Tintin interior for 2,100,000€

[Bronty]

Many artists have pieces lying around. Heritage has been selling off illustration art from the more than one estate over the last few years.

 

from May 2012 to May 2014 according to my search of the comic art section on HA there were 240 lots of crumb art.

 

For someone that didn't have an enormous ouevre, that's a freaking ton of art for sale over a 2 year period.... that's more than "a few pieces lying around"

 

We can speculate if its from Crumb, Heritage, or Taylor Swift's grandmother, but there is a lot of his art on the market and I'm wondering why. I understand your point, but the idea of him consigning art to sell at auction when he has Zwirner as a representative doesn't really ring true either. Back when he was selling the more recent Bible illustrations, those sold through Zwirner IIRC. If I'm Crumb and I own these pieces I am giving them to Zwirner not heritage.

[Bronty]

For those who are not familiar with Hergé art, the Musée Hergé in Louvain la Neuve holds a collection that no amount of superlatives could do justice. The last time I was there, I suspect any one among at least 100 of the originals on display would have brought the same or a higher price if it were to come up for auction. None of them ever will, of course.

 

As alluded to by someone else previously, the lack of material in private hands probably plays a big role in these huge Tintin prices in addition to "legitimacy" and everything else.

if legitimacy comes from having the work in a museum it might be useful to point out that the museum funding was primarily from Herge's estate. Waiting for the government or existing museums to get into comic art doesn't occur more often in Europe than in the US.

 

Makes sense. So I guess its similar to the Schulz situation / museum.

[suspense39]

I would love one of those genesis illustrations!

 

I agree I would give them to Zwirner as well

[Bronty]

18000 posts

[buttock]

I am going to post some vintage Jerry Lewis pages on CAF and retire!

 

[drdroom]

For those who are not familiar with Hergé art, the Musée Hergé in Louvain la Neuve holds a collection that no amount of superlatives could do justice. The last time I was there, I suspect any one among at least 100 of the originals on display would have brought the same or a higher price if it were to come up for auction. None of them ever will, of course.

 

As alluded to by someone else previously, the lack of material in private hands probably plays a big role in these huge Tintin prices in addition to "legitimacy" and everything else.

if legitimacy comes from having the work in a museum it might be useful to point out that the museum funding was primarily from Herge's estate. Waiting for the government or existing museums to get into comic art doesn't occur more often in Europe than in the US.

 

Makes sense. So I guess its similar to the Schulz situation / museum.

 

Hmm. My original comment was just about supply; which I think is enough by itself to create a large price disparity; but as far as legitimacy, I'm pretty darn sure that comic art in general has significantly greater legitimacy in Europe and Japan than it does here, even if the Hergé Museum is the Frazetta Museum of Belgium.

 

[chromium]

if legitimacy comes from having the work in a museum it might be useful to point out that the museum funding was primarily from Herge's estate. Waiting for the government or existing museums to get into comic art doesn't occur more often in Europe than in the US.

 

Actually no. The Herge museum is second to the national comic strip museum in Belgium.

This museum is older, much larger and is funded by the state. It also attracts a big multitude of visitors each year compared to the Herge museum.

Also important to note that the Belgian government also sponsors comic artists in more ways than one ( scholarships, contests, exhibitions)

 

http://www.comicscenter.net/en/home

 

Herge's widow and her new husband were offered funding as well, but declined as they wanted full autonomy over the construction and maintaining of the museum.

 

 

[delekkerste]

if legitimacy comes from having the work in a museum

 

I think that is only one small piece of the legitimacy puzzle. It's not like all the Modern/Contemporary collectors started going out and hoarding old videogame consoles just because MoMA had an exhibition featuring them last year which featured pieces acquired for the permanent collection.

[delekkerste]

I would love one of those genesis illustrations!

 

I agree I would give them to Zwirner as well

 

I wonder how much Crumb Heritage sells vs. Zwirner? At the end of the day, it's still comic art and Heritage has that audience. Also makes you wonder how far in-roads these artists have actually made in the fine art world - it's impressive, yes, for Crumb to be represented by an A+ list dealer, but I wonder how many fine art types collect his work vs. OA collectors.

