(OCEANSIDE, N.Y.) – A Tiffany Studios leaded glass bronze floor lamp lit up the room for $135,600 at a three-day multi-estate sale held Sept. 24-26 by Philip Weiss Auctions. It was the top item of the estimated 1,800 fresh-to-the-market lots offered from prominent local estates and collections. The sale was held in the Philip Weiss showroom, at #1 Neil Court in Oceanside.

The Tiffany lamp came from the Jacqueline Lowe estate. Its provenance could be traced back to an appraisal the family had done in the early 1930s. It boasted a bamboo-style lamp base and a dragonfly type shade, but altered into a unique pattern. The shade was marked “Tiffany Studios New York 150″ and a foot of the base was marked “Tiffany Studios New York 472.”

The auction grossed over $750,000 and attracted approximately 1,000 bidders, both in-house and online (through Proxibid.com). “As expected, fresh merchandise sold for big money,” said Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions. “We had everything from transportation and ocean liner material to stamps and coins to original paintings and sculptures to Peanuts comic strips.”

Following are additional highlights from the sale. All prices quoted include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.

The Tiffany name was front and center among top achievers. A fantastic Tiffany & Co. humidor made for the Corsair – a yacht owned by renowned American industrialist J. P, Morgan – changed hands for $7,628. The case was rosewood, with two flags centered, and most of the covers were marked “Tiffany & Co.” The humidor measured 23.5 inches long by 11 inches wide.

Three original Peanuts comic strips, drawn by the legendary illustrator Charles Schulz, went for a combined $41,245. A 1969 daily with a football theme and Peppermint Patty as the coach brought $14,125; a daily dated Dec. 15, 1956, in which Lucy loses her tooth, hit $18,080; and a strip from January 1984 showing Snoopy on top of his dog house gaveled for $9,040.

An archive of material pertaining to the short-lived Tucker automobile fetched $19,200. The material, all circa 1940s and from a dealer called Prusack Motor Sales, included a company checkbook, booklets, advertising posters, newspaper clippings, silk advertising banners, four original seat covers with boxes, and two suitcases, which came with the purchase of a Tucker.

Turning to artwork, a figural statue of a boy and a girl, executed in Carrara marble by the Italian artist Romanelli Fratelli (circa 1888) climbed to $20,340. The work depicted a little boy getting ready to blow his horn into the ear of a beautiful little girl laying down on a period sofa. The marble pedestal was spectacular, showing a group of dolphins and heavily carved leaves.

Two oil on canvas paintings by Eugene G. Berman (1899-1972) got paddles wagging. One, signed and dated June 1949, was titled The Obelisks and measured 24.5 inches by 30.5 inches ($10,170); the other was initialed and dated 1948 and measured 29.5 inches by 36 inches (16,950). Both were from the estate of Theresa Helburn, with 40+ years in the Theater Guild.

An important oil on canvas painting by Jacques Zucker, titled The Subway Station and executed during the Great Depression for the WPA, topped out at $9,605. The work boasted a fabulous image of a man at a newsstand, buying a newspaper and accompanied by his dog. It measured 21 inches by 26 inches, had been signed and came from the estate of a family member.

A turn of the century fireman’s archive from Henry Wolleben, former Brooklyn fireman, rose to $4,200. Included were a Limoges occupational shaving mug, a cabinet card of Wolleben in full uniform, a retirement certificate, an 18kt gold pocket watch from the FDNY, a souvenir paperweight, Wolleben’s fire helmet with original front leather and an 1893 exempt certificate.

Rounding out the auction’s top lots: a pair of U.S. silver dollars dated 1870 – a proof dollar and a standard dollar, both in high grade condition – sold as one lot for $12,995; and a rare Ben Shahn Progressive Party poster, titled “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” hammered for $4,520. The poster, 45.5 inches by 30 inches, had some light creases but was overall very nice.

