Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Charles Addams at the Funeral Home

This original color illustration by Charles Addams of a funeral director will be sold at Heritage Auctions on October 22. It was previously sold there on December 12, 2007 for $6,572.50. Addams is one of my favorite cartoonists and a skilled draftsman, but this particular cartoon is just not my cup of tea.  

CHARLES SAMUEL ADDAMS (American, 1912-1988)
Funeral Home, original cartoon illustration
Ink and watercolor on board
22 x 14 in.
Signed lower right

Described as debonair, Charles Addams's work was as creepy and kooky as his most famous namesake creations, The Addams Family. He drew over 1,300 cartoons in his lifetime for such major publications as The New Yorker, Playboy, and Collier's
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October 16, 2011: Estimate: $5,000 - $7,000. Current bid $2,800 ($3,346 with buyer's premium).

October 22, 2011:  

Sold for:
$9,261.25 (includes BP )

Bid Source: Live: Phone
Auction Ended On:Oct 22, 2011
Item Activity:6 Internet/mail/phone bidders
298 page views

Addams, Charles Samuel:. American cartoonist, 1912-1988
Condition Report*:
Visually in very good condition. Not examined outside of frame. Framed under glass to an overall size of 31 x 24 inches.


January 28, 2012 Update:  As I dutifully reported, this piece sold on October 22, 2011 for $9,261.25, yet it is now listed by Heritage as Not Sold. It has been put up for sale again in the auction of March 1-2 here.   It sounds as if a dispute arose, most likely over the payment.

February 26, 2012 Update:  The estimate is again $5,000 to $7,000 for the March 1 live auction. The bidding starts at $2,500. There are no online bids as of yet.

March 1, 2012:  The auction results are in. Today's sale price is now lower than the 2011 as well as the 2007 price for this piece. In addition, there were two fine Addams Family drawings in the same Heritage sale, and the money went to these.



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