br />
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Some say the <strong>death of Gwen Stacy</strong> marked the <strong>end of the Silver Age</strong> of comics. "<em>This was the end of innocence for comics... it remains one of the most potent stories ever published</em>," was <strong>Arnold Blumberg's</strong> comment in <b>Comic Book Marketplace</b>.<br />
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The caption at the lower right crystallizes the theme of the most desirable piece of 1970s comic art we've auctioned to date. <i>"Not a trick! Not an imaginary tale -- but the most startling unexpected turning point in this web-slinger's entire life. How can Spider-Man go on after being faced with this almost unbelievable death?</i>"<br />
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It's a story that fans still talk about, and the <strong>most senses-shattering deathblow in comics</strong>. Letters from outraged fans flooded the <strong>Marvel</strong> offices.<br />
The loss of Gwen marked nothing less than an<strong> end to the carefree fun and offbeat innocenc</strong>e of the Silver Age era. Spider-Man and the Marvel Age of Heroes were never quite so merry after this story.<br />
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This dynamic cover <strong>spotlights the taut suspense</strong> in an <strong>almost unbearable</strong> manner -- <em><b>who</b> </em>among the beloved <b>ASM</b> cast would die? Many a fan thought, <i>"Oh, please let it be Norman Osborn."</i> Any Spider-fan who bought this issue off the spinner-rack has this iconic scene seared into his/her comic consciousness. With this scene, <strong>John Romita</strong> and <strong>Gerry Conway</strong> marked a<strong> tragic milestone</strong> for the world-famous <strong>Spider-Man saga</strong> launched by<strong> Steve Ditko</strong> and<strong> Stan Lee</strong> -- and for Marvelites, landmark issue covers just <i>can't</i> get better than this.<br />
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The image area of this <strong>eye-popping bombshell</strong>, showcasing <strong>John Romita Sr</strong>. at the<strong> height of his talent</strong>, measures 10" x 15". The art has some overall paper aging, a horizontal crease in the middle (at the level of the top of Spider-Man's head), a tear on the right side, and scattered staining that has little effect on the overwhelming power of the image; otherwise, the art is in Very Good condition. John Romita signed the page at the lower right. It's not just a classic cover -- it's a<strong> priceless piece of Bronze Age Marvel lore.</strong><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Don sez:</strong> I <strong>missed out</strong> on describing the<strong> most valuable piece of American comic art</strong> at auction to date, <strong>Todd MacFarlane's</strong> cover art for<em> Amazing Spider-Man</em> #328. My former cube-mate <strong>Mark Stokes</strong>, creator of the web comic <em>Zombie Boy</em>, did the honors of writing that one up.<strong> We all expected the <em>Spider-Man</em> #1 cover to be the top lot.</strong> It jost goes to show, you just never know what will happen in any given auction!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeZ849lko03MSPLWP35L2OhHRZPf38VHm3dzyryZBiVAwRfyveXs639NBL2jZ2fZ-yqlyr60GZ4zV5duFSmOY29VXvb0CCz5HFtvFxU8xD0zd6NKHNCL3axvY1zY0sA8FFAD4JR-W1V8/s1600/lfCAYZCV6C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeZ849lko03MSPLWP35L2OhHRZPf38VHm3dzyryZBiVAwRfyveXs639NBL2jZ2fZ-yqlyr60GZ4zV5duFSmOY29VXvb0CCz5HFtvFxU8xD0zd6NKHNCL3axvY1zY0sA8FFAD4JR-W1V8/s640/lfCAYZCV6C.jpg" width="418" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: an astounding <strong>$657,250</strong> on July 26, 2012. This world-record lot was described by <strong>Mark Stokes</strong>.</td></tr>
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Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-42960959729119226132013-03-18T16:05:00.003-07:002013-03-20T12:46:50.667-07:00HA Hall of Fame Description: Spider-Man #1 Cover<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVmzwJCVbLG6_8KTYr9WZqJXJ7EOc7keqBSG54tJWa-iw8cIacpS-kVKrFFfq5zY-1HUgrj-NCRi90ZJScBcb1yit2glkRTvf6nxsTSEhlNXc_KtAn9mebTHkVeE3nhhwbTR0oFP1zAs/s1600/lfCAY26G0P.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVmzwJCVbLG6_8KTYr9WZqJXJ7EOc7keqBSG54tJWa-iw8cIacpS-kVKrFFfq5zY-1HUgrj-NCRi90ZJScBcb1yit2glkRTvf6nxsTSEhlNXc_KtAn9mebTHkVeE3nhhwbTR0oFP1zAs/s640/lfCAY26G0P.jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: <strong>$358,500 </strong>on<strong> </strong>July 26. 2012</td></tr>
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<strong>Todd McFarlane</strong> <b><i>Spider-Man</i></b> <b>#1 Cover</b> <b>Original Art (Marvel, 1990).</b> <br />
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This issue was nothing less than the<strong> single biggest-selling comic book of all time</strong> to that point <strong>in terms of dollars generated</strong>. The initial press run was<strong> 2.35 million copies</strong>, a number not seen in comics since the 1950s, and <strong>Marvel</strong> had to print hundreds of thousands more to meet demand. Five <strong>different editions</strong> were produced, all featuring the cover art shown here.<br />
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<strong>In 1990,</strong> there was<strong> no bigger star in comic art</strong> than<strong> Todd McFarlane</strong>, who was coming off a run on <b>Amazing Spider-Man</b> that gave the character an exciting new look. For this first issue, he took over as the writer as well, and fans couldn't wait to see what he would come up with next. One of his trademarks was Spider-Man's intricate webbing, painstakingly drawn, and as impressive as that was on the printed page -- it's even more so with the art in your hands.<br />
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<strong>Long held in a private collection</strong>, and fresh to the market, this is without a doubt, <strong>one of the most famous covers</strong> we've had the privilege to offer.<br />
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<strong>Bob Overstreet </strong>has commented that the excitement caused by this issue "spilled <em>over to the entire Marvel line and to DC and other publishers as well."</em> <strong>Very few comics in the history of the medium have had that sort of impact.</strong><br />
