Welcome back to this week’s Oddball Heritage Items! Each week, we look at the unique items in Heritage’s weekly comic event auctions — after all, there is a treasure or two to be found in these auctions! In the past, we’ve looked at a wide range of fun and unique items such as napkins, toy lots, spinner racks, and more. There’s always something new and unusual in these weekly auctions, so let’s see what we can find this week!
Betty Page Related Group of 4
American pinup model Betty Page rose to fame in the 1950s and quickly became "The Queen of Pinup". Her signature look and style have influenced millions, and even influenced comic artist Dave Stevens! Unfortunately, during the resurgence of her popularity in the late 1980s, Page was unaware of her status and would spend years trying to recoup any royalties. After her passing in 2008, her estate would go on to be on the Forbes list of top-earning dead celebrities list in 2011.
Her image is still used to this day, and up for auction is a set of four books; Betty Page Confidential, two copies of Betty Pages #6, and Betty Pages Annual #2. Heritage notes the grades of these as being in overall Near Mint- condition. Betty Page Confidential and Betty Pages Annual #2 typically sell for under $20 on most auctions, while the Annual averages around $28.
Assorted Calendar Group of 7
Timekeeping has been around for millions of years. Whether you follow the moon or the sun, living creatures have been tracking time for various reasons. The modern calendar that Americans (and many other places) use today is based on the Earth's rotation around the sun. The Connecticut State Library has a great overview of the history behind the modern calendar, and is worth a read if you're so inclined!
There are also people who collect calendars. Vintage advertising or cartoon calendars can be worth a few hundred dollars and are just plain fun to look at. In October 2022, two Grapette Soda calendars -- one for 1945 and 1946 -- sold for $282 and $240 respectively. Calendars based on comic book characters can be slightly cheaper. In September 2022, a 1976 "The Mighty Marvel Bicentennial Calendar" sold for $29. Other examples sold for even lower. But these calendars can feature artwork not seen in a comic and are just plain fun.
This lot contains 7 various calendars from Marvel, Tarzan, and more. Heritage notes this lot as being in overall Fine condition.
Superman-Related Memorabilia lot of 12
Since Action Comics #1 changed the face of modern comics, Superman has been a merchandising machine. He can be found on puzzles, watches, clothing, and of course various books! In this lot, Heritage is offering 12 unique Superman items, including a book and record set, a pop-up book, five coloring books, an album, and a chalkboard -- which is hard to find! Prices on these will vary, but each item is usually found on eBay for under $100. This would be a really cool lot for a Superman fan, or anyone who likes unique memorabilia!
Are you bidding on anything neat in this auction? Tell us about it in the comments below!
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.