11 Pieces of Original Book Cover Art go to Auction

An upcoming auction in New York on June 5 has an incredible selection of original book cover art -- eleven by my count, an unusually large number to be offered at once, and a few superlative pieces to boot. Highlights include Russell Tandy's watercolor and gouache on board for the beloved Nancy Drew title, The Secret in the Old Attic (1944), several Edward Gorey watercolor illustrations, and some neat pulp cover art, including one by "King of Paperbacks" James Avati.

Russell Tandy's illustration, "The Secret in the Old Attic," for the book of the same name by Carolyn Keene, published as Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #21 (1944). Estimate $15,000-25,000.

Edward Gorey's "Origins of the Medieval World," watercolor and ink illustration study for the cover of the book of the same name by William Carroll Bark (1960). Estimate $2,500-3,000.

Another of Gorey's watercolor and ink illustrations -- "The Masters," for the cover of a book of the same name by C. P. Snow (1951). Estimate $2,500-3,500.

According to Swann, this is the "King of Paperback's First Published Cover:" James Avati's "A Southern White Girl gets the Shock of her Life," an oil on board used for the cover illustration for The Other Room by Worth Tuttle Hedden (1949). Estimate $5,000-7,500.

Ken Barr's gouache on board used as the cover illustration for The Sharpshooter #6: Muzzle Blast by Bruno Rossi (1974). Estimate $500-700.

Norm Eastman's oil on board, "See How they Run," used for the cover of a Pocket Books publication in 1970. Estimate $400-600.

And another from Eastman: "A Nice Girl from Peyton Place," gouache and tempera on board, used as the cover illustration for the book of the same name by Roger Fuller (1970). Estimate $400-600.

Morton Engle's oil on board, "The most dangerous man that ever rode into Tombstone," used as the cover illustration for Powder Burn by Bradford Scott (1957). Estimate $800-1,200.

Darrell Greene's oil and gouache on board, "A Summer Place," used as the cover illustration for the Cardinal Giant edition of the book by Sloan Wilson (1959). Estimate $2,000-3,000.

Edward Gorey's ink sketch for the cover illustration of Stendhal: On Love (1957). Estimate $1,200-1,800.

And one more from Gorey: Pen, ink, and marker cover design with transparency overlays for Ladies of the Gothics: Tales of Romance and Terror By the Gentle Sex... (1975). Estimate $5,000-7,500.

Images courtesy of Swann Galleries