Auction Buzz: Iconic Frank Frazetta Conan painting will become some kind of monster headlining December Heritage sale

Auction Buzz is a regularly appearing look at some of the variety found out there on the block ... check 'em out.

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NEW RECORD COMING IN DECEMBER?
The Item: Frank Frazetta, "Conan The Berserker" original art used on Conan The Conqueror (Lancer/Ace, 1967)
The Price: $10,000,000 opening bid (ends Dec. 10)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This classic couldn't wait to appear here next month when it hits the block via Dallas-based Heritage Auctions -- that starting price shows that it's a big deal right now and that this one will likely end up being as big as it gets when it's sold.

First, a nugget about that opening price for those who might not know ... earlier this year, a Frazetta painting of Conan sold via Heritage for a record $13.5 million -- that one was for the cover of the first Lancer/Ace paperback book in a 12-part series -- and this comes from a later book with a visual that helped inspire the modern-day take on the iconic character beyond just paintings. "This intricately detailed and action-packed image stands as the best of the series for many collectors, and the painting is indisputably one of the small handful of Frazetta's most desirable from the upper echelon of his greatest hits," reads the Heritage listing. "Combining Frazetta's very best elements of fantasy iconography and classic artistry, Conan has never appeared more powerfully heroic -- even super heroic -- than in this unforgettable scene. ... The bold composition is one of the artist's most iconic, immediately recognizable, and memorable. Conan absolutely dominates the detailed battlefield, and Frazetta masterfully employs red highlights that swirl throughout, culminating in his bloody sword, victoriously raised, seemingly slicing through the entire atmospheric sky and serving as the dramatic punctuation of the composition.

This 15-by-19 painting also was later used for the cover art on metal band Molly Hatchet’s third studio album (Epic Records, 1980) to further its legacy, which also includes countless appearances on Frazetta prints, posters, shirts and even guitars ... but that's just one part of its history. It's presently owned by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, who is a serious collector of horror and fantasy artwork and posters and he bought this piece directly from the legendary artist for $1 million back in November 2009. It's appeared in a book about his collection and been displayed along with other pieces he owns in museum exhibits.

"When Hammett acquired it, Frazetta had sold virtually none of his major paintings, and Hammett had his pick of treasures -- choosing Berserker above them all," reads the Heritage listing. "To put that staggering price in perspective, soon after the artist's passing in 2010, Frazetta's original pen-and-ink comic book cover for Weird Science-Fantasy No. 29 -- widely considered to be the greatest comic book cover of all time -- sold for just $380,000, which itself was far more than any comic art had sold for previously. That's all to make clear what a premium both Frazetta and Hammett placed on this showpiece."

Check out this video to hear Hammett describe it all.

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs -- this isn't even the only item with a million-dollar opener coming in December.

AN IMPOSSIBLE PIECE ... THAT'S REALITY
The Item: "The Wizard of Oz" book (1903 printing) signed twice by Judy Garland with lengthy inscription and major cast members -- including Toto's paw prints (PSA/DNA and BAS authenticated)
The Price: $250,000 opening bid (ends Dec. 10)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Signed for the daughter of Garland's tutor at MGM, according to Heritage, this hardcover includes a lengthy inscription from Garland about Dorothy as well as a rundown of the cast with their ink (click the images above for closer looks at each) as well as Toto and other ink on other pages you can see at the link above.

Among the signers? Clara Blandick, Frank Morgan, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger, Charlie Grapewin and Margaret Hamilton. It even includes a message from Bobbie Koshay, Judy Garland's body double, inscribed, "Hello Diane: I am that other girl your mummy told you about. I am 'Judy's Copy' and I sure have lots of fun trying to. Hope you enjoy the book."

Garland wrote "For Diane - from what I hear, you must be a very sweet little girl. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Playing the part of Dorothy was such fun, and so realistic, that I feel as if I'm not Judy at all, but Dorothy Gale from Kansas. I'm looking forward to meeting you, and hope it will be soon. Always your friend, Judy Garland 'Dorothy.'"

Heritage puts it simply: "This is the single most important Wizard of Oz cast-signed book in the world."

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THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE
The Item: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (TCF, 1977), half sheet key poster artwork by Tom Jung
The Price: $1,000,000 opening bid (ends Dec. 10)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The start of a franchise ... simple as that. 

"Heritage Auctions is proud to present, directly from the family of Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz, Tom Jung's original painting for the Star Wars half sheet poster. This remarkable artwork has never been publicly offered and holds a position as one of the most significant Star Wars pieces ever to come to auction," reads the Heritage listing. "In addition to its usage on the half sheet, this art was also featured on the front cover of the film's original theatrical program, the 24-sheet billboard, and in numerous magazine and newspaper advertisements throughout May and June 1977. Serving as the key art for the film's theatrical release on May 25, 1977, this painting remains one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable pieces of imagery in popular culture."

And beyond being a heavily used piece, this one predates the famous vertical poster most commonly seen for the film. "According to several accounts, including statements from the artist himself, this horizontal composition actually predates the one-sheet design," reads the Heritage listing. "The now-iconic triangular arrangement of Luke and Leia, with Luke's lightsaber raised triumphantly, originated here. So powerful was this image that 20th Century Fox's marketing team asked Jung to adapt the concept for the primary theatrical poster. What's offered here, then, is not merely a promotional painting, but the origin point of one of the most enduring visual motifs in cinema history, a Rosetta Stone for every Star Wars poster and illustration that followed." See more about this one here.

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A PIECE OF THE PREDATOR
The Item: Predator 2 (TCF, 1990), Kevin Peter Hall "City Hunter Predator" action head appliance and armor ensemble
The Price: $12,000 opening bid (ends Dec. 10)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This six-piece lot includes Hall's bio-helmet (foam painted silver), the Predator skin mask for under the helmet with all of the black foam latex dreadlocks and the armor you see, too. It's all mounted on a fiberglass display on a wooden base making it an ultimate display piece for those who ain't got time to bleed. It's not even the only Hall piece in the auction ... remember Harry and the Hendersons? Harry's in there, too.

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See even more unbelievable items in the December Hollywood/Entertainment Signature Auction here

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