CRANSTON, RI.- An astounding collection of Hasbro G.I. Joe action figure dolls from the collection of a former Hasbro employee in Rhode Island, plus a copy of Marvel Comics Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962, the first appearance of Spider-Man, signed by Stan Lee), plus other rare and highly collectible comics, will headline a Fall Toy, Comic & Comic Art Auction slated for Saturday, Oct. 28th, by
Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, starting at 12 o’clock noon Eastern time.
Over 300 lots of pop culture items, curated from collections across the country, will cross the auction block that day. The sale will be held in Bruneau & Co.’s gallery, at 63 Fourth Avenue in Cranston. Internet bidding will be facilitated by Bidlive.Bruneauandco.com, Invaluable.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Bidsquare.com. Phone and absentee (left) bids will also be accepted.
A strong candidate for top lot of the auction promises to be the copy of Marvel Comics Amazing Fantasy issue #15 (Aug.1962), signed by legendary comic illustrator Stan Lee and witnessed on Nov. 12, 2016. (est. $8,000-$12,000). The book, graded CBCS 2.5, featured the first appearance and the origin of Spider-Man, along with Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Flash Thompson and Liz Allen.
Other expected top performers include a fine example of a Hasbro G.I. Joe Action Soldier West Point Cadet equipment set from 1968, the second release with a solid photo box, factory sealed (est. $800-$1,200); and a circa-1967 Hasbro Action Joe State Trooper uniform, factory sealed in its original Hasbro bag, marked “Made in Hong Kong”, offered only thru Sears (est. $400-$600).
Other G.I. Joe items expected to do well include an individually carded 1964 Action Pilot dress uniform, a factory-sealed Race Car Driver uniform; and a circa 1967 Hasbro Action Marine 7727 Rifle-Rack equipment set, in excellent condition and factory-sealed, with G.I. Joe helmet form sticker, as well as an Action Marine mess kit (est. $600-$900).
“Whether you collect comics, G.I. Joe or Star Wars, there is a rarity offered in every category that’s sure to drive collectors crazy in this auction,” said Travis Landry, Bruneau & Co. specialist and auctioneer. Kevin Bruneau, the company president, added, “It’ll be a great sale, filled with memories that bring a guy like myself right back to his childhood. Surely fun will be had by all.”
The auction will open with over 50 lots of vintage toys, including Hasbro G.I. Joe, Mattel He-Man Masters of the Universe, Bandai Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Kenner Star Wars.
Featured lots will include a French 1978 Meccano Star Wars 20 Back Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi figure, AFA 85 (est. $1,000-$2,000), an Argentinian 1983 Top Toys Star Wars Return of the Jedi Stormtrooper (AFA 80) and a 1984 factory-sealed He-Man Masters of the Universe Leech action figure made in Mexico and the U.S. (est. $200-$300), the red crossbow variant, graded C8-C8.5.
Within the vintage toy section will be a collection of unused and AFA-graded Mighty Morphin Power Rangers collectibles, highlighted by a 1992 Bandai Megazord and Dragonzord gift set, made in Japan and in unused dead stock condition, entirely factory sealed (est. ($800-$1,200); and the collection of ‘60s-era Hasbro G.I. Joes from the Rhode Island former Hasbro employee.
The second portion of the catalog will feature more than 240 lots of Silver, Bronze, Copper and Modern age D.C. and Marvel comics, to include titles from Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Aquaman, Batman, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Journey Into Mystery, Justice League, Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, X-Force, X-Factor, New Mutants and other rare titles.
Individual comics will feature a copy of Marvel Comics X-Men issue #1 (Sept. 1963), with the first appearance of Magneto and the X-Men, and the X-Men’s origin, signed by Stan Lee with a witness, graded CBCS 5.0 (est. $2,000-$3,000); and a copy of Marvel Comics Avengers issue #1 (Sept. 1963), with the first appearance of the Avengers, graded CBCS 5.0 (est. $2,000-$3,000).
Other comics will include copies of Incredible Hulk issue #181 (CBCS 7.0), Fantastic Four issue #52 (CBCS 6.5), and Amazing Spider-Man issue #14 (CBCS 3.5). Comic art will include works by great illustrators such as Frank Miller, Neal Adams, Craig Rousseau, Norman Lee and others. Frank Miller’s black variant sketch of Batman in bust, with cowl and cape, drawn on a signed copy D.C. Comics Dark Knight III: The Master Race issue #1, should make $700-$1,000.
Previews will be held on Thursday, Oct. 26th, from 9-5; Friday, Oct. 27th, from noon to 9 pm; and Saturday, Oct. 28th, the date of auction, from 8 am until the start of sale at 12 noon Eastern sharp.
