School may be wrapping up around the US, but collectibles with good grades got high marks — and prices — from buyers at recent auctions. One of the notable results was the $300,000 Heritage realized for the highest graded first-production copy of The Legend of Zelda that was released by Nintendo in 1987. Landry Pop was quick to get $58,560 and $29,280 for Alpha and Beta versions of Magic The Gathering’s Black Lotus cards while a historic first printing of Superman #1 — which had provenance to legendary comics collector Ian Levine — realized the super price of $50,000 at PBA Galleries. For other non-graded highlights, read on…

Superman Flies To Success At PBA Galleries

BERKELEY, CALIF. — A “historic” first printing of Superman #1 flew to new heights at PBA Galleries’ 500-lot DC Universe: Gold, Silver and Bronze auction conducted on May 22. This example of Superman #1, which was published in the summer of 1939, was graded “Very Good/Fine” (5.0) by the Certified Guaranty Company, along with a Moderate (B-3) restoration grading. It featured cover and back cover pin-up art by Joe Shuster and a story by Jerry Siegel. With provenance to Ian Levine — who owned the only complete DC Comics collection in the world — the comic flew to $50,000. For information, 415-989-2665 or www.pbagalleries.com.

Victorian Pendant Is Bidder’s Best Friend At Kodner

DANIA BEACH, FLA. — On May 28, Kodner Galleries conducted its Estate Jewelry, Chinese Arts & Decoration sale, which offered just over 300 lots. One of the stand-out pieces of the day was a vintage Victorian 18K white gold and diamond pendant or brooch, which came on a 16-inch 14K white gold chain. Dangling at $3,267, the pendant was set in the center with an approximately 0.5-carat round brilliant cut diamond and was stamped “750.” For information, 954-925-2550 or www.kodner.com.

Turkish Painting Hangs Highest At John McInnis

NEWTON, MASS. — On May 29, John McInnis Auctioneers offered 359 lots of antique and Midcentury Modern furniture, fine art, early engravings, sterling silver, porcelain, books, pewter, decorative accessories and more at its Newton, Mass., Virtual Online Estate Auction. An oil on Masonite by Turkish Midcentury artist and poet Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu (1911-1975) — husband of artist Eren Eyuboglu — led the day, changing hands for $15,694 after 30 bids back and forth. Titled “Peasant People,” the work was signed lower right and measured 33 by 44¾ inches framed. For information, 978-388-0400 or www.mcinnisauctions.com.

Black Lotus Was Gold For Landry

LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. — On May 20, Travis Landry offered nearly 175 lots in Landry Pop Auction’s Magic: The Gathering & Sports trading card auction, which was 100 percent sold. Two CGC graded Black Lotus cards – an Alpha Lotus graded 7 ($40/60,000) (pictured) and a Beta Lotus ($20/30,000) graded 8.5 — earned the top two results in the sale: $58,560 and $29,280, respectively. The cards came from two different sellers and were purchased by different buyers, bidding on the Landry Pop website. For information, 508-470-0330 or www.landrypop.com.

Highest-Graded Zelda Game Scores $300K

DALLAS — The highest-graded first-production 1987 NES Nintendo copy of The Legend of Zelda — graded 9.4 / A+ by CGC —ever offered publicly sold for $300,000 to lead Heritage’s May 23-24 Video Games Signature Auction. This landmark NES game is from The Waterford Collection, a newly-named collection certified by CGC. First-print copies are identified by the “TM” symbol next to the “Nintendo Entertainment System” text on the front of the box. Nintendo revised the box three more times between its August 1987 launch and early 1988, which underscored how brief the production window was for each version. This variant is the exact one that hit store shelves August 22, 1987, when American audiences first encountered Link, Zelda and the Kingdom of Hyrule. For information, 214-528-3500 or www.ha.com.

Amero Bidders Heated For Snow Scene

SARASOTA, FLA. — The top lot in Amero Auctions’ 404-lot Auctions Through the Ages sale on June 1 was Oscar Berninghaus’ (American/Taos, 1874-1952) “Indians on Horseback,” which rode to $114,000 from a $70/90,000 estimate. Painted in oil on canvas, the 16¼-by-20¼-inch landscape had previously been acquired at auction in 2005, for $162,000. A representative for Amero said it was headed “back West.” For information, 941-330-1577 or www.ameroauctions.com.

Sunflower Andirons Blossom At Copake

COPAKE, N.Y. — Realizing $12,600 against an estimate of $150/250 would make any auctioneer’s day, as it did with a pair of sunflower andrions in Copake Auction’s May 31 Estate Auction. Standing 37 inches tall and 24 inches deep, the pair achieved the highest-realized price in the 886-lot auction. For information, 518-641-1935 or www.copakeauction.com.

NH Auction Sends Old Master Back To Italy

GOFFSTOWN, N.H. — The Post Memorial Day Auction, hosted on May 30 by NH Auctions & Appraisals, offered more than 200 lots but all eyes were on a Seventeenth Century painting of St. Cecilia attributed to Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639), which led the sale with a $26,840 result. The painting, had been in the collection of an Hungarian Museum until the 1950s, was purchased by an Hungarian family and sold to a New Hampshire collector in 2013. The 29 by 38-inch painting was examined by – and received – a stamp of approval from Keith Christiansen, formerly of the Metropolitan Museum. A representative revealed the buyer was in Florence, Italy. For information, 603-731-9876 or www.nhauctionsandappraisals.com.

Tiffany Chandelier Ornaments Hang Up For George Cole

RED HOOK, N.Y. — Led by an unassuming box of 40 Favrile glass balls, George Cole Auctions’ May 31 sale comprised more than 450 lots of Hudson Valley antiques and estate items. Of course, if you were in the know, those balls were originally used on Moorish chandeliers made by Tiffany Studios. Each of the balls was 2 inches in diameter and the lot held an estimate of $600/800. When the dust settled, the lot realized $22,140 — more than 30 times the low estimate. According to the auction house, “They last sold in the 80s. The consignor knew what they were but said that he just enjoyed having them displayed in a pair of compotes in the dining room.” For information, www.georgecoleauctions.com or 845-758-9114.