Monday 31 March 2008

Tintin artwork fetches record price



A child takes a picture of Tintin, Belgian creator Herge's famous character, at the Georges Pompidou centre in Paris in March 2007.()

An original artwork for a Tintin comic book has fetched a record 764,200 euros ($1.3 million) at a Paris auction, organiser Artcurial said.

The 1932 oil painting, executed for the iconic cover of Tintin in America, smashed the previous world record for an original comic book work.

That record was set in March 2007 when a drawing by artist Enki Bilal called Bleu Sang (Blue Blood) fetched 177,000 euros.

Judged a "museum piece" in Artcurial's auction catalogue, the painting by Tintin's Belgian creator Hergé finally sold for 764,200 euros, including expenses.

Total earnings for Saturday's one-off sale of 650 comic originals - each of which had a starting price of 280,000 euros - came to roughly 3.4 million euros, the gallery and auction house said.

- AFP (Agence France-Presse)

First published at ABC News, March 31, 2008