Rare Original ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Art To Be Auctioned

If you've been wondering what to do with that massive inheritance some distant relative left you in their will, or pondering whether we were finally in the kind of financial reality that could support rash overspending that could leave you in incredible amounts of debt, here's something that may help you in your decision making: The original art from a 1986 Calvin and Hobbes Sunday page is going up for auction.The page is being put up for auction by cartoonist Brian Basset, who was given the strip by Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson himself twenty-six years ago. He told the Daily Cartoonist blog that "parting with the Watterson original was not an easy decision," but that he'd felt it was the right one in light of financial difficulties he found himself in. "I am so thankful of Bill Watterson's generosity and the opportunity his talent has given me more than a quarter of a century later," he added. "It is now time for someone else to enjoy owning this piece of Americana."

There aren't many original Calvin and Hobbes strips out there, making this 13" x 9" original extremely rare. Watterson's work tends to raise high prices in auction - his oil painting contribution to the auction benefiting Cul de Sac creator Richard Thompson went for $13,000 earlier this year, with a watercolor calendar piece selling for an astounding $107,550 in February. In other words, don't expect this to go for a steal when the auction opens in November. On the other hand, a buyer could think of it as an investment... that just happens to be a beautiful part of comic strip history.

[Via TDC]