Philip Weiss Auctions has a massive three-day weekend sale slated for Oct. 22-24, also in Oceanside. Featured will be hundreds of fresh-to-the-market lots of toys and toy trains, railroad memorabilia, Hollywood memorabilia, vintage dolls, antique advertising, coin-ops and more. Online bidding will be facilitated by Proxibid. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

Then, sometime before the turn of the year, Philip Weiss Auctions will present a Comic Books and Comic Art Sale. Featured will be rare and vintage comic books from the 1930s to the present time, wonderful examples of comic art, Part 2 of the Copley comic art collection (featuring original cartoon panels and assorted daily comic strips and Sunday pages) and more.
Previews will be held on the days leading up to, and including, the auction dates, for both upcoming sales.

Philip Weiss Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (516) 594-0731, or e-mail them at phil@prwauctions.com. To learn more about Philip Weiss Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions, to include the Oct. 22-24 weekend event, click on www.prwauctions.com.

The blurb from AllPosters:

“We are very excited to announce the launch of our new MARVEL® collection at AllPosters! This new Marvel Collection brings these super heroes to life, allowing them to make that leap from the comic book to any wall, be it in the bedroom, living room, family room, den, office or any other place of honor.

The Marvel Collection at AllPosters.com currently consists of two galleries, Marvel Vintage Covers and Spider-Man, with additional galleries for Marvel Heroes and Marvel Extreme to launch later this year. Many of these iconic characters and images from leading comic book publishing company Marvel Publishing, Inc. have never before been available to consumers in this artistic format.

The collection offers fans more than 200 of these vintage images, available in different wall art formats including museum-quality giclée prints, master prints with glossy heavy card stock paper, wall murals and canvas. Prints can be customized further by adding a hand-made frame. Characters featured include X-Men, Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Luke Cage and Mighty Thor.

Below is a list of all of the current and future Marvel® galleries…

• Marvel® Vintage Covers: Illustrates iconic comics throughout Marvel’s history in a series of vintage comic covers and select comic pages, dating as far back as the 1940s
• Spider-Man: Highlights one of the most revered characters in comic book history through an extensive collection of Spider-Man images
• Coming Soon! Marvel® Heroes: Unites Marvel’s most famous figures in unique prints that pair multiple heroes such as Wolverine, Iron Man, Spider-Man and the Hulk
• Coming Soon! Marvel® Extreme: Presents adult comic fans a unique collection of artist renderings of Marvel superheroes

The Marvel® Comics collection includes an assortment of products ranging from wall posters, retailing for as little as $14.99, to higher-end specialty wall art, such as stretched canvas and oversized wall murals, up to $279.99.

Get Your Favorite Marvel Comic Book Cover Here! I know I’m getting mine. Also, until October 31, 2010 get an additional 20% off orders of $25 or more by using the following promo code: PLAYBALL.

(Dallas, Texas) — Batman beats Superman. The Caped Crusader is pounding the Man of Steel – and the recession – in an auction.

A rare copy of the first Batman comic book has far surpassed the previous comic books record price, $317,000, paid for a first Superman comic, and the bidding is still underway with Batman already at $418,250. Super heroes and pop culture fans will learn the final, new record price when the auction ends in two weeks.

“One of the finest known surviving copies of the 1939 issue of Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of Batman, is being offered without reserve by Heritage Auctions in a public auction in Dallas, Texas and online on February 25. Online bidding already is at $418,250, and that’s broken the world’s record auction price for any comic book, $317,000, set last year for a 1938 issue of Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman,” said Lon Allen, Director of Sales for the Comics Division of Heritage Auctions (www.HA.com).”Who knows how high Batman can soar by the time bidding ends?”

Heritage is selling the Batman comic on behalf of an anonymous consignor.

“It was owned for decades and kept in excellent condition by a savvy comic book collector who purchased it for $100 more than 40 years ago. In the 1960s and 1970s many people considered that an outrageous amount of money to spend for a 1930s era comic book,” said Allen.

“The Bat-Man,” as he was originally called, appeared for the first time in a six-page story in Detective Comics #27 with a cover date of May 1939. Superman appeared a year earlier in Action Comics #1 with a cover date of June 1938.

“Today, due to the popularity of the movies, cartoon and toys, Batman would seem to be the more popular pop culture character, and now he’ll dethrone Superman as the most valuable comic book,” said Allen.

