Robert Crumb Original Brings Record Price

Dallas, TX: The original cover art for Robert Crumb's iconic underground comic, Mr. Natural #1, sold recently in a Heritage Vintage Comics and Original Comic Art auction for $101,575, making it the first Crumb original - and the first underground original from any artist - ever to break the $100K barrier.

"We've been selling Crumb artwork for several years," said Ed Jaster, Vice-President for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries, "almost since the beginning of our Comics and Comic Art division, and we know the market is robust, but to see a single piece bring this kind of record result is still extremely gratifying."

"Robert Crumb is, without a doubt, the most popular and influential of all the underground cartoonists," said Jaster, "and Mr. Natural is one of his best known characters. Combine these two outstanding elements, along with our strong and active clientele for underground art, and the record result is easily understood."

"Top-shelf underground art, by such outstanding artists as Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Larry Welz, Spain Rodriquez, and S. Clay Wilson, is undoubtedly on a growth track in the hobby right now," Jaster said. "Now that Crumb has set the new standard, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see other artists reach this lofty pinnacle within a few years. It's clear that our clients have both the desire and the resources necessary to make this happen."

Heritage's next Vintage Comic and Comic Art auction will be held February 27-29, 2008, in Dallas, Texas.

Robert Crumb - Mr. Natural #1 Cover Original Art (San Francisco Comic Book Co./Apex, 1970):
REALIZED: $101,575

Prospective consignors and sellers of Comics and Comic Art are invited to www.HA.com/Sell. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HA.com, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1288.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.