Frank Frazetta has been lauded in the art community for many years, praising his artwork from imaginative fantasy to unflinchingly realistic depictions of war. His talent and impact on the art community have solidified him as one of the most sought-after artists for original art collectors, achieving incredible auction results.
During their recent comics and original art auction, Heritage sold Frazetta’s Death Dealer 6 original art for an astounding $1.79 million. The art, which was first published as the cover for Verotik’s 1996 Death Dealer #2 comic, more than doubled the auction record for a piece of comic art.
“As the live session opened, the Frazetta had a bid of $600,000, but within moments it had come down to two collectors bidding by phone who waged a pitched battle for this very desirable painting,” Barry Sandoval, Director of Comics and Operations at Heritage Auctions, said.
In addition to this record, Heritage’s three-day auction of vintage comic books and original comic art soared to $12,201,974, achieving a world record for most valuable sale of this kind. The sale surpassed the previous record of most valuable comic auction by over $1.8 million, a record set by Heritage in July 2012 with a sale of $10,389,821.
The Death Dealer is one of the most notable fantasy characters and art depictions. In this original art, the intimidating figure appears with red eyes and muscular arms atop an equally aggressive horse, axe in mid-swing to battle a large, attacking snake. The oil on Masonite painting measures 18” x 30” in an open front frame and was signed and dated by the artist.
“Collector demand for Frazetta’s original art has never been more intense – this is the second painting by Frazetta Heritage has sold for more than $1 million,” Sandoval added.
According to the painting’s description on Heritage’s website, 12 Frazetta paintings have sold for over $100,000 in their auctions and his paintings hold 5 of the top 20 original art records from Heritage’s history.