Get a Closer Look at this Original Comic Collection

Take a closer look at one ROADSHOW guest’s original comic collection.

Apr 27, 2020

Original Comic Art Collection, ca. 1937

Transcript

GUEST: My dad, Jack Kent, was a cartoonist, but before he became a cartoonist, when he was a teenager in the 1930s, 1940s, he wrote to all of his favorite cartoon artists and asked for original comic strips, which, in those days, they sent to him. And many of them sent them with comments and signatures specifically to him. My dad, unfortunately, passed away fairly young in 1985. Been in storage for many decades.

APPRAISER: Comic art itself wasn't as appreciated as it is in the market now. And we look back on these strips, and they're really beautiful, beautiful art. So, the earliest one that you do have is the George Herriman, "Krazy Kat." And "Krazy Kat" was started in 1913. He was this kind of surrealist, goofy, simple cat that was annoyed by this mouse, Ignatz, that would hit him with bricks. This is a particularly interesting comment on people on the dole, with this character Li'l Thin Dime, who just complains about taxes. And I love that it's a very early strip, probably from 1938. And hand-tinted, it's just beautiful. The biggest newspaper, Hearst, produced the syndicate for "Krazy Kat." The next one is "Prince Valiant." "Prince Valiant" actually started in 1937, which is so interesting, because this is a King Features from April 17, 1937. So, it's talking about when Prince Valiant was still young.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: And that's why it has such a poignant message to it. The Sunday strips are so large and so beautiful. And even though there were over 4,000 of these Sunday strips, I think this is a really beautiful example. And the full title was, "Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur." The other one out of the hundreds of things that you have in your archive...

GUEST: (laughs)

APPRAISER: ...is this "Mickey Mouse," and I love it, because it's, "Hello, howdy! Texas Jack, Sincerely," with a signature from Walt Disney himself.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Another piece Walt Disney did for a Sunday daily, and it is also 1937. And the Disney would also be reprinted in many Sunday and daily strips. And that was by Walt Disney Studios. We are so thrilled to see them. In terms of auction, I would say the "Mickey Mouse," which is a beautiful example in very, very good condition, would sell for between $15,000 and $20,000.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

Could even be a little more because it's a very early strip. The "Prince Valiant" has a little bit of condition problems, but it's on the edges. Because it's him as youthful, it doesn't have as many fighting or vigorous scenes that one would expect from a piece, but this one is very desirable, being so early. And I would put a value on this at auction of $40,000 to $60,000.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: But honestly, your prize is the Herriman. The Herriman is extraordinarily collectible. It is, as Herriman goes, A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.

GUEST: (laughs)

APPRAISER: This is about as good as it gets for any collector. It brings tears to my eyes, it's so great. I would put an estimate on this of $50,000 to $60,000.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: Very honestly, I think it could bring more. And everything that you brought in that portfolio, which is just seminal cartoons, well in excess of $200,000. I mean...

GUEST: (laughs): Oh, my goodness, I'm astonished.

APPRAISER: Oh! You can see why my heart just went pitter-pat, pitter-pat when you opened that portfolio.

GUEST: I'm astonished.

APPRAISER: Really, when you brought it in, I was shaking.

GUEST: (chuckles)

During ANTIQUES ROADSHOW’s 2019 trip to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, a guest named Jack brought in a stunning collection of original comic artwork. Jack told Collectibles appraiser Kathleen Guzman, how as a teenager his father wrote to famous cartoon artists and asked for original comic strips, which they often sent with signatures and notes addressed to him.

Among the collection was a 1938 George Herriman “Krazy Kat” comic, a 1937 “Prince Valiant” comic by King Features, and a 1937 Mickey Mouse cartoon that Walt Disney produced for a Sunday daily. While Herriman's "Krazy Kat" is typically seen hunting Ignatz the mouse, in the comic sent to Jack's father we see the feline link up with "Lil Thinn Dyme," a dog who is lamenting about "Ole Taxes Drainger." The 1937 "Prince Valiant" comic that Jack brought in features a young Prince Valiant invading the domain of Horritt the Witch. Lastly, the Walt Disney cartoon sees Mickey Mouse, having just been elected sheriff, paying his predecessor a visit who tells him all he needs is "a badge, a gun, an' plenty o' nerve!"

Guzman gave the “Krazy Kat,” “Prince Valiant,” and Disney comic individual auction estimates based on their detail and condition; she estimated the “Prince Valiant” comic at $40,000 to $60,000 and the Mickey Mouse comic at $15,000 to $20,000. Guzman saved Herriman’s comic for last, noting how it was an “extraordinary collectible” and ultimately gave it an auction estimate of $50,000 to $60,000 — for a combined auction estimate of $105,000 to $140,000.

Get a closer look at the comics below!

1 of 3

Walt Disney Studios, "Mickey Mouse" comic, ca. 1937.

Melanie Albanesi

Melanie Albanesi is a digital producer for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW and a frequent content contributor to the series website. She has been a producer with the series since 2019.

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