For additional information, contact Heritage Auctions at (800) 872-6467 or visit online at www.HA.com.

NOTE: We first reported on a copy of Detective Comics #27 which sold in a private sale back in 2007 for an undisclosed amount, but was valued at $250,000 then.

UPDATE: It’s now official – this copy (graded CGC VF 8.0 Off-white to white pages) has become the most expensive comic ever sold at auction. Including the buyer’s premium, it sold on February 24th, 2010 for an astounding $1,075,500.00! The copy came from a private collector, described by Heritage Auctions: “The Pinnacle Hill Collection, from which this copy hails, is not an original-owner collection, but was assembled in the 1960s and 1970s by a discriminating collector who purchased from the major dealers of the day.”

“This is easily the highest-graded unrestored copy Heritage has auctioned, the next highest being VG 4.0!”

Recently on March 26, 2009, Hakes auctioned 4 panels of Carl Barks, Uncle Scrooge original art for $5,750.00 (included a 15% Buyer’s Premium).

The description:
“19.25×24.25″ frame contains 4-panel original pen and ink art for “Uncle Scrooge” #63 comic book. Art is done by beloved Duck artist Carl Barks and features Uncle Scrooge in all 4 panels, Donald Duck in first 2 as well as Beagle Boys in last panel, which also shows Huey. Directly below this panel, Barks has signed his name in black ink. “U.S. #63P.24″ text at left of art indicates issue and page number art appeared on and also bears “copyright Walt Disney Productions. Reproduction Prohibited Without Written Permission” text. Art appeared in Apr., 1966 Gold Key “Uncle Scrooge” comic in the “House Of Haunts” storyline. Brass nameplate with “Uncle Scrooge Original Comic Book Page – Uncle Scrooge #63 Page 24 – House Of Haunts” text.”

View the completed auction here: Uncle Scrooge” #63 comic book art

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• The Spark: “The Good Duck Artist” (dir.yahoo.com)

FOXNews.com
Saturday, March 14, 2009

“NEW YORK – A rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold for $317,200 in an Internet auction. The previous owner of Action Comics No. 1 bought it for less than a buck (35 cents from a second hand store in the 1950′s).”

Read the full story >>

cbs4.com
Oct 10, 2007

(AP) ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. Holy collectibles, Batman!

A near-mint copy of Detective Comics No. 27, a pre-World War II comic featuring Batman’s debut, was recently found in an attic and sold to a local collector.

The comic is considered to be the second-most valuable available and can fetch up to $500,000. The only comic considered more valuable is Action Comics No. 1, in which Superman makes his first appearance.

Collector Todd McDevitt said the Batman issue he bought is worth about $250,000, but he won’t say exactly how much he paid or who sold it to him.

“It was a typical story of someone cleaning up junk in their attic and finding an old comic book and wondering if this was one of those ones that was worth a lot of money,” McDevitt told the Beaver County Times.”

Read the Full Story >>

We actually understand the mindset, though – there are enough reprints and reader copies to be able to enjoy the book, while experiencing the thrill of having that pristine copy that everyone covets. But, we also know that the collectible market relies on having an active market of collectors – is the current generation going to sustain the interest in moving this market forward in the future?

Holy plastic slab!

Los Angeles Times
By Geoff Boucher
August 21, 2007

“Remember when comic books were considered too juvenile to be read? Now it appears that they have become too valuable to be touched.

…The CGC success story is not based on just the plastic “coffins” — it’s also the company’s introduction of a 25-point scale for grading the condition of comics. That new standard has brought a precision to the once-subjective hobby that has inspired a wave of investments by non-collectors. In other words, lots of people who don’t know the difference between Green Lantern and Green Arrow are now buying slabbed comics and putting them in safe-deposit boxes.”

Read the Full Story >>

(Oceanside, N.Y.) – Philip Weiss Auctions topped the $1 million mark in a two-day, three-session multi-estate sale held the weekend of June 9-10. Top lots included six original Charles Schulz “Peanuts” panels (totaling $193,230); two Lou Gehrig palm prints ($82,490 the pair); and an original oil painting by American artist Douglas Gorsline ($31,640). The sale grossed just about $1.1 million.

