In 1989, something miraculous happened. That year, Batman arrived in the theatres. While the movie itself was good, that is not what the miracle really was. It was the first time the comics saw how much movies could directly influence the market. For years after, prices exploded and the market saw prices never realized. Unfortunately, […]
Opinion Piece
Newell Convers Wyeth: Father of American Illustration, Patriarch of ‘First Family of American Art’
If Howard Pyle is considered the “Grandfather of American illustration,” then his arguably most successful student, Newell Convers Wyeth, would have to be thought of as the “Father.” Illustrating more than 112 books, including Treasure Island, The Last of the Mohicans, Rip Van Winkle, Robinson Crusoe and Robin Hood as well as numerous magazines including […]
Baseball’s First Champions … and the Pioneer That Powered Them
Long before baseball was officially anointed America’s National Pastime — in truth, before even the first drop of blood was spilled in the American Civil War — there existed the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn. In 1857, the Atlantics built baseball’s first dynasty, winning multiple league championships that started with an 11-1 record in […]
Lists That Make Cents: Top 10 Most Violent Comic Covers
For years, my biggest comic collecting regret has been that I didn’t know or understand how amazing Pre-Code Horror and Crime books were when I was younger. I am not a horror movie junkie. In fact, violent images make me turn green and I don’t handle graphic horror movies well. However, for some reason, if […]
Celebrating Women’s History Month through our Fine and Decorative Arts Auction
Women’s History Month, which is celebrated in March in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, had its origins in a small-town school event in California that evolved gradually into Women’s History Week. Then, through the Congressional National Women’s History Project (Pub. L. 100-9) in 1987, it continued its growth into the month-long national […]
Lists That Make Cents: Top 10 Favorite Comic Covers
Just over 40 years ago, my world changed in a way that I would not understand until many years later. My grandfather had his first heart attack. Back then, visiting hours were exactly that, the only time you could visit unless an emergency. My mother, worried about her father, but also worrying about keeping me […]
The Allure of Petrus: Rich, Rare and Easy to Resell
Petrus is the epitome of extravagance in Bordeaux. Single bottles can cost more $5,000, with the wine consistently selling for more than $1,000, even in comparatively humble vintages. Endeavoring to explain why Petrus is more sought after or more expensive than another wine, or why a particular vintage is so noteworthy, is a bit like […]
Chinese Artists Fuel Innovation With Collaboration
A recent study on today’s Chinese luxury consumers shows shoppers are choosing premium products over mass products. Tapping into this trend, the past year saw a push by Western luxury brands toward the Chinese consumer through collaboration with contemporary Chinese artists. A movement acknowledged by the Hong Kong-based media company, The Art Gorgeous. With these […]
