Listed as pre-code art, but is it really? A PCH mystery... 0

[Haunted Thrills]

This original art by Kurt Schaffenberger for an unpublished cover for the pre-code horror comic OUT OF THE NIGHT is really cool, but is the art actually pre-code?
Notice the dress styles on the couple.  They don't look early 50's, but I might be mistaken.  The comic ran from 1952 through 1954.  Thoughts?
 

[Bronty]

its beautiful art, but I tend to agree that it feels more early 60s

[PhilipB2k17]

15 hours ago, Haunted Thrills said:

This original art by Kurt Schaffenberger for an unpublished cover for the pre-code horror comic OUT OF THE NIGHT is really cool, but is the art actually pre-code?
Notice the dress styles on the couple.  They don't look early 50's, but I might be mistaken.  The comic ran from 1952 through 1954.  Thoughts?
 

No way that's pre-code. That's  late 1960's (I'd say '67-'69 ish), based upon the mini skirt (albeit a dress, but a high hemline) on the woman, and the longer hair style and double breasted coat (with a turtle neck) of the man.

Edited November 26, 2018 by PhilipB2k17

[The Voord]

DEFINITELY mid to late 1960s.  This was an unused cover for a proposed comic-book that never saw print.  I used to own a similar one but traded it away last year.

Who's the owner/seller?

My worst fears now are that it's come from the Brothers D . . .

[The Voord]

Comic-connect auction offering.  Seen.  Have affixed a suitable comment to their CAF listing.

Here's the cover I had which I traded to Chris Palmerini:

 

[The Voord]

Scotty Moore owned these unpublished  1960s Schaffenberger covers at one time.  Here's another one from that same original source:

 

[Haunted Thrills]

3 hours ago, PhilipB2k17 said:

No way that's pre-code. That's  late 1960's (I'd say '67-'69 ish), based upon the mini skirt (albeit a dress, but a high hemline) on the woman, and the longer hair style and double breasted coat (with a turtle neck) of the man.

And yet it is supposed to be an unpublished piece from Out of the Night which was only published during the pre-code era (to my knowledge).

[Haunted Thrills]

3 hours ago, The Voord said:

DEFINITELY mid to late 1960s.  This was an unused cover for a proposed comic-book that never saw print.  I used to own a similar one but traded it away last year.

Who's the owner/seller?

My worst fears now are that it's come from the Brothers D . . .

Yep, currently on auction at CC.  So how does a 60's piece get affixed to a pre-code title? (to my knowledge Out of the Night only ran up to 1954)

[Haunted Thrills]

2 hours ago, The Voord said:

Comic-connect auction offering.  Seen.  Have affixed a suitable comment to their CAF listing.

Here's the cover I had which I traded to Chris Palmerini:

 

I sent them an email several days ago but have yet to receive a response.  In any case, I have no complaints against Comic Connect, I've always done good biz with them.  
This could all just be an innocent mix-up.
 

[Bronty]

35 minutes ago, Haunted Thrills said:

Yep, currently on auction at CC.  So how does a 60's piece get affixed to a pre-code title? (to my knowledge Out of the Night only ran up to 1954)

I get the same answer when I search GCBD.    Seems like someone just picked a relatively desirable title that fit the art.

[Haunted Thrills]

6 minutes ago, Bronty said:

I get the same answer when I search GCBD.    Seems like someone just picked a relatively desirable title that fit the art.

Yes, relatively desirable and pre-code, but not something that's too well known or sought after enough to raise more eyebrows I guess.
Another strange thing is that I believe Ken Bald did ALL of the Out of the Night covers, Schaffenberger didn't do any of them.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Haunted Thrills

[vodou]

2 hours ago, Bronty said:

I get the same answer when I search GCBD.    Seems like someone just picked a relatively desirable title that fit the art.

 

2 hours ago, Haunted Thrills said:

Yes, relatively desirable and pre-code, but not something that's too well known or sought after enough to raise more eyebrows I guess.
Another strange thing is that I believe Ken Bald did ALL of the Out of the Night covers, Schaffenberger didn't do any of them.

