ORIGINAL ART: 2 Thunderbirds and 6 Garths!

Malcolm Philips' February/March auction at both his Compalcomics and (with better images) at  TheSaleroom  are now live and include three lots but several pieces of Bellamy artwork.

THUNDERBIRDS: TV Century 21 #162 (Page 2) + #163 (Page 1)

Thunderbirds from TV21 #162 and 163

How interesting to see these side-by-side, the last page of one issue and the first of the next. They come from the well-remembered story "Brains is dead!" in which the Hood uses Brains to get at International Rescue - shocking to this 10 year old at the time! They appear to have faded a little but what caught my eye was the employee's markings on the bottom. Bellamy always marked his work - presumably for his records as well as for the art editor at TV21. Where he wrote "TV21 No. 162 Part 1" he is referring to the story episode and the page as which of the two he intends to be published first. Someone has scribbled over "Page 2" and put which page it would be printed on in that issue. Bellamy changes the notation on the second offering here. 

The auction pieces are described as:

Thunderbirds: Two consecutive original artworks (1968) drawn, painted and signed (on the first board) by Frank Bellamy for TV 21 Nos 162 and 163
Brains and Scott touch down in New York in Thunderbirds 1 where Brains is kidnapped and booby-trapped in Hiram Blake's office. Scott, in hot pursuit, breaks down the door and Brains is tragically killed in the explosion. Grief stricken, the men of International Rescue bury the brilliant little scientist in outer space....
Bright Pelikan inks on boards. 18 x 14 ins each (2)
£3,000-£3,500

They are indeed consecutive but are page two of issue # 162 and page one of issue #163 (the latter would have had a masthead pasted over - see below. I have added the two scanned pages from the comic - but the colours are somewhat darker than Bellamy drew them so direct comparisons are hard as to how much colour difference there is.

Thunderbirds from TV21 #162, page 2

Thunderbirds from TV21 #163, page1

Now we have two lots of Garth strips from two different stories

GARTH: Mask of Atacama - 3 episodes

Garth episodes G169, G194, G200

Compal describe these as:

Garth: The Mask of Atacama: 3 original artworks (1973) drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy from the Daily Mirror 18th July, 16th/23rd August 1973
Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins (x3)
£700-900

I suspect these will sell for quite a price.

and the second batch are:

GARTH: The Beast of Ultor - 3 episodes

Garth episodes H59, H96, H98

All three episodes come from "The Beast of Ultor" story which ran from February to June 1974

Garth: The Beast of Ultor: 3 original artworks (1974) drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy from the Daily Mirror 11 March, 14th/26th April 1974
Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins (x3)
£700-900

All the Garths above are great examples of Bellamy's work in composition and use of space as well as demonstrating his techniques in shading.

AUCTION SUMMARY
All prices will be added 
when auctions end
 - and to the spreadsheet

THUNDERBIRDS TV21 #162-163
WHERE?: Compal/Saleroom
STARTING BID: £2,700
ENDING PRICE: £3550
END DATE: Sunday 1 March 2020

GARTH: Mask of Atacama 3 episodes
WHERE?: Compal/Saleroom
STARTING BID: £640
ENDING PRICE: £1,660
END DATE: Sunday 1 March 2020


GARTH: The Beast of Ultor 3 episodes
WHERE?: Compal/Saleroom
STARTING BID: £640
ENDING PRICE: £900
END DATE: Sunday 1 March 2020