Heritage Comic Signature Auction Realizes $3 Million+!!

Dallas, Texas: Heritage Auction Galleries' latest Comics Signature Auction, held May 11-13 in Dallas, Texas, posted impressive results of $3,007,920, with after-auction sales still ongoing and expected to push the total to even higher levels.

"This was a very exciting event, filled with results that made even the most seasoned industry veteran sit up and take notice," said Ed Jaster, Vice-President for Heritage.

"The star of the show, without a doubt, was the Mile High run of Jumbo Comics," said Jaster. "These hard-to-find, oversized issues rarely come to market. Add to that the incredibly desirable Mile High pedigree, and you have the makings of a legendary offering. Our bidders responded to what they knew might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the winning bidder walked away with a spectacular set of eight classic books, after a winning bid of $83,650."

"As always, original art made a strong showing in this auction," said Jaster. "We're seeing no slowdown in demand for high-quality Charles Schulz originals. A beautiful Sunday Peanuts page, featuring Snoopy writing the first few lines of 'It was a dark and stormy night...' brought $50,787, while a nice 1954 daily featuring Charlie Brown and Lucy realized $20,912. Winsor McCay's Tales of the Jungle Imps original was another standout; it fetched $33,460."

"Richie Rich may be the World's Richest Boy," said Jaster, "but it seems that many of his admirers are just as well-heeled. We were privileged to offer not only the highest-graded copy of the landmark Richie Rich #1 ? a stunning CGC-graded NM+ 9.6 with Cream to off-white pages ? that brought $28,875, but also the original art for both the cover of that classic issue and the interior stories. Richie has proven to be one of the most popular comics characters ever created, and one lucky bidder walked away with this 20th Century original art treasure, $44,812 later."

"The biggest surprise of the auction was the popularity of bound volumes," said Jaster. "We were pleased to present about 100 volumes of comics, Golden Age to Bronze, all professionally bound into hardcovers. The big winner in this category was the volume that collected Four Color (Series One) #1-12, which realized $23,900. What pleased me the most, however, was how well the Bronze Age volumes performed, with heated bidding activity throughout the group, driving many of the volumes to realize many multiples of guide. Several collectors built themselves a nice library with the hardcover collections from this auction."

"I'm very excited about our next Comic and Original Comic Art Signature Auction," said Jaster, "which is scheduled to be held in Dallas on August 10-12. We've been beating the bushes trying to turn up fresh material, and I think you'll agree, when you see our next catalog, that our efforts have been more than successful."

Highlights of the May Auction included:

Jumbo Comics #1-8 Mile High pedigree Group (Fiction House, 1938-39) Condition: Average VF+.
REALIZED: $83,650.

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 11-16-69 (United Features Syndicate, 1969).
REALIZED: $50,787.

Warren Kremer and Sid Couchey - Richie Rich the Poor Little Rich Boy #1 Cover and Complete Stories Original Art (Harvey, 1960).
REALIZED: $44,812.

Winsor McCay - A Tale of the Jungle Imps by Felix Fiddle, "How the Pelican Got His Pouch" Hand Colored Illustration Original Art, dated 2-22-03 (Cincinnati Enquirer, 1903).
REALIZED: $33,460.

Richie Rich #1 File Copy (Harvey, 1960) CGC NM+ 9.6 Cream to off-white pages.
REALIZED: $28,875.

Bernie Wrightson - Frankenstein, Splash Page 88 Original Art (1976).
REALIZED: $28,680.

Captain America Comics #1 (Timely, 1941) CGC FN+ 6.5 Cream to off-white pages.
REALIZED: $26,887.

Four Color (Series One) #1-12 Bound Volume (Dell, 1939-40).
REALIZED: $23,900.

Alex Raymond - Flash Gordon Sunday Comic Strip Original Art, dated 3-14-37 (King Features Syndicate, 1937).
REALIZED: $22,705.

Charles Schulz - Peanuts Daily Comic Strip Original Art, dated 8-20-54 (United Features Syndicate, 1954).
REALIZED: $20,912.

Heritage Auction Galleries' next Comics Signature Auction will be held August 10-12, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com.

Heritage specializes in rare, high-grade comic books, as well as vintage comic and animation art, illustration art, classic toys, movie posters and comics-related collectibles.

Prospective consignors and sellers of top-end comics material, toys, and original art are invited to call Ed Jaster at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 288 or Lon Allen at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 261 to discuss their rare comics and original illustration and comic art. Or visit www.HeritageAuctions.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HeritageAuctions.com or Lon Allen at LonA@HeritageAuctions.com.

Music and Hollywood memorabilia collectors should contact Doug Norwine at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 452 or email DougN@HeritageAuctions.com.

Movie poster consignors please call Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 367 or email GreySm@HeritageAuctions.com.

To reserve your copy of a catalog for any upcoming Heritage auction, please contact Nicole Jewell, c/o Heritage Auction Galleries, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272.