Treasures of Illustration Art to be Auctioned by Heritage!

Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries will offer a fabulous assortment of original illustration art in their upcoming auction to be held in Dallas on June 14, 2007. Paintings and drawings by such modern masters as Norman Rockwell, Dr. Seuss, Gil Elvgren and others will be included.

"There are so many nineteenth- and twentieth-century masterworks in this auction, it's hard to know where to begin," said Ed Jaster, Vice President for Heritage. "Certainly, no illustrator has been more beloved than America's own Norman Rockwell, whose covers for the Saturday Evening Post have become defining images of our nation's small town heritage. We're proud to present a wonderful work by this great artist, a cover study for the August 12, 1944 Post entitled Little Girl Observing Lovers on a Train. This finely rendered charcoal drawing perfectly captures a scene that would have been all too familiar to families during the Second World War; a serviceman on leave stealing a brief moment with a loved one, never knowing whether or not it will be their last. Rockwell's genius was in preserving moments just such as this, moments that were familiar to everyone who saw them, creating a magical record of a time gone by for future generations."

"Speaking of The Saturday Evening Post," Jaster continued, "we're also proud to offer renowned artist John LaGatta's first cover for this esteemed magazine. The glamorous portrait of a woman at her mirror graced the cover of the November 30, 1929 issue, and perfectly captures the essence of American life at the very beginning of the Great Depression."

"Several paintings from pin-up artist Gil Elvgren grace this auction," said Jaster. "Elvgren had a way of presenting the female form in a way that was, at once, both innocent and provocative, a talent that is wonderfully displayed in Sitting Pretty, a beautiful portrait of a lovely cowgirl enjoying a ride on a barrel horse."

"The name Dr. Seuss - the pen name of Theodor Geisel - is known far and wide for such classic works of children's literature as The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Jaster continued. "Many people, however, are unaware that Seuss had an earlier career as an editorial cartoonist in a periodical called PM. Offered in this auction, from 1942, is a hard-hitting illustration of Adolf Hitler as "The Tiller of the Soil." Hitler was the focus of virtually all of Seuss's WWII cartoons, of which this is a prime example."

"Also from the pen of the prolific Dr. Seuss," Jaster continued, "is a wonderful, whimsical illustration of...well, we're not quite sure just what it is, but it's a beautiful color illustration of the kind of creature for which Dr. Seuss was justly famous. There's also a lovely illustration of Sybil Godiva from The Seven Lady Godivas, an early book by Seuss, published in 1939. As the caption tells us, Sybil was the first to look a gift horse in the mouth. Authentic, original Dr. Seuss illustrations are exceptionally scarce, and are rarely offered to the collecting public. We're thrilled to present these three outstanding examples."

"There's so much more in this auction," Jaster said, "from such world-renowned artists as James Montgomery Flagg, Virgil Finlay, Charles Addams, Al Hirschfeld, Charles Dana Gibson, Kay Nielsen, Howard Pyle, Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan, Rowena Morrill and Frank R. Paul, to name just a few. I'd invite anyone interested in this fascinating artform to visit www.HA.com, where they can view enlargeable, full-color images of each lot, read our complete and informative catalog descriptions, and even place their bids online from the comfort and convenience of their home or office."

Little Girl Observing Lovers on a Train, Saturday Evening Post cover study, 1944
NORMAN ROCKWELL (American 1894 - 1978)
Charcoal drawing on paper
33 x 28in.
Signed lower left
ESTIMATE: $120,000 - $180,000

Saturday Evening Post cover, November 30, 1929
JOHN LAGATTA (American 1894 - 1976)
Oil on canvas
41 x 33in.
Signed lower right
ESTIMATE: $4,000 - $6,000

Sitting Pretty (Lola), 1955
GIL ELVGREN (American 1914 - 1980)
Oil on canvas
31 x 24-1/2in.
Signed lower left
ESTIMATE: $30,000 - $40,000

The Tiller of the Soil, 1942
THEODOR SEUSS (DR. SEUSS) GEISEL (American 1904 - 1991) Ink on paper
20 x 19in.
Signed lower right
Original newspaper editorial cartoon illustration for PM, August 3, 1942
ESTIMATE: $12,000 - $18,000

Sybil Godiva, 1939
THEODOR SEUSS (DR. SEUSS) GEISEL (American 1904 - 1991)
Gouache on paper
12-1/4 x 15in.
Signed lower right
The Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History's Barest Family by Dr. Seuss, Random House, 1939, original book illustration
Caption:Sybil Godiva. She was the first to look a gift horse in the mouth
ESTIMATE: $15,000 - $18,000

Untitled
THEODOR SEUSS (DR. SEUSS) GEISEL (American 1904 - 1991)
Mixed-media on paper
10 x 12in.
Signed lower right
ESTIMATE: $2,000 - $3,000

Untitled, undated
KAY NIELSEN (American 1886 - 1957)
Mixed-media on paper
15 x 12-1/2in.
Not signed
ESTIMATE: $10,000 - $15,000

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of illustration art are invited to visit www.HA.com/Sell. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HA.com or call (800) 872-6467 extension 288.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.