“I had a good feeling about this auction,” said Philip Weiss, owner of the firm that bears his name. “We had some fabulous consignments, in a variety of categories. I predicted we might make $1 million, but when we actually hit it I think everybody here just felt jubilant. A lot of hard work went into making that number. Hard work, and wonderful items. It was a great way to end the season for us.”

About 1,500 lots changed hands in a sale that had two sessions on Saturday – one starting at 10 am and one at 5 pm – and a third session that lasted all day Sunday. “It was exhausting but exhilarating,” Mr. Weiss said. He estimated about 300 people made it to the firm’s spacious showroom facility. In addition, there were nearly 3,000 registered online bidders and about 200 phone bidders.

Philip Weiss is a name nearly synonymous with Charles Schulz. It seems every sale boasts a few original “Peanuts” panels, and this auction was no exception. The star lot was a “Great Pumpkin” Sunday page from October 24, 1965, right before Halloween. It soared to $62,150. The comic featured Lucy and Linus writing to the “Great Pumpkin” and was even accompanied by a letter from Schulz.

An original daily panel by Schulz, this one actually drawn on Halloween day (October 31, 1967) realized $32,770. The piece – measuring 28-1/2″ x 7″ — showed Snoopy and Linus in the “Great Pumpkin” patch. Also, an original “Peanuts” Sunday page, dated May 3, 1959 and with a baseball theme – hammered for $31,640. The excellent 22-1/2″ x 15″ panel featured Lucy and Charlie Brown.

The signed Lou Gehrig palm prints – one left and one right – came from the estate of Alice Denton Jennings, a palmist who took palm impressions of her famous clients, who later signed them. Her collection was so extensive it spanned several sales. The signed right palm print of Babe Ruth also sold, for $37,290. Another signed Ruth palm print sold for $26,000 at a Philip Weiss sale in January.

Other highlights from the sale follow. All prices quoted include a 13% buyer’s premium.

A large oil-on-canvas painting by the American artist Douglas Gorsline (1913-1985) sailed past all estimates to gavel for a record price of $31,640. The previous record for a work by Gorsline was $2,800. The colorful, mid-20th century street scene depicted a nattily dressed couple. The unframed canvas – measuring 38″ tall x 32″ wide – even had a few scrapes and tears that didn’t deter bidders.

The original cover art for “Amazing Spider Man” # 92 (January 1971), by renowned comic book artist John Romita, sold for $30,500. The cover, featuring Spidey’s nemesis “Iceman,” was hand-signed in ink by Romita along the left edge. The fresh-to-the-market piece contained all original paste-ups and had some in-line corrections, white-out marks and color notes. It measured 11-1/2″ x 17-1/2″.

A large abstract oil-on-canvas work by the Italian painter Mario Nigro (1917-1992), titled “Il Crollo Degli Dei” (1956), fetched $10,170. Information printed on verso included Nigro’s address in Livorno, Italy, and the date of the painting: October 1956. The sizable work measured 51-1/2″ high x 39″ wide. Nigro was one of the fathers of the Concrete Art Movement, founded in Milano in 1948.

A beautiful Tiffany vase in the shape of a long-stemmed tulip, etched on the base “LCT 48693″ and standing 18″ high, garnered $14,405; a vintage oil-on-wood panel by the Polish-born American artist Ladislaus Bakalowicz (1833-1904), in a gilt frame and titled “Lady In Mirror,” made $6,7880; and a rare Confederate carte de visite of an unidentified Naval officer commanded $2,315.

Philip Weiss will take a well-deserved break for the rest of June before coming back strong with a trio of sales sure to set the industry buzzing. The first will be a huge one-day sale of general collectibles and memorabilia, slated for Saturday, July 21. Featured will be over 800 lots, including toys, trains, toy soldiers and more. This sale replaces the Annual Tag Sale, normally held in August.

Then, on the weekend of September 8-9, Philip Weiss Auctions will present the lifetime collection of Steve Rathkopf, a dedicated collector of western TV and comic book characters from the 1940s through the 1960s. Included will be comics, pin-backs, non-sport cards, puppets, marionettes, wallets, bracelets, premiums, vintage lunch boxes, 200+ mint paper doll books, posters and more.

