Ein a Belgian collection was awarded the contract and secured one of the most expensive originals by comic artist Hergé ever auctioned: he paid 2.16 million euros, including the premium, at Artcurial in Paris for the drawing of the title page of “Tim and Struppi in Amerika “. This is a record for a black-and-white Hergés sheet. Nevertheless, the 52.3 by 36 centimeter drawing falls short of the extremely high expectations of 2.2 to 3.2 million euros.
The paper shows the young Belgian reporter Tim in an awkward position: tied to a torture stake next to an Indian chief swinging a hatchet. Tintin in America, the third volume in the comic series, was first published in 1932. Strictly speaking, the auctioned drawing is not the original cover, but Hergé’s 1942 redesign, which served as the basis for the 1946 world-famous version of the title cover. In the meantime, it has been criticized for its depiction of Native Americans, which was typical of the time: the volume was banned from some bookstores in Canada a few years ago.
Hergé’s drawings, especially outstanding pieces, remain coveted by collectors: In January 2021, Hergé’s elaborate color design from 1926 for the title of “The Blue Lotus” changed hands for 3.2 million euros, also at the Artcurial auction house.
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