John Carter of Mars is a character in a series of eleven books by Edgar Rice Burroughs who also was the creator of Tarzan. A Princess of Mars (1917) is the first book in the series. A 1970 edition had a celebrated cover illustrated by Frank Frazetta.
At Heritage Auctions, this original book cover art was sold on Tuesday. Nine days prior to the sale, there were as yet no online bids for the iconic work. Given that bidding opened at an imposing $750,000, that fact perhaps isn't so surprising but there was little doubt that serious bidders would eventually make themselves known. The house's estimate was $1.5 million and up.
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| Frank Frazetta Heritage Auctions listing accessed October 25, 2025, nine days before the auction |
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| Frank Frazetta Heritage Auctions item description |
The painting was sold in the November 4 Signature Illustration Art sale. With the buyer's premium included, it still came in under the estimate, but it's a healthy outcome.
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| https://www.comicconnect.com/item/946301?tzf=1 |
November 16, 2025 Update: A news item reports that this work joins the collection of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art scheduled to open in September 2026.
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