Heritage Auctions

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Press Release - March 17, 2006

New Original-Owner Collection of Comics To Be Auctioned

Dallas, Texas: A new original-owner collection of comic books, dating from 1940 to 1954, will be offered to the collecting public by Heritage Auction Galleries.

According to Ben Samuels, Consignment Director for Heritage, "The Harold Curtis collection hails from Rhode Island, and is a very impressive original-owner assemblage consisting primarily of DC, Quality, and Lev Gleason titles. Highlights include long runs of Detective, Batman (including a Batman #33, CGC-graded NM 9.4 with a Double Cover!), Sensation, World's Finest, Police Comics, Smash Comics, and Boy Comics. Other titles of note include Comic Cavalcade, Silver Streak, Crime Does Not Pay, Boy Commandos, Daredevil, and Wonder Woman. Most are high grade and have excellent paper quality. Many are at the top of the CGC census."

"Harold Curtis grew up in Danielson," Samuels continued, "a small, rural town in northeastern Connecticut. He began reading comic books, probably starting in the 1930's. On Saturdays, he and his younger brother and sister got up early in the morning in order to complete all of their weekly household chores before noon. Following lunch, their father rewarded each of them with an allowance payment of twenty five cents. It was with this financial windfall that Harold bought his weekly supply of comics, candy and movie theater tickets."

"Many of the earlier issues have 'Harold Curtis,' 'Harold,' 'H.E.C.,' 'Curtis,' or 'H. Curtis' written in ink on the cover," Samuels said. "Most issues have a distributor's 'p' mark in pencil or ink, others have a 'w', and a few of the war comics have a 'k' mark. While a few of the earliest issues show considerable wear, most of the comics appear to have been read once, and were stored well."

"Titles featuring Batman were Harold's main interest," Samuels said, "but he also collected other heroic titles, and even a few selected romance comics as his interest in girls began to grow.... and understandably, as his interest in girls continued to develop, he eventually stopped buying comics -- but even after marriage he refused to ever get rid of his beloved collection! Until now."

"This is an exciting new addition to our hobby," Samuels said, "that will soon take its place in comics history beside other storied original-owner collections. All of these books were purchased directly off the newsstand, carefully read, and stored away virtually untouched until now. They have never before been offered for sale. Collectors are going to be very pleased with the results of Mr. Curtis' collecting efforts when they see these beautiful books. Best of all, the entirety of the Curtis collection is being offered with no reserve!"

Highlights of the Harold Curtis Collection include:

• Comic Cavalcade #4 (DC, 1943) CGC VF/NM 9.0 Off-white to white pages.
• Detective Comics #110 (DC, 1946) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages.
• Batman #33 Double Cover (DC, 1946) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages.
• Batman #14 (DC, 1942-43) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages.
• Batman #4 (DC, 1940) CGCVF- 7.5 Off-white pages.
• Detective Comics #115 (DC, 1946) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages.
• Comic Cavalcade #1 (DC, 1942) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white to white pages.

The Harold Curtis Collection will be featured in Heritage's upcoming Comics Signature Auction, to be held May 11-13, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Comics.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com.

Heritage specializes in rare, high-grade comic books, as well as vintage comic and animation art, illustration art, classic toys, movie posters and comics-related collectibles.

Prospective consignors and sellers of top-end comics material, toys, and original art are invited to call Ed Jaster at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 288 or Lon Allen at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 261 to discuss their rare comics and original illustration and comic art. Or visit www.HeritageAuctions.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HeritageAuctions.com or Lon Allen at LonA@HeritageAuctions.com.

Music and Hollywood memorabilia collectors should contact Doug Norwine at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 452 or email DougN@HeritageAuctions.com.

Movie poster consignors please call Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 367 or email GreySm@HeritageAuctions.com.

To reserve your copy of a catalog for any upcoming Heritage auction, please contact Nicole Jewell, c/o Heritage Auction Galleries, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272.

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