Artcurial has just completed a major sale of the works of Peyo, best known for his creation of the smurfs. But that is not the only cartoon-based auction which they intended for this month, and the Peyo sale may prove to be just a warm-up.
The auction of 'The Universe of Hergé' is a great gift for Tintin fans, whose numbers are likely to be swelling with the trailing of a spectacular 3D film of the intrepid reporter. It takes place in Paris on November 26.
There is far more than just books and cartoon artwork on offer this time, with a wide variety of toys and decorations on offer. In particular, we think with recognise a large bronze statue of Tintin from a Tintin auction around a year and a half ago.
Nevertheless, our favourite lots are indeed on paper:
Firstly, there is an absolutely beautiful Indian ink, gouache and watercolour illustration created in 1944 for The Secret of the Unicorn, showing a swashbuckling Captain Haddock doing battle aboard ship.
Signed and inscribed by Hergé himself, this will be an unadulterated delight for Tintin fans, and is expected to achieve €35,000-40,000 ($53,900).
 Original artwork from the Tintin adventure Secret of the Unicorn |
Perhaps more surprising is an exciting item for space memorabilia collectors. This is a first (French) edition of the work Explorers on the Moon (the French version was 'On a marché sur la Lune, meaning "We walked on the Moon") signed by several moonwalkers.
Tintin fans will be well aware that he, Haddock and Snowy all made a trip to the lunar surface through Hergé imagination whilst the Apollo missions were at most a scientist's daydream.
The edition is signed by one astronaut from each of the six successful moon-landings: Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Edgar Mitchell, David Scott, Charlie Duke and Gene Cernan, with various tongue in cheek comments about their achievements relative to Tintin.
The estimate for the work is €9,000-11,000, but we suspect it will sell for more than this given the increasing value of moonwalkers' autographs: a complete set has risen in value by 564.1% since 2000.
Collectors keen to get ahead of the game with the same set of signatures will be delighted to see that we have the collection of autographs on a photograph of Buzz Aldrin's lunar bootprint.
