Another widely successful auction is officially in the books for Hake’s Americana & Collectibles! The latest Auction #223, which closed on March 15, 2018, set a new house record with total sales reaching $2.35 million. Several remarkable highlights of this auction came from the selection of original art, ranging from comic art and advertising art, to proof sheet art pieces.
The highest selling piece of original art was a comic book cover by Ron Wilson for Daredevil #11, which ended at $14,634. This classic key issue from Bronze Age Marvel, features the very first appearance of the Silver Samurai. Depicted on the cover are full-body images of both Daredevil and future Wolverine nemesis Kenuichio Harada, a/k/a The Silver Samurai.
A double-matted piece of original art by Wayne Boring, featuring a Silver Age image of Superman, soared past the $2,000 estimate to realize $6,089. The image sees Boring’s “hands,” along with humorously simple instructions on how to finish such a drawing of Superman. The top corner begins the instructions by saying “Here Is Your Drawing Lesson...First Get A Piece Of Paper.”
A piece of original advertising art for Charles Schulz’s 1970s Butternut Bread Peanuts campaign also rocketed past the $5,000 estimate to bring in $7,734. This art features Peanuts mainstays Linus, Lucy, Charlie Brown, and Snoopy as well as Frieda, who holds a word balloon asking “Why Is It So Great?” as the rest reply “Because It’s Fresh, Tender, Lovable, Etc.”
While these prior pieces saw fine results, nothing toppled the preauction estimate as much as a set of four sample boxes of Camel Cigarettes depicting various DC Comics superheroes. Although given a high-end estimated of $700, this unused proof cigarette pack reached $4,366! Along with the traditional Camel design, this box featured cartoon camels wearing outfits of Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman in front of the Hall of Justice. In a nod to the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco company, the hall is marked as “Hall Of The R.J.R.”
Aside from DC, pieces inspired by Battlestar Galactica also shined in the selection of original art. One such piece was mixed media art by Otto Kuhni used on the box of the Cylon Raider ship produced by Mattel’s 1978 Battlestar Galactica toyline. Estimated at $5,000, this piece showing two Cylon Raider ships in flight sold for $8,783.
Kuhni’s full, uncut box proof sheet Mattel’s Cylon Raider box also rocketed past the $400 estimate to realize $3,120. This piece features art by Kuhni as well as photo images of the toy itself and others included in the Battlestar Galactica line. Another full, uncut box proof sheet of Mattel’s Colonial Viper box by Kuhni passed the $400 estimate to sell for $2,486. This piece also includes art by Kuhni, as well as photo images of the toy itself and others in the Battlestar Galactica line.
All prices realized include an 18% buyers premium.
