Recent Catawiki International Comic Art Auctions have featured some British comic art, but this week’s has plenty, alongside the usual mix of work by European artists. Expect the “Carol Day” newspaper strip by David Wright included to attract plenty of bidding, as examples of the strip are much sought after – and admired.
However, it looks like art from one of Will Eisner‘s works, the award-winning, To the Heart of the Storm, may command much of the attention of bidders this week. It’s from an autobiographical story about the artist’s youth.
Bizarrely, however, a Will Eisner tribute artwork by Daniel Torres, perhaps best known for his science-fiction series Rocco Vargas, but who has previously worked on Spirit strips, with writers that include Alan Moore, has attracted much more interest, art created back in 2017. Bids currently stand at over £500, but are expected to reach higher.
But Catawiki’s European follower base are currently even more interested in art by Hugo Pratt for the 1981 story, La Jeunesse de Corto Maltese. Given how rarely such work is offered for sale, featuring in a story that saw Corto Maltese in action with author Jack London and Rasputin, that should come as no surprise!
Here are the British-related artworks on offer…
A 1991 episode of “Andy Capp” by Reg Smythe, who created the strip, published in the Daily Mirror.
An episode of “Carol Day – The Surprise” by David Wright, one of the most admired British newspaper strips of all time, with bidding already approaching £100
An original episode of the “Jeff Hawke” story, “Rescue Party“, first published in the Daily Express in 1970, with art by Sydney Jordan and an uncredited Nick Faure, who worked with Syd on a number of stories from 1969 through to 1974
Modesty Blaise art by Enrique Badia Romero for the cover of the Swedish Special Album 2015, Agent X9
An illustration perhaps used for a children’s book titled “Puppy Love“, from “The Elgin Studio“ – the artist unidentified. Previous work by the same artist has sold for under £100 on Catawiki.
A page of “Robot Archie” by Ted Kearon, from the story, “Robot Archie and the Mole-Men”, published in the weekly adventure comic Lion in 1964.
An unidentified strip page for the girl’s comic, Princess by Leslie Otway, published in 1965. Otway’s many credits include work on The Love Story Library, between 1952 and 1958, and, later work for Schoolgirls Picture Library, Confessions All Picture Library, School Friend Picture Library and the Princess Picture Library, and more. (There’s plenty of Leslie Otway art from Princess and Princess Tina to savour over on ComicArtFans, if you’re interested).
“Royal Escort“, an unsigned original watercolour by Peter Jackson used in Treasure magazine in the issue cover dated 10th January, 1970, commissioned through the Temple Art Agency.
European artists work in the auction includes art by Jordi Bernet (a smashing “Torpedo” character study), Didier Crisse, Fernando Fernandez (a western cover, commissioned by Selecciones Ilustradas in the 1970s, and a World War Two painting), Manuel Garcia, a film poster by José Gonzalez, Hermann, Dick Matena and a smashing “Pink Panther” artwork by Carol Voges.
• Check out items offered by Catawiki in their International Comic Art category – ends at 7.00pm Thursday 9th December 2021
Do note that the UK’s departure from the European Union may mean additional import duties on sales.prior to Brexit, the effective rate of UK tax on imports of art was 5%, which is lower than most other European countries. An owner could previously import an artwork to the UK from outside the EU and was then free to transport it to other EU countries, where the import tax rates may be higher, without incurring any further import-related tax charges. If the owner then wished to bring the artwork back to the UK, there would also have been no further tax charge.
• The Guardian reports that online orders up to £135 are now supposed to have the UK’s prevailing VAT rate added at the point of sale by the EU retailer, which has to have registered with HM Revenue & Customs.
Lots of smaller EU-based retailers have decided that the paperwork of collecting UK VAT is not worth the hassle and as a result will no longer supply UK consumers
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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, British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
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