Too lazy to look but this is, this has to be, a DB piece...no?

[The Voord]

Reply from Comic Connect:

"Thank you for your comment on the Kurt Schaffenberger piece. Your comment reiterates what is already listed on the piece. This item is noted as unpublished with a logo affixed for presentation purposes. Unfortunately we are unable to remove the logo as it will damage the art. Sincerely, Jessica Staff of ComicConnect"

[The Voord]

4 hours ago, Haunted Thrills said:

Yes, relatively desirable and pre-code, but not something that's too well known or sought after enough to raise more eyebrows I guess.
Another strange thing is that I believe Ken Bald did ALL of the Out of the Night covers, Schaffenberger didn't do any of them.

Ken Bald did a lot of the various 1950s ACG covers.  I have an unpublished Bald from circa 1952:

[pemart1966]

On 11/25/2018 at 6:23 PM, Haunted Thrills said:

This original art by Kurt Schaffenberger for an unpublished cover for the pre-code horror comic OUT OF THE NIGHT is really cool, but is the art actually pre-code?
Notice the dress styles on the couple.  They don't look early 50's, but I might be mistaken.  The comic ran from 1952 through 1954.  Thoughts?
 

Could this be a commission for a fan circa late 60's/early 70's...done in 50's style?

Is the title banner a stat? 

[The Voord]

1 hour ago, pemart1966 said:

Could this be a commission for a fan circa late 60's/early 70's...done in 50's style?

Is the title banner a stat? 

Read the thread in full.

[The Voord]

6 hours ago, Haunted Thrills said:

Yep, currently on auction at CC.  So how does a 60's piece get affixed to a pre-code title? (to my knowledge Out of the Night only ran up to 1954)

I'm pretty sure the cover had a different title when I originally saw a scan of the art.  Not pointing any fingers at Comic Connect as I think the likelihood is that the consignor altered the cover by attaching a totally-unconnected 1950s logo to this 1960s unpublished cover. 

Edited November 27, 2018 by The Voord

[vodou]

3 hours ago, vodou said:

 

Too lazy to look but this is, this has to be, a DB piece...no?

 

1 hour ago, The Voord said:

Reply from Comic Connect:

"Thank you for your comment on the Kurt Schaffenberger piece. Your comment reiterates what is already listed on the piece. This item is noted as unpublished with a logo affixed for presentation purposes. Unfortunately we are unable to remove the logo as it will damage the art. Sincerely, Jessica Staff of ComicConnect"

And there it is. Proof of provenance ( ) and a big ol' EFF-U to anybody that might not have been fooled by the BS but wanted the art anyway, for what it actually is...of course. Another piece ruined for the ages. Rock on Brothers Dee.

[Haunted Thrills]

4 hours ago, The Voord said:

Reply from Comic Connect:

"Thank you for your comment on the Kurt Schaffenberger piece. Your comment reiterates what is already listed on the piece. This item is noted as unpublished with a logo affixed for presentation purposes. Unfortunately we are unable to remove the logo as it will damage the art. Sincerely, Jessica Staff of ComicConnect"

Interesting.  The description reads " This wonderful piece of pre-code horror art was created for ACG, who were known for their horror titles.."

[The Voord]

4 hours ago, Haunted Thrills said:

Interesting.  The description reads " This wonderful piece of pre-code horror art was created for ACG, who were known for their horror titles.."

It's not an entirely incorrect description.  Schaffenberger was working for ACG during the 1960s using an alias, 'Lou Wahl', creating covers for their published titles and to the best of my recollection the handful of surviving unpublished covers were for proposed new books that never got off the ground (latter half of the 1960s).  What's incorrect in Comic Connect's description is that the cover you highlight in this thread was intended for a pre-code cover (which is definitely not the case).  No idea if the Brothers D are the consignors but this is certainly the kind of deception they would practice.

Comic Connect highlight the fact that a logo has been attached to the unpublished cover for presentation purposes.  What they fail to state is that the recreated logo has no connection to the unpublished cover art . . .