 

In any case, if you want quick sell-through, Heritage is the way to go, because all the pieces will sell every quarterly auction. At Zwirner, the dealer can't ever ratchet prices down as he's got a market to protect.

[delekkerste]

Many artists have pieces lying around. Heritage has been selling off illustration art from the more than one estate over the last few years.

 

I suspect that Heritage took down a good chunk of the Martignette collection of illustration art. The press release said it was sold to a consortium who consigned it to Heritage, though I wouldn't be surprised if the consortium included one or more Heritage principals. I believe Heritage also took down all those Boris Vallejos in the early to mid-2000s from a single collection as well, and I would not doubt that something similar happened with all these Crumbs (and when I say Heritage, that could mean Halperin/Lewis Wayne or another affiliated entity as well).

[suspense39]

I would love one of those genesis illustrations!

 

I agree I would give them to Zwirner as well

 

I wonder how much Crumb Heritage sells vs. Zwirner? At the end of the day, it's still comic art and Heritage has that audience. Also makes you wonder how far in-roads these artists have actually made in the fine art world - it's impressive, yes, for Crumb to be represented by an A+ list dealer, but I wonder how many fine art types collect his work vs. OA collectors.

 

In any case, if you want quick sell-through, Heritage is the way to go, because all the pieces will sell every quarterly auction. At Zwirner, the dealer can't ever ratchet prices down as he's got a market to protect.

 

I don't think art collectors are buying Crumb as a centerpiece to their collection, as an OA collector might. Sadly it's probably more like they have a small wall with nothing on it and it fits. All serious collections I've been fortunate enough to see do not have Crumb panel page art, but portraits or single image drawings. As to how much sells (HA vs. Zwirner) I have no idea, It appears as if Robert Crumb has done well enough that he would rather have his galleries handle the business side of things rather than him personally sending things to heritage.....but that's just me speculating......I mean he did trade a notebook for a chateau in France, so the story goes.

[delekkerste]

Just read an article in the French press that said that the purchase of the Tintin was not a speculative buy, and that the piece will take its place at the heart of a collection of Modern/contemporary art, paintings, sculptures and objects (another article confirmed that it was bought by an American). Think that would rule out any of the active American OA BSDs with the exception of Halperin. Lucas or Spielberg? Guess they must all own enough random stuff to make that description possible. In any case, it's probably a safe bet that we're talking about someone that is older and wealthier than your typical OA usual suspect (even if it is Halperin, he's at the very top end of both the age and wealth range among active BSD collectors).

[dem1138]

Though it's all speculative, I have heard from other reputable circles that Spielberg was the likely buyer.

[Bronty]

Well ok but just the content and the price pretty much told us that. It's still pretty neat to see a piece of comic art sell for that kind of number

[Bronty]

Though it's all speculative, I have heard from other reputable circles that Spielberg was the likely buyer.

 

Cool

[spider9698]

My source, who was at the sale, told me the purchaser was a collector of European art only.

 

[Bronty]

[dem1138]

My source, who was at the sale, told me the purchaser was a collector of European art only.

 

I defer to Ferzoco!

[zhamlau]

with all thats in play with the little facts coming out, i would imagine Spielberg is the buyer. I know Guillermo Del Toro is in the market for stuff like this at time too, but for that price its so few/far between finding buyers. That its an american, and his connection to the character and collecting comic art....and the price...its at least a solid notion.

[adamstrange]

if legitimacy comes from having the work in a museum it might be useful to point out that the museum funding was primarily from Herge's estate. Waiting for the government or existing museums to get into comic art doesn't occur more often in Europe than in the US.

 

Actually no. The Herge museum is second to the national comic strip museum in Belgium.

This museum is older, much larger and is funded by the state. It also attracts a big multitude of visitors each year compared to the Herge museum.

Also important to note that the Belgian government also sponsors comic artists in more ways than one ( scholarships, contests, exhibitions)

 

http://www.comicscenter.net/en/home

 

Herge's widow and her new husband were offered funding as well, but declined as they wanted full autonomy over the construction and maintaining of the museum.

 

Thanks for the correction and additional background. (thumbs u