
Back June 2019, Heritage Auctions unveiled the very first cover of Tintin’s adventures, The Adventures of Tintin Vol. 1: Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, published in 1930, which sold for $1,125,000. Now, another early cover will go under the hammer, as part of an International Comic Art Signature Auction in October.

Coming up for sale is the cover of Les Aventures de Tintin, Le Sceptre d’Ottokar by Hergé (Georges Rémi), for Le Petit Vingtième, published in early 1939.
Released eight months before the outbreak of World War Two, this cover, initially drawn in ink and coloured the same year by Hergé, is almost unique. It is one of only five original covers of Le Petit Vingtième rendered by Hergé using direct colours and ink.
“The term museum-quality is often overused, but in this case, it is entirely appropriate,” the auction house states. “This original work is truly Historic.”
The cover features Tintin, accompanied by his loyal Snowy, who plays a prominent role in King Ottokar’s Sceptre story, being escorted by a majordomo from the royal palace of Syldavia, home to King Muskar XII.
Tintin expert Simon Doyle says he recalls that the colour was added later to the art when Hergé presented it to a friend as a gift, which is why it doesn’t match the scheme for the two colour tints used on the Le Petit Vingtième cover.
“It’s really beautiful,” he says. “I’m happy for it to live at my house, if anyone wants to chip in to get it…”




King Ottokar’s Sceptre, the eighth album in Hergé’s Tintin series, was pre-published in black and white from August 4, 1938, to August 10, 1939, in the pages of the journal Le Petit Vingtième, a supplement to Le Vingtième Siècle.
In the story, Tintin travels to the Syldavia and uncovers a plot to dethrone King Muskar XII. But can he help the head of state before it’s too late?
The first colour version of the album was released by Casterman, in 1947. It has since been published in many different languages around the world, including Scots, in 2019.
This 100% original art by Hergé is accompanied by its certificate of authentication of the Works of Hergé, bearing the reference 2023/229. An unique piece of Art by one of the world’s greatest masters of 9th Art. Ink enhanced with watercolor and white gouache in direct colour on on Bristol board with an area of 8.25″ x 8.25″. Lightly toned. This work is framed and matted. Signed. In Very Good condition.
Certificate Of Authentication of Hergé’s Works – Reference 2023/229
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Auctions, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Other Worlds