Sailing The Spanish Main – AP 13/20!

Description

Sailing The Spanish Main was the first Carl Barks lithograph released featuring a Disney image. It was published by Another Rainbow in 1982. They started out gently with a very low print run of only 245 copies + 20 artist’s proofs. The lithographs sold out immediately, and the demand continued to rise. By the mid-1990s, Another Rainbow gladly bought back the lithos for prices of up to $5,000 for the standard editions. In 2000, the official value was set at $10,000 for a regular edition of this lithograph. It is said that # 1/245 was sold to a private collector for the staggering amount of $20,000. The lithograph offered here is arguably even more special, as it is an artist’s proof (AP 13/20) and it is one of only a few of such proofs that have ever been offered for public sale. To top it all off, this particular litho has hung in Barks’ own home and thus been part of his personal collection (photos documenting this top provenance will be included with the lithograph). Although this lithograph technically does not feature a frame licensed by Disney, it was uniquely framed according to Carl Barks’ personal instructions with triple matting (gray, red and gold), which perfectly matches the colours of the lithograph. It can be argued that this is the very lithograph that started the trend of coloured aluminium frames and mats for all the subsequent lithographic releases. These days, the regular editions of Sailing The Spanish Main are few and far between, and artist’s proofs are virtually impossible to find. When adding the best possible provenance and history to the above facts, you end up with something very unique. This lithograph is in excellent condition and is of course signed and numbered by Barks. It includes a CoA and Barks has moreover placed a small post-it note on the back of the litho with the wording: “Property of heirs”. Size framed: 71 x 63 cm. This is a unique and exclusive item with the best possible provenance. Furthermore, you can spot this lithograph hanging in Barks’ study in the following video at the 34:57 mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcxoNFP7c6I