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Graham Nash collection of Underground Art tops $6.3 million Comics Event at Heritage Auctions

Graham Nash collection of Underground Art tops $6.3 million Comics Event at Heritage Auctions

Collection featuring Robert Crumb makes $1.1 million
DALLAS, Texas (Aug. 15, 2017) – Singer/songwriter Graham Nash’s collection of Underground Comix art realized more than $1.1 million to lead Heritage Auctions’ summer Vintage Comics & Comic Art Auction in Dallas. The $6.3 million auction presented fresh-to-market art and key books to more than 2,800 bidders in person and via HALive!.
“The market for original comic art continues to show its strength – especially for works by Robert Crumb,” said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President Heritage Auctions. “This is the second auction in a row in which we achieved six-figure selling prices of Robert Crumb’s art for our clients.”
The highlight of Nash’s collection was art by Crumb. The artist’s 1967 Original Cover Art for ZAP Comix #1 soared to $525,800 (the cover was never was used for the publication and was thought lost for years). The People’s Comics Complete Four-Page Story Original Art sold for $203,150. Even Crumb’s later works bested high estimates as Weirdo #22 Complete 4-Page Story Original Art from 1988 sold for $131,450 and Crumb’s 1991 ID #2 Original Cover Art ended at $101,575, to round out the collection’s top six-figure lots.
Additional examples of Crumb’s art continued to beat expectations as Your Hytone Comics #nn Complete 9-Page Story “Pete the Plumber” Original Art sold for $89,625 and Mr. Natural #2 Complete 6-Page Story Original Art hammered for $77,675.
Key Comics Command Five Figures
An important private collection from Mister Magik Woo offered several key books in outstanding condition: The Amazing Spider-Man #14 (Marvel, 1964) CBCS NM/MT 9.8 sold for $71,700 and The Amazing Spider-Man #1, with a verified Stan Lee signature (Marvel, 1963) CBCS VF/NM 9.0, ended at $65,725.
A copy of Detective Comics #35 (DC, 1940) CGC VG+ 4.5, shot to $56,165 and 17 bidders competed to own All Star Comics #8 (DC, 1942), CGC VG 4.0 – featuring Wonder Woman’s first appearance and origin – and pushed the auction price to $53,775. A coveted copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel, 1962), CGC VG/FN 5.0, sold for $38,240.
Additional highlights include, but are not limited to:
· From the Eric Sack Collection, Robert Crumb Snoid Comics One-Shot Complete Nine-Page Story Original Art (Kitchen Sink Press, 1980): realized $74,687
· Steve Ditko’s Original Art from Strange Tales #141 Story Page 8 featuring Doctor Strange (Marvel, 1966): realized $65,725
· Steve Ditko’s Original Art from Amazing Spider-Man #22 Story Page 17 Original Art (Marvel, 1965): realized $52,580
· Barry Windsor-Smith’s Original Cover for Marvel Comics Presents #83 featuring Wolverine/Weapon X (Marvel, 1991): realized $52,580
Consignments are now welcomed for Heritage Auction’s Nov. 16-17 Comics Auction in Beverly Hills. To consign and to learn more about the upcoming auction, please visit the Comics Auction Portal on HA.com.
Graham Nash collection of Underground Art tops $6.3 million Comics Event at Heritage Auctions