The first original cover art depicting the beloved comic character Tintin sold for over $1.12 million in Heritage’s European Comic Art auction. Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 1: Tintin in the Land of the Soviets sold on Saturday, June 8, 2019 in the Dallas auction.

The exciting discovery of this cover is one of the few known privately owned cover illustrations signed by Hergé, and is also the oldest. In addition, the 1930 artwork is also the first cover image featuring both Tintin and Snowy, his faithful canine companion.

“Tintin is a seminal character, who has been loved and admired for generations the world over,” said Joe Mannarino, a Director of Comics and Comic Art at Heritage. “His popularity is as great now as it has ever been.”

The original cover art, which measures 21 by 26 centimeters, incorporates Hergé’s unique artistic style and his reflection on the political scope of the time depicting the popular comic character. On the art, Tintin is shown carving a makeshift propeller for his plane under Snowy’s watchful eye.

Hergé, born May 22, 1907 in Brussels, is considered the star of European comics with success that reaches the entire world. Most of Hergé’s existing original cover art featuring Tintin is the property of the Hergé Museum in Louvain-la-Neuve, near Brussels.