Bruneau & Co.'s July 10th Summer Comic, TCG & Toy Auction Features Pop Culture Items From Eric Baker

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Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers’ Summer Comic, TCG and Toy auction on Saturday, July 10th, starting at 10 am Eastern time, is shaping up as the firm’s biggest and best Pop Culture sale to date. In addition to the abovenamed categories, the first 52 lots will be from the collection of Eric Baker, someone who’s very well-known and respected in the community.

Mr. Baker was the creative lead of props and set dressing for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney World and Disneyland. He was also Nickelodeon’s prop master and fabricator. Several of the props in the auction were fabricated by him during his career with Nickelodeon. Other items are objects he collected.

“I’m honored that we get to handle the collection of Eric Baker, not just because of his unbelievable career but for the fact he’s a longtime friend,” said Travis Landry, a Bruneau & Co. auctioneer and the firm’s Director of Pop Culture. “So cool to think we’re bringing his creations to market, especially when you consider Nickelodeon props are so elusive to collectors today.”

The screen-used Frankenstein operation game from Nickelodeon’s popular Double Dare TV show (1991), used in numerous episodes throughout the show’s run, has an estimate of $1,000-$1,500. The prop, 84 inches tall and 32 inches wide, retains the heart, saw, wrench and hammer accessories. Included is an original snapshot of the Frankenstein, taken on-set by Eric Baker.

Two prototype shrunken heads from Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, made circa 2015, will be sold as one lot, with an estimate of $800-$1,200. These were the samples to the production ‘Shrunken Heads’ found in the park’s gift shops. Each has production notes on the bottom, in marker. The heads are approximately 5 ½ inches tall by 4 inches wide.

Also from the Eric Baker collection, The Upside-Down Compass of Henry Hudson, used on-screen in Nickelodeon’s Legends of the Hidden Temple TV game show, an artifact that was a point of focus in the show’s 90th episode in 1995, is expected to change hands for $300-$500. The compass is a little more than 6 inches in diameter and just shy of 2 ½ inches in height.

The second portion of the catalog will include 321 lots of graded CGC and CBCS comic books, in addition to group lots of Golden, Silver, Bronze, and Modern Age comics. The entirety of the recently graded CGC Silver and Bronze age comics came from an original owner New Jersey collection Bruneau & Co. processed this year – truly a great selection of books. The final portion of the catalog includes 166 lots of Pokémon trading cards.

“The comic sales always bring so much color to the gallery,” said Bruneau & Co. president and owner Kevin Bruneau. “The comics in this sale are phenomenal, especially the high-grade Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man, and other Silver Age comics, which all came from the New Jersey collection. It’s great to see them go from carboard liquor boxes to beautiful CGC slabs.”

A strong candidate for top lot of the auction is the copy of Marvel Comics Avengers #1 (Sept. 1963), graded CGC 8.0 and featuring the origin and first appearance of the Avengers, plus appearances by the Fantastic Four, Loki and Teen Brigade. It has an estimate of $18,000-$24,000. Mr. Bruneau called it “the finest copy of Avengers #1 we have handled to date.”

Not far behind is a copy of Marvel Comics Amazing Spider-Man #14 (July 1964), graded CGC 9.0 and having a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-$15,000. The comic book features the very first appearance of the Green Goblin, as well as the first meeting of the Hulk and Spider-Man. Like with Avengers #1, Mr. Bruneau said this is the finest example of ASM #14 he’s ever handled.

Other comic books will include a copy of Marvel Comics X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963), featuring the origin and first appearance of the X-Men and Magneto, graded CGC 3.0 (est. $7,000-$10,000); and a copy of Marvel Comics Avengers #4 (March 1964), featuring the first Silver Age appearance of Captain America, plus Sub-Mariner, graded CGC 8.0 (est. $3,000-$5,000).

On to Pokémon, and the ever-popular world of TCG (Trading Card Games). A Wizards of the Coast Pokémon Gym Challenge 1st edition factory sealed booster box from 2000, a true Holy Grail item for Pokémon / TCG collectors, as well as a 1999 French Pokémon base 1st edition Dracaufeu (Charizard) holographic trading card, graded BGS 9.5 Gem Mint, will both cross the auction block. The final price is anyone’s guess; each has a pre-sale estimate of $20-$10,000.

The auction overall has more than 550 lots. Live, in-house bidding will be reserved for active bidders only. To save a seat, call 401-533-9980. Previews will be held July 8th and 9th, from 9 am-4 pm, by appointment only. State COVID-19 regulations will be strictly enforced for in-house previews. For an appointment, call 401-533-9980 or email to info@bruneauandco.com.

The Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers gallery is located at 63 Fourth Avenue in Cranston, Rhode Island. Internet bidding will be via LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Bidsquare.com, bidLIVE.Bruneauandco.com and the mobile app “Bruneau & Co.” on iTunes or GooglePlay.

To learn more about Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers and the Summer Comic, TCG and Toy auction on Saturday, July 10th, at 10 am Eastern visit www.bruneauandco.com. Updates are posted often.