'Finest' Joe Shuster Superman drawing to top Hake's at $35,000

An original drawing of Superman by creator Joe Shuster is to provide one of many highlights in Hake's Americana & Collectibles online auction, which runs March 18-20.

Joe Shuster Superman drawing
With a modest estimate, the drawing could exceed expectations



The circa 1941 piece is a fantastic depiction of the Man of Steel (who first appeared in 1938) with his legs apart and hands on hips - the quintessential hero pose.

Described by JC Vaughan in the respected Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide as "the single finest Joe Shuster Superman I've ever seen", it will sell with a $20,000-35,000 estimate.

Adding value to the piece is its inscription from Joe Shuster and co-creator Jerry Siegel that reads: "Best personal regards to Lefty Gomez from one SUPERMAN to another." The piece was made out to the legendary New York Yankees pitcher Louis "Lefty" Gomez - a hall of famer.

The piece could far exceed its estimate, as the earliest known cover art from any Superman comic sold for $292,000 at Heritage Auctions.


This is the only known set of these cards, acquired by one of the leading authorities and a respected collector



The most valuable lot of the sale will be the only complete collection of Cuban baseball cards issued in 1923-1924 by Tomas Guttierrez of the Diaz brand cigarettes. Featuring 84 SGC-graded cards, they are valued at $75,000-100,000.

"To give you an idea of how valuable this set is to collectors, we sold eight cards from the same series (from the late Richard Merkin's collection) for $30,000. The cards in this set are in higher grade, and there are 84 of them," said Hake's general manager, Alex Winter.

Richard Merkin (1938-2009) was a renowned painter, illustrator and cultural figure, who became renowned as a professional dandy. An eccentric character, he "loved and evoked the great spirit of the nineteen-twenties" according to the New Yorker, for whom he regularly contributed his illustrations, when not working as a contributing editor for Vanity Fair.

Merkin also appears on the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (between Fred Astaire and a Vargas pin-up).

He illustrated the book Leagues Apart: The Men and Times of the Negro Baseball Leagues by Larry Ritter, and is known for his collection of vintage pornography, which was published in Velvet Eden - The Richard Merkin Collection of Erotic Photography.

Discover more from the fascinating world of collecting with our free newsletter.


Featured products

Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Sale price£399
In stock
Fidel Castro signed certificateFidel Castro Signed Certificate
Fidel Castro signed certificate
Sale price£2,995
In stock
King Henry VIII Autographed DocumentKing Henry VIII Autographed Document
King Henry VIII Autographed Document
Sale price£55,000
In stock