Fake Mignola art auction

[chiaroscuros]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=310122290961
or
http://tinyurl.com/d4773a

I have seen this art piece come up for auction multiple times over the last dozen years and have never thought anything odd about it (other than it is very very early Mignola art in his Ploog period).

And in fact it was listed last week before ending without the reserve being met. Now it is suddenly relisted as a FAKE Mignola. The signature might be a tiny bit odd, but otherwise, it looks very solid. I wouldn't have even questioned this piece.....

I was wondering if anyone knows the details on this?

Or can point out something obvious that I am missing about why it is a fake.

Thanks,
Michael

[Kees_L]

Ahhh, so here we're dealing with a designated fake. All clean with hands above the table. That's nice.

Well, I remember an American eBay listing from 3 to 6 months ago, of what I believe was described as a limited print of (I believe) this image. The guy found it in a loft, didn't know much about it but thought to list it for Mignola fans. I believe he also mentioned how it resembles Mignola's stuff for the 'Comic Reader' fanzine (published by Street Enterprises, Mignola contributed between 1980 and late 1982, often remarked as being his first comics work. I believe).

Maybe this person you mention was able to 'easily' spot the fake from comparing it to the print? Or maybe he owns the original. Or knows for certain who does?

Or he made it himself? Or knows for certain who did?

Or he'd be the original artist himself, but incognito, probably wearing an overcoat or dare I say, a curly wig? :tongue:

[chiaroscuros]

I talked with the owner and it is a weird story.

Evidently he bought a collection of comic, sketches and odd art pages from someone about 20 years ago. In the collection were two nearly identical versions of this particular page.

He sold one to a guy in Sweden who supposedly talked to Mignola and confirmed that his version was the real one. Which would make this one the fake. I also asked the same question on the comicartL site (before I got a reply from the seller) and Hart Rieckhof was kind enough to create an image showing a comparison between the two pieces.

My guess is that someone decided to make an exact copy from the original (probably by lightboxing it).

I find the biggest differences to be in the faces (where subtle line differences are the most obvious). And I can see that the real version is much more dynamic than the copy.

Anyway, here is the image.

[Kees_L]

I talked with the owner and it is a weird story.
Wow, like a Da Vinci Code intrigue happening on the 'Bay, right under our very noses, the Mignola Code :cool:.

Still I find it a shame that it disproves my theory of it being mr. Mike himself with a curly wig on... Oh well :rolleyes:.

Anyway, here is the image.
It is where?