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Eye-popping classic pulp and fantasy art auctions at Heritage
With some lots estimated at $50,000, forgotten vintage sci-fi classic art is on sale this month
Selections from the estate of passionate art collector, book dealer and comics aficionado John McLaughlin, whose holdings in pulp and fantasy art are legendary, will make up the centrepiece of Heritage's Signature® Illustration Art Auction on August 17.
"Savvy pulp art collectors have been waiting for highlights from his estate to appear on the market. It doesn't get much better than this." said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President of Heritage.
It is apparently the consensus among the Illustration Art specialists at Heritage that the August auction represents the strongest offering yet, of both pulp magazine and hard-boiled paperback cover art, in a Heritage Illustration Art event.
"One look at the covers from this collection [including works] by HJ Ward (The Evil Flame, Spicy Mystery Stories pulp cover, August 1936) [and] Margaret Brundage (A Rival from the Grave, Weird Tales cover, January 1936)... tells you all you need to know about the A+ quality of art from the Estate of John McLaughlin," said Jaster.
 HUGH JOSEPH WARD The Evil Flame, Spicy Mystery Stories pulp |
The sale promises "some of the rarest and absolute finest examples of their kind in existence," according to Heritage. Estimates on the above works mentioned by Jaster range from $20,000-plus to more than $50,000.
Elsewhere, other masterworks on offer include two covers by James Avati: Louisville Saturday, 1958, and A Place Called Estherville, 1957; both of which are expected to bring $4,000 or more.
Also among the pulp offers is Walter M Baumhofer's Doc Savage cover from February 1935 (estimated at $8,000-plus); Rudolph Belarski's Male Ward ($4,000-plus); and John Coughlin's haunting Detective Story magazine cover from May 1929 ($1,200-plus).
"As always, our latest sale is stocked with a treasure trove of illustration masterworks across the spectrum," said Todd Hignite, Consignment Director for Illustration Art at Heritage.
 Clockwise from top left: ROBERT FUQUA Revolt of the Robots, Fantastic |
"We have examples from the wide-ranging sub-genres of classic illustration, slick magazine, pin up and glamour art to compliment the sublime pulp and paperback offerings."
Also of special note in this auction is the "Art of Rock & Roll" section, featuring the collection of Peter Golding, British fashion designer and musician.
Peter has been collecting rock art from both sides of the Atlantic since the 1960s, with a collection including revolutionary poster and album cover artworks by such music world visionaries as Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley and Garry Grimshaw.
Watch this space for more news on Heritage's August 17 sale.
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Images: Heritage Auction Galleries