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This <strong>timeless Marvel masterwork</strong> has an image area of 9.75" x 15", and is in Excellent condition. <br />
Boldly signed by Todd McFarlane in its lower border.<br />
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<i>From the Shamus Modern Masterworks Collection.</i> <br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Don sez</strong>:<em> While modern comic books themselves are so common as to seldom achieve staggering sums from collectors -- the original art is blowing original art fandom's socks off. Works from the 1990s are fetching<strong> astronomical</strong> figures. Of course, a<strong> key</strong> <strong>vintage Marvel cover</strong> has yet to surface, and it would be quite interesting to see what an early cover from the sixties would bring at auction. I'm standing by to describe such a piece.</em></span>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8514322386664596185.post-58811643793185456992013-03-18T16:01:00.000-07:002013-03-20T12:54:28.990-07:00HA Hall of Fame Description: Batman: The Dark Knight #3 Splash Page 10<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9KV3KRujL2igja4rhPffrzYk-m41CB-FlVHwnmbG9FWxXcZVgHdZr-34RCSD-bJgYYKNmAfUBUi4qLkuIAaNCQErVvMhg-9_fd39asrDbSnV41IQiFBgfT19g16atPA9uvzcbNA3CeQ/s1600/lf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9KV3KRujL2igja4rhPffrzYk-m41CB-FlVHwnmbG9FWxXcZVgHdZr-34RCSD-bJgYYKNmAfUBUi4qLkuIAaNCQErVvMhg-9_fd39asrDbSnV41IQiFBgfT19g16atPA9uvzcbNA3CeQ/s640/lf.jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction result: <strong>$448,125</strong> on May 5 2011</td></tr>
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<strong>Frank Miller and Klaus Janson <i>Batman: The Dark Knight</i> #3 Batman and Robin Iconic Splash Page 10 Original Art (DC, 1986). </strong><br />
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<strong>Frank Miller's</strong> <b>The Dark Knight Returns</b> defined the <strong>best of 1980s comics</strong>, and has since been <strong>universally acknowledged</strong> as <strong>one of the most important </strong>and<strong> influential stories ever published</strong>. <br />
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Miller is arguably the greatest superhero writer/artist to work during this period, and <b>Dark Knight</b> is his <strong>undisputed masterpiece -- </strong>the four-issue series rejuvenated Batman as DC's most popular character and in the process helped revitalize the comics industry. This splash page is to our minds the single <strong>most memorable image from the entire book</strong> and the <strong>greatest image from the decade</strong> ever to come to market -- as well as one of the handful of most desirable pieces of original comic art from any era to come to market. A perfect stand-alone image of Batman and Robin (<strong>Carrie Kelley</strong>, the first female, full-time Robin) soaring high above Gotham City, an icon symbolizing the entire storyline -- this one has everything going for it.<br />
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As demonstrated by the fact that we've only offered two <b>Dark Knight</b> panel pages previously -- and the fact that no splash page, much less a such an undeniably classic image, has never been offered at auction -- artwork from the famed series is much scarcer than anything else from the period. This gem has been locked away in a single collection since being purchased upon the series' original publication and is the definition of "fresh to market." And unlike many pages from the series, where differences between the original art and the published version are evident (as a result of Miller making changes on pasteovers), no changes were made to this artwork for publication, and the original contains no paste-ups or stats -- it's pure art, just the way it appeared in print.<br />
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<strong>Definitive</strong> is the only <strong>adequate description</strong> of this masterpiece, and as such, it was chosen to represent the entire time period in DC's recent <b>75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking</b> book, serving as the chapter heading for "The Dark Age: 1984-1998," and reproduced as a glorious color full-page image, leading off the chapter on page 556.<br />
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n 2005, <b>Time</b> magazine ranked <b>The Dark Knight Returns</b> as one of the <strong>top ten graphic novels ever created</strong>. As <strong>Alan Moore</strong> wrote about the series: <em>"Beyond the imagery, themes, and essential romance of <b>Dark Knight</b>, Miller has also managed to shape the Batman into a true legend by introducing that element without which all true legends are incomplete and yet which for some reason hardly seems to exist in the world depicted in the average comic book, and that element is time... time has come to the Batman and the capstone that makes legends what they are has finally been fitted. In his engrossing story of a great man's final and greatest battle, Miller has managed to create something radiant which should hopefully illuminate things for the rest of the comic book field, casting a new light upon the problems which face all of us working within the industry and perhaps even guiding us towards some fresh solutions."</em><br />
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In short, this is one of the most important pieces of original comic book art Heritage has ever had the pleasure to offer.<br />
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his iconic masterpiece from <strong>"Hunt the Dark Knight"</strong> has an image area of 11.5" x 17.75", and aside from some very light paper aging in the image area and some passages of white-out, the art is in Excellent condition.<br />
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<b><i>"I've always loved that drawing. Danced around my studio like a fool when I drew it. I hope it finds a good home."</i></b> <b>--Frank Miller</b> <br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>Don sez:</strong> <em>Frank Miller proved a trailblazer once again as his splash page bought the <strong>highest hammer price</strong> of comic art at an <strong>American auction</strong>. However, he was soon toppled from the top spot by his Marvel peer, <strong>Todd McFarlane</strong>. Comic art from the 1980s and 1990s has arrived.</em></span>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16001027793327469576noreply@blogger.com0