It only gets better in October, when the contents of a home on Long Island – sealed for 25 years but bearing countless treasures – are sold in a true fresh-to-the-market estate auction. The unassuming, two-story brick home had been boarded up and looked to the causal eye to be a run-down residence with nothing of value inside. Nothing could be further from the truth. And it will all be sold.

Two truckloads were required to transport the trove that sat, undisturbed, since the early 1980s. Featured will be a turn-of-the-century 5-foot-tall cigar store punch figure; numerous early trade and advertising signs; over 400 occupational shaving mugs; rare 18th- and 19th-century folk art carved ships’ figureheads; turn-of-the-century barber and pharmacy bottles; and a cast iron toy collection.

Philip Weiss Auctions is one of the premier full-service auction houses in the Northeast. To learn more about the company and these important upcoming sale dates, you may visit them online by clicking www.philipweissauctions.com. To consign an item, estate or collection, you may call them directly, at (516) 594-0731. Or you can e-mail them at phil@philipweissauctions.com.

Barks Art Sets Bonhams’ Record
“Carl Bark’s Moneybin series painting “Hands Off My Playthings” brought a record price for the auction house of $204,000 in the recent Bonhams and Butterfields Entertainment Auction.”

Cockrum X-Men Page Brings $25,000
“The last page of original art from Giant-Size X-Men #1 by noted artist Dave Cokrum sold for $25,000.”

Peanuts Daily, Letter Bring $50,000
“A letter from Charles Schulz, the envelope and an original Peanuts daily were sold for $50,000 in the most recent Russ Cochran Comic Art Auction.”

Buck Rogers Repeller Ray Ring Sold
“A 1936 Buck Rogers Repeller Ray Ring with Solar Scout envelope and booklet sold for $1,825.”

Frazetta Art Tops $55,000
“Frank Frazetta’s painting, “Beyond the Farthest Star,” realized $55,000 in the recent Russ Cochran Comic Art Auction.”

“(Oceanside, N.Y.) – Seven original comic strips by the renowned cartoonist Charles Schulz sold for a combined $152,550 at a three-session, weekend multi-estate sale held March 24-25 by Philip Weiss Auctions. The strips included a Sunday “Peanuts” page from 1963 that alone realized $37,000; three “Li’l Folks” strips; and four “Peanuts” dailies. Prices quoted include a 13% buyer’s premium.

“This was a monster sale for us, in all three sessions,” said Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions. “Saturday afternoon saw over 800 lots of fresh-to-the-market stamps and coins sold. Saturday night featured estate items from Chicago and New York, with nearly 400 pieces of artwork, period furniture, art glass and other merchandise. Sunday was dedicated to comics and animation art.”

Other highlights from the Saturday afternoon session included:

Ancient coins did well, as expected. A French gold coin struck circa 633-635 AD – the Gold Triens of Marseilles, from the Merovingians region of France – surged past its high estimate of $800 to sell for $2,145; and an ancient Greek coin – the Archaic Tetradrachm, struck in Athens circa 560-490 BC and featuring the head of Athena in a crested helmet on the reverse side – fetched $3,320.

Other top achievers of the day included a 1909 Barber half-dollar, PCI graded PR65 ($2,680); a single lot comprising about 1,300 stamps, to include 232 mint blocks of four, a C18 plate block of six, Columbians in quantities, and U.S. $2 presidential used plate blocks of four, all sold as-is, with a high catalog value ($7,625); and an erotic Meerschaum pipe, in case, circa 1920s/’30s ($2,360).

Saturday night was devoted in large part to estate merchandise and fine art. The top lot was a fabulous two-piece Herter Brothers bedroom set, comprising a bed and dresser. Hand-made around the 1920s, the suite gaveled for $22,600. “The quality and craftsmanship of these pieces spoke for themselves,” Mr. Weiss remarked. “They were truly beautiful.”

