Art for European comics including Tintin and Asterix currently tops the bidding in a major sale of original comic book and book art.
The sale, which is open for online bidding now, includes some of the most famous images in the history of these strips, themselves among the most famous and popular illustrated books of all time.
The most valuable item on current bidding is a single page by Albert Uderzo from the story, Asterix in Corsica. The images are wonderful, and have a nice contemporary echo in their retelling of the story of Corsica’s Napoleon I. His current popularity, thanks to a major movie, may have helped push the price of this wonderful ink and graphite piece up to a current value of $49,000.
The second top price among over 600 items as we go to press is a complete Gaston Lagaffe story by André Franquin. The story, with an environmental theme, is from 1978, and comes with a hand-coloured colour guide. Heritage Auctions, who are holding the sale, describe the piece as “in very good condition”. It is currently attracting a bid of $36,000.
An illustration by Tintin creator Hergé is one of the star items in the auction. Image Heritage Auctions.
A Tintin frame that is one of the most famous in the series’ history is currently priced at over $30,000. The single image was drawn by Hergé in 1944. It’s not from the original version of the story The Crab with the Golden Claws, which was published in 1941, but is a reworking by the famously perfectionist artist that appeared in later editions of the story.
Moebius, the pen name of the French artist Jean Giraud, is also strongly represented in the sale, alongside Juan Giménez, Jean Frisano’s and Alex Ross.
Any lover of comic art should take a look at this sale, which is open for bids until March 10.
