Original illustration for Red Rackham Treasure The Crypt of Marlinspike Hallmark by Georges Remi leads  Heritage Auctions first European Comic Art Auction. Image: Heritage Auctions. 

ART AUCTION

Heritage Auctions holds first European Comic Art Auction in an effort to further expand its reach in Europe.

BY KAZAD

DALLAS, TEXAS – Will an extraordinary 12-panel page of Original Tintin Art by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi (known by the pen name “Hergé”) make auction record at Heritage Auctions first European Comic Art Auction on June 2? This is one question art lovers want to get an answer to when it goes on auction in Dallas. The 12-panel page is the art for page 58 of the story The Red Sea Sharks, from Journal Tintin published in 1958.

To make this first European Comic Art Auction outing a success, the auction house has gone deep and wide to get the best work it could.  “Our team at Heritage Auctions Europe has procured an offering of exceptional depth and breadth,” said Jim Halperin, Co-founder of Heritage Auctions. “This is just the start of what we expect will be regular auctions devoted to this growing and powerful category,” he added. The Comic Art Auction will be simulcast to Heritage Auctions Europe in IJsselstein, the Netherlands.

12-panel page of Original Tintin Art by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi leads Heritage Auctions first European Comic Art Auction.

12-panel page of Original Tintin Art by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. Image: Heritage Auctions

Hergé’s original piece is just one of the many works by Hergé that will feature prominently during the European Comic Art Auction. Another work by the artist to feature prominently during the sale is a full-color original illustration for Red Rackham’s Treasure: The Crypt of Marlinspike Hall featuring Tintin, his trusty pup Snowy and friend Captain Haddock. Estimate is $54,000. Additionally, a related original illustration published on the front page of the newspaper Le Soir announcing the publication of Red Rackham’s Treasure in 1943 is expected to surpass its original estimate of $30,000. An iconic Original Art Panel from Tintin: The Temple of the Sun, published in 1947, is also expected to get collectors on the edge of their seats. It depicts Tintin and Captain Haddock on an adventure in the heart of the Andes. It is estimated at $22,000.

In addition to works by Hergé, the Comic Art Auction will also include works by Peyo, the creator of the internationally famous Smurfs, Hugo Pratt, François Schuiten, and Jean-Claude Mézières. One of the works by Peyo to feature at the auction is the Original Cover Art for Spirou #1447 drawn by Peyo himself. It features 10 characters in a single illustration. It is estimated at $48,000. Hugo Pratt will also be represented at the auction by a page of Original Art from Corto Maltese. The piece by the legendary Italian comic book creator is expected to spark spirited bidding because of the significance of the Corto Maltese. Corto Maltese is perhaps Pratt’s greatest contribution to European comics and the page, from the 1978 story “And Other Romeos and Other Juliets,” is an iconic representation of the artist’s signature black and white illustrations. Estimate is $43,000.

Paris in the Twentieth Century, an important painting by François Schuiten is also expected to make auction record during the sale. The painting was created by the co-author of The Obscure Cities for the cover of Jules Verne’s “forgotten” novel published in 1994. An Original Cover Art by Jean-Claude Mézières for Valerian Vol. 19 (Dargaud, 2004) will join other works by the artist at the Comic Art Auction.   The piece is considered one of the finest examples of Mézières talent.  Mézières along with writer Pierre Christin is credited with creating the blueprint for French science fiction comics.

Isolde and Tristan Circuits (Norma, 2005), a powerful original painting by Spanish artist Luis Royo is a highly sought after illustration which was published in the art book Subversive Beauty. The estimate is $22,000.

For Heritage Auctions, “This is just the start of what we expect will be regular auctions devoted to this growing and powerful category,” said Halperin.  The European Comic Art Auction will also include Classic American comic art. According to Halperin, “Classic American comic art has always been popular throughout Europe.” The auction includes stellar examples from many of the legends of comic book and newspaper features, from Will Eisner to George Herriman and Alex Raymond to Frank Miller.

Additional highlights of the European Comic Art Auction  include:

• Corto Maltese in Siberia Preliminary Original Art (Casterman, 1982) by Pratt (est. $16,000)
• The Original Art for Page 25 from The Black Incal (Humanoïdes Associés, 1991) by French artist Jean Giraud, who garnered worldwide acclaim predominantly under the pseudonym Moebius and Gir, (est. $19,200)
• French artist Yves Chaland’s Original Art from Freddy Lombard Vol.4 (1988), page 34 for the story titled “Vacation in Budapest” (est. $13,000)
• Original Art from French artist Jacques Tardi’s Adèle Blanc-Sec Vol.2 (Casterman, 1976), (est. $12,000)

As Heritage Auctions holds first European Comic Art Auction, expectations are high. Do you think this is a great move? Share your comments. Follow Us: Facebook– Twitter–Google+