Artwork dominated the evening’s proceedings. A bronze bust by the French sculptor Eugene Emile Herbert (1828-1893), 25” tall and titled “Winged Woman on a Warrior” (circa 1890), soared to $10,735. Herbert was a Romanticist, noted for his blending of historical detail with fantasy. This piece, of Semiramis, an Assynan queen of the 13th century, was well suited to his talents.

An oil-on-canvas painting by the Russian-born American artist William Samuel Schwartz (1896-1977), titled “Spreading Chestnut” and signed by the artist in the lower left, realized $15,820. The painting had never before been offered at auction, and was purchased directly by the consignor from the artist. Mr. Schwartz studied at the Vilna Art School in Russia and the Art Institute of Chicago.

An original oil-on-gesso panel titled “Alleyway” by the American realist painter Aaron Bohrod (1907-1992) hammered for $15,325. Like the Schwartz piece, this work had never been previously offered at auction and was purchased directly from the artist. Bohrod’s price and return address were listed verso. The artist was known for a range of work, mostly in watercolor and gouache.

A large oil-on-canvas painting by the noted British artist Sir Alfred East (1844-1913), titled “Amberly Bridge,” sold for $10,170. Mr. East was born in Northamptonshire, England, and studied at the Glasgow School of Art. His romantic landscapes show the influence of the Barbizon school. His book, “The Art of Landscape Painting in Oil Colour,” was published in 1906. He was knighted in 1910.

In highlights from the Sunday session:

The original Schulz comics were the day’s top lots. The “Peanuts” Sunday page, dated 2-10-63, measured 17”x24” and showed Lucy and Violet heaping abuse on poor, downtrodden Charlie Brown. The next top lot was a “Peanuts” daily strip dated 2-11-64. It garnered $21,700. The comic featured Linus and Snoopy, in a humane society gag. The end panel showed a grinning Snoopy.

A large animation cel from the classic Walt Disney film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” changed hands for $8,475. The cel – measuring 6-1/2” high – was inscribed and signed in the matte by Disney himself, “All best wishes, Walt Disney.” It had been a gift to the consignor’s family and was featured in the PBS series “Antiques Roadshow” (on which Mr. Weiss is often an appraiser).

A complete, 50-card set of Mecca boxing cards from 1910 and featuring some of the better known pugilists of the day (John L. Sullivan, ‘Gentleman Jim’ Corbett, etc.), was a knockout at $3,390. Usually, when cards of this type and age come on the market, they are in a low-grade condition. But not these. “I’d say they are well worth breaking down for grading purposes,” Mr. Weiss observed.

Philip Weiss Auctions already has blockbuster events lined up for the next three months. First, on Saturday, April 28th, beginning at 10 am, a sale dedicated to toys, trains, dolls and toy soldiers will be held. A preview will be held Thursday and Friday. Consignments are still being accepted, so watch the website for more information and details: www.philiweissauctions.com.

Then, in May, on a date yet to be determined, Philip Weiss Auctions will conduct Part 2 of the Ken Schultz estate. Mr. Schultz was a dedicated collector in three areas – World’s fair items, oceanliner art and memorabilia, and Hollywood memorabilia. The day will also feature the large and impressive circus collection of Hugo Zeitler. Hundreds of lots will be sold, all in one day.

And finally, on June 9-10, a massive two-day sale, featuring Civil War items (including a flag from the Confederate battleship the CSS Alabama); and more items from an estate collection of hand prints (including another example by Babe Ruth, two by teammate Lou Gehrig, three by baseball legend Connie Mack and one by golf hero Bobby Jones).

The June weekend event will also feature more highly desirable Charles Schulz original comic strips (including a “Great Pumpkin” daily and a Sunday “Peanuts” strip); photographs, many of them signed, by noted photographers like George Hurrell, Yousuf Karsh and Clarence Bull); and many pieces of fine estate merchandise, to include Pairpoint lamps and examples of Meissen and Dresden.

Philip Weiss Auctions is one of the premier auction houses in the Northeast. To learn more about their upcoming sales, or for more information about the company, you may visit them online at www.philiweissauctions.com. To consign an item, estate or collection, you can call them directly at (516) 594-0731. The e-mail address is auction22@aol.com.