 Elvgren's work proved to be a big temptation for bidders |
An array of Elvgren's gorgeous creations dominated bids in Beverly Hills, despite stiff competition from fellow pin-up artist Antonio Vargas. Also featuring was the Jerry Weist collection of sci-fi and fantasy art, whose Wally Wood comic book strip infiltrated the auction's top sales at $54,687.
The Elvgren and Vargas pieces originate from the collection of Charles Mignette, which was described by the auction house as the "single greatest illustration art collection ever offered". Totalling over 4,300 works, Mignette's estate is now estimated to be worth in the region of $20m.
"He was at the very forefront of collecting this type of material. He was very quirky, very eccentric, but he was also very clever. What he ended up with was the very best examples," Heritage's Ed Jaster explained.
Elvgren's Skirting the Issue (Breezing Up) attracted the highest sale price, selling 259.9% above its $50,000 high estimate. One of the many works to feature in Charles Mignette's book on the artist, it achieved $176,500.
The Vargas works on offer were highlighted by a characteristic 1940s work entitled Glamour Pin-Up. The piece, which was describe by Heritage as "one of the most stunningly gorgeous faces ever conceived by the artist", sold for an impressive $50,000.
Also featuring was a rare Hitler editorial cartoon from Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss. Entitled The Tiller of the Soil, the framed original brought $15,000.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a superb range of illustration art currently in stock. Similar to the Dr Seuss work, we have a rare editorial cartoon from Winnie the Pooh creator, E H Shepard at great value.
