How much original cover art survives from the Golden Age?

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I see the occasional obscure cover art for sale on auction sites, but I don't think I have seen any from some of the major classic covers. Do they exist?

It depends. In the vast majority of cases the art doesn't exist but there are publishers who saved their art so it is possible, for example, to find quite a few EC or Harvey covers from the 1950s.

It depends. In the vast majority of cases the art doesn't exist but there are publishers who saved their art so it is possible, for example, to find quite a few EC or Harvey covers from the 1950s.

As I recall, there are some extremely rare early GA classic covers in Jon Berk's collection (several Lou Fine HITS from Quality and Schomburg war covers from Harvey if I'm not mistaken). But you're right, a lot of classic GA cover art has gone missing, probably disposed of without much thought by publishers of that era.

It depends. In the vast majority of cases the art doesn't exist but there are publishers who saved their art so it is possible, for example, to find quite a few EC or Harvey covers from the 1950s.

 

As I recall, there are some extremely rare early GA classic covers in Jon Berk's collection (several Lou Fine HITS from Quality and Schomburg war covers from Harvey if I'm not mistaken). But you're right, a lot of classic GA cover art has gone missing, probably disposed of without much thought by publishers of that era.

My guess is that there is probably more than we think, but it is squirrelled away in the Heavy Hitter private collections. I think it will undoubtedly reach the markets one day but price wise it will be completely unattainable unless you are millionaire status.

It's great art of important historical significance and that's never really available to the common man or woman in a financial sense. Some of the really great comic art will reach Van Gogh proportions in the future IMO...if it still exists.

Jerry Robinson kept some of his and Fred Ray's covers and were auctioned off a few years ago. Then there's the Action 15 cover.

It depends. In the vast majority of cases the art doesn't exist but there are publishers who saved their art so it is possible, for example, to find quite a few EC or Harvey covers from the 1950s.

 

As I recall, there are some extremely rare early GA classic covers in Jon Berk's collection (several Lou Fine HITS from Quality and Schomburg war covers from Harvey if I'm not mistaken). But you're right, a lot of classic GA cover art has gone missing, probably disposed of without much thought by publishers of that era.

 

My guess is that there is probably more than we think, but it is squirrelled away in the Heavy Hitter private collections. I think it will undoubtedly reach the markets one day but price wise it will be completely unattainable unless you are millionaire status.

It's great art of important historical significance and that's never really available to the common man or woman in a financial sense. Some of the really great comic art will reach Van Gogh proportions in the future IMO...if it still exists.

I'm on the other side of the fence and generally believe that very little exists and as someone said above, varies by publisher with EC and Harvey being by far the best represented

Jerry Robinson kept some of his and Fred Ray's covers and were auctioned off a few years ago. Then there's the Action 15 cover.

Metro have the OA to Tec 28 and Tec 30 iirc

TEC 69 out there too I think. Correction it was a "prototype"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1328046/Rarest-Superman-Batman-covers-set-sale-1MILLION.html

As mentioned earlier, luckily a lot of the Harvey covers survived:

Jerry Robinson kept some of his and Fred Ray's covers and were auctioned off a few years ago. Then there's the Action 15 cover.

In my travels while working on "Comics: Between the Panels" in the '90s, I had the good fortune to see the original art for Hit 17, Jungle 1 and Planet 1.

Hit 11 and 6 are also out there. Master 27 & 38 IIRC.

These are in the collection of James Halperin:

In my travels while working on "Comics: Between the Panels" in the '90s, I had the good fortune to see the original art for Hit 17, Jungle 1 and Planet 1.

The Detective 62 cover is out there and of course HA sold the Batman 11 cover about a decade ago.

These are in the collection of James Halperin:

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for posting these, that is exactly what I wanted to see.

The Detective 62 cover is in a private collection and will never be for sale.

I owned the Jungle 1 cover back in the mid 1970s.

There are a couple All-Star covers I've owned, as well as Crandall Blackhawk covers.

There are quite a few GA covers, but many are in private collections now. Who knows if they ever will be sold.

MI

An exhibit at NYC's Jewish Museum many years back featured the original cover to Superman #14.

The Detective 62 cover is in a private collection and will never be for sale.

 

I owned the Jungle 1 cover back in the mid 1970s.

 

There are a couple All-Star covers I've owned, as well as Crandall Blackhawk covers.

 

There are quite a few GA covers, but many are in private collections now. Who knows if they ever will be sold.

 

MI

Very true. The same can be said of rarer pulp cover paintings and recreations of highly desirable GA cover art by the original artists. Some occasionally pop-up, but many end-up in private collections.