Silent Bob Delivers
Small Auction House, Big Collection
Bodnar's Auction Sales in New Jersey is auctioning some of Kevin Smith's private art collection on September 27. Kevin will be joining the online and live auction describing some of the pieces that are up for auction. There will be a total of 172 lots for sale where bidding started at $10. Winning bidders will be offered a certificate of authenticity signed by Kevin Smith himself. This is a chance for fans to dive into his private vault and obtain pieces of history that rarely come up for auction.
Kevin Smith, Comic Book Historian
Preaching to the Choir
You may assume that most of the pieces up for auction would in some way tie into Kevin's movie or comic book legacy. There are some pieces that have ties to his work, but most do not. There is a large quantity of Preacher pages with many signed by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon.
What is special about this auction is that there are several lots that consist of pages from the same issues. Lots like this rarely come to auction because most were purchased by different individuals. Kevin is a true collector who purchased many of these pages to keep them in one great collection, and now everyone has a chance to own these unique pieces of history. Maybe one collector will have the opportunity to win several of these pages to once again keep them grouped together.
The Dark Knight Cometh
Kevin Smith also has included some great Batman original art pages. Most of these pages are signed by artist Matt Wagner. Matt and Kevin have a history of collaboration so it is not strange that he has some of these better pieces in his collection. Art like this should appeal to both Matt Wagner and Batman fans.
Original comic art fans actively seek out Batman original art pages from noted artists, so pages like this should draw a great deal of interest from most auction attendees. Pages from Detective Comics, Batman Chronicles, Batman Grendel II Devil's Bones, and Legends of the Dark Knight are also available for bidding.
Marvel is Present
Kevin preserved many more unique pieces in his collection. The original cover art for Daredevil #8 from the Marvel Knights series is one such piece. This cover was double-signed by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti. The cover was professionally framed and matted to provide for optimum protection that allows it to be shown to friends and family. T
he auction house places an estimate for this piece at $3,000-$6,000. Bidders will be expected to pay a buyer's premium of 18%. Bidders should read the full terms of the auction for bidding and should not rely upon the information provided. The reason is the terms posted on the auction site are official and current. The opportunity to own this iconic cover should make most of these terms acceptable to most buyers.
Blue Ocean for Original Comic Book Art
Museum-Quality Works
Fans of Kevin Smith's comic book work will also not be disappointed. There are a few Green Arrow original covers that appear in this auction. These covers are classified as colored mixed media pieces of art that are again professionally framed and matted.
Notable covers like these usually appear at larger auction houses, where bidding wars for these items cause high prices. Many common bidders are priced out as a result.
A Different Type of Collectible
You should realize that most of these works are one of a kind. That means that establishing an FMV is very difficult. Original art prices can be impacted by the subject matter, artist, and nature of the piece. In general, covers are the most valuable type of original art that buyers seek out. Title pages and splash pages are also very sought out because of the scope of the art. These images are viewed like mini posters.
The next most valuable and desired pages are the interior pages with main characters. The least valuable are interior pages with background subjects or scenery. Even these pages, though, could be very valuable if the right artist or subject matter is portrayed on the page.
Unique Opportunity
Kevin Smith's collection is one of the more desirable groups of original art that has come to the auction in recent years. The variety of subject matter of these premium pieces should make this a very exciting auction. Buyers may overpay to be a part of this auction, but one-of-a-kind original art pages only come to auction so often. Most stay in the possession of collectors.
Nice Guys Do Not Finish Last
I had the opportunity to observe Kevin Smith's interaction with fans at Astronomicon in Michigan this past year. He came to a second event after extreme weather prevented him from making the first con. He made every fan feel like they were the most special person in the room. He shared all their passions for the hobby they loved. His movies are an extension of his connection to the fans.
This auction is a chance to share his passion for these prized pieces of art. If interested please follow the registration requirements provided on the auction's site page. Good luck to all bidders!
Let us know in the comment section if anyone participates and wins a lot!
