HERITAGE TO AUCTION FRANK FRAZETTA’S FAMOUS MASTERPIECE: MASAI WARRIOR

DALLAS, TEXAS: Heritage Comics Auctions (HCA) is proud to announce that it will offer Frank Frazetta’s “Masai Warrior” in its February 7 & 8, 2004 Signature Auction, to be held in their new Dallas office.

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“This is a real coup”, said Ed Jaster, HCA’s Director of Acquisitions. “A truly unique and personal piece, Frazetta painted “Masai Warrior” in 1960 and 1961 as an anniversary present for his wife, Ellie. The first in a planned mini-series of paintings focusing on African warriors (“Lion Hunt”, published as the cover to an issue of The Burroughs Bulletin, was another in this series), the piece was eventually sold. It’s dated 1961. Frank also hand-built the frame, which remains with the painting.”

Ellie Frazetta liked the painting so much that in the late 1980s she had Frank do a re-creation of Masai Warrior, which is now displayed in perhaps the most prominent location within the Frazetta Museum and dominates an entire wall.

One of the artist’s larger works, Masai Warrior measures an impressive 22” x 45”, and is rendered in oils on stretched canvas, still in the original frame built by Frazetta in 1961. Most of Frazetta’s paintings were completed in less than a week, but Frank spent a year on the original Masai Warrior.

The present owner purchased it in 1985 from another collector who had purchased it about 15 years earlier directly from Frank and Ellie Frazetta. Held in a private collection since 1985, this is the first offering of this piece in almost 20 years.

“We’ve had great success with our offerings of Frazetta’s works in past auctions,” said Jaster, “and we anticipate a great response to this particular piece. The gentleman who consigned the piece to us did so only after a great deal of soul-searching, and finally decided that the time was right for this masterpiece to find a new home. We’re deeply gratified that he chose Heritage to assist him in this endeavor.”

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 http://apps.HeritageComics.com.

HCA 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 214-252-4288 or Fred McSurley at 214-252-4293 to discuss their rare comics and original illustration and comic art. Or visit http://www.HeritageComics.com and click on the “consign” tab. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HeritageComics.com or Fred McSurley at FredM@HeritageComics.com.

Movie poster consignors, please call Grey Smith at 214-668-6928 or email GreySm@HeritageMoviePosters.com

To order catalog from Heritage’s next three Signature auctions, visit Heritage’s website to pay by credit card, or send a check or money order payable to Heritage Comics in the amount of $100 (a fraction of Heritage’s actual cost-to-produce the catalogs) to: Sonia Magdaleno, c/o Heritage Comics, 100 Highland Park Village, 2nd Floor, Dallas, TX 75205.