The early Little Orphan Annie original art up for auction I had mentioned elsewhere has sold.
August 26, 1924 Little Orphan Annie = $12,000 + $1200 for the buyers premium.
For comparison, here’s some other original art sold at the same Heritage Auctions lot,
the following prices all include the buyer’s premium in the totals.
October 6, 1925 Little Orphan Annie = $16,800
June 22, 1932 Krazy Kat = $6,600
1933 Archy’s Life of Mehitabel hard cover dust jacket = $13,200
April 8, 1909 Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend = $14,400
1920s/1930s Winsor McCay editorial cartoon = $12,000
November 12, 1939 Bringing Up Father/Rosie’s Beau = $4,560
April 14, 1935 Felix the Cat = $10,200
March 28, 1915 Buster Brown = $13,200
February 2, 1962 Peanuts = $16,800
April 17, 1953 Peanuts = $28,800
April 22, 1936 Thimble Theatre Starring Popeye = $6,000
1965 R. Crumb Help! Magazine submission = $31,200
1975 4-page Sergio Aragonés MAD magazine piece = $16,800
April 6, 1947 (page 3) The Spirit = $15,600
partial April 26, 1953 Prince Valiant = $9,600
August 30, 1970 Prince Valiant = $9,000
hat tip (obviously) = Heritage Auctions
I find some of those sales prices surprisingly high and others surprisingly low. These results only prove the maxim that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.
It also proves that, in the circles interested in original comic art (e.g., me), there just aren’t many bargains left anymore. Not like the days when people I know bought original Krazy Kats for pocket change. Alas.