Heritage Auction Galleries’ most recent auction of vintage comic books and original comic art realized $2,842,372 for 1,714 lots, although after-auction sales are still ongoing and are expected to push the final total to even higher levels.

“This auction heavily spotlighted original art, so it’s no surprise that it’s that area that brought our top prices realized,” said Ed Jaster, Vice-President for Dallas-based Heritage.”

“We’ve been very successful selling the paintings of beloved artist Carl Barks in past auctions,” Jaster said, ” and this time out was no exception. Barks’s oil painting, Return to Plain Awful, was the top lot of the weekend with $119,500 realized. Additionally, Disputed Claim, another fine Duck painting, sold for $89,625.”

“The big news, however, was the astonishing new record set for the sale of a Schulz Peanuts original,” Jaster said. “The baseball-themed Sunday, dated 4-10-55, offered in our auction brought an unheard of $113,525, making it the first time that an original by this renowned artist has broken the six-figure barrier. Prices for Schulz art have been on an upswing lately, as can easily be seen in results like this.”

“Just as impressive was the $101,575 realized by Robert Crumb’s original art for the cover of the landmark Mr. Natural #1,” Jaster said. “The leading artist of the underground comic’s movement, Crumb art has also been appreciating steadily over the last few years, and we expect interest in his work to continue to skyrocket.”

Posted: 12|14|07 at 10:54 am. Filed under: US News.