An auction of items related to Tintin creator Hergé and his work is really nothing out of the ordinary. For fifteen years or so now, Moulinsart has been selling off bits and bobs from the Hergé estate with the help of the French auction house Drouot-Richelieu. Still, the event next Sunday, organised by auction house Rops in Namur on the occasion of the Namur Tintin Festival, is being billed as one of the most important ever.
(Tintin (c) Moulinsart)
Amongs the 570 items that are being offered for sale, there are original pages from L’affaire Tournesol and Les Bijoux de la Castafiore, as well as a pencilled page from Vol 714 Pour Sidney, featuring some of Hergé’s famed sketches of facial expressions on the back. There’s also one of the numbered copies of the famous Tintin statue by Nat Neujean, that was created in 1975, and a signed model of the Johnnie Walker wagon from L’Ïle Noire, signed by sculptor Michel Aroutcheff, as well as a host of other rare memorabilia and merchandising.
As is often the case with art in a time of crisis, Hergé art and related memorabilia continue to be very much in demand as investment pieces. Only last year, 750,000 Euro was paid for the original cover to Tintin En Amerique. And with Tintin constantly in the news, thanks to Steven Spielberg, this interest is not expected to wane any time soon.
Those of you who still want to make it to the Festival (which, after Brussels and Lausanne, is the third edition of what is becoming a biannual event), should hurry, as lodgings are limited. The main events include the unveiling of a commemorative bronze plaque, a rally with classic cars that featured in the Hergé books, and an exhibition about the lesser known aspects of the Studio Hergé’s work (including a few original pages from Tintin Au Pays Des Soviets).
More Tintin madness is afoot in Brussels, with a topically decorated Grand Place and more fun. You can have a quick glance at the official site for the City of Brussels, which has a webcam. Almost as if you were there…
Wim Lockefeer lives in Tintinland where he is wondering how much he would fetch if he put himself up for auction as a limited edition piece. You can read more on his Ephemerist blog.
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