Batman does battle in US comics auction - but did he beat his $1.075m World Record?

Heritage has concluded their August sale of Comics and Comic book art - and it's another victory for the Caped Crusader.

Following the World Record price at auction for the 8.0 graded unrestored copy of Detective Comics #27 (which of course introduced 'The Bat-man') of $1,075,000, it was expected that the 7.5 graded unrestored copy on offer until Friday (the 'second nicest' they've ever handled, according to the auction house) would do well.

Detective Comics #27 Batman
Detective Comics #27 (8.0 copy sold in February)

But how well? High-grade comic books have been coming on in heroic leaps and bounds of late. Given the small difference in grading, it seems a given that the 7.5 copy would bring a six-figure sum, and it was estimated at $400,000.

Extraordinarily, the comic sold for a full $657,250 - a price making it worthy as a sidekick to the February copy as an investment grade collectible.

In the same auction, a copy of Batman #1, published a year after DC27 in 1940, graded at just 5.5 sold for $55,269 - a good price for the less-coveted book as there are several higher-grade copies out there.

Collectors interested in collectibles from Batman's more recent incarnations may wish to take a look at this signed photograph of Katie Holmes, who starred in Batman Begins

The Heritage comics auction (before DC27 was consigned)

In the same sale, Carl Barks's Embarassment of Riches oil painting, which depicts Donald Duck with Scrooge McDuck in the latter's money bin brought a stunning $161,325. Barks's works have been increasing steadily in value in recent years.

For autograph collectors there was also a treat:  an original Song of the South Animation Production Cel from 1946 (probably recognisable to more people than the name) featuring Brer Bear, Brer Fox, and Brer Rabbit, set against a hand-painted background - and signed by Walt Disney.

It brought $10,157.50 in the live section of the auction and taken home by a delighted bidder.

 

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