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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.

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