Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: charles shulz, peanuts, snoopy

Early Snoopy Appearance in Peanuts Original Strip Hits Record $192,000

Published Fri, 20 Nov 2020 17:30:38 -0600

Last updated Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:16:25 -0600

Charles Schulz's Peanuts syndicated comic strip began its 17897 strip, 50-year run on October 2, 1950. Snoopy first appeared just two days later on October 4, 1950. An earliest-days Peanuts comic strip from November 17, 1950 has just hammered at Heritage Auctions for $192,000 — a record price for a Peanuts daily comic strip. The November 17 strip is the 40th Peanuts daily to appear and features Snoopy along with another Peanuts character named Shermy.

First panel detail of Peanuts Strip from November 17, 1950 by Charles Shulz.

Peanuts comic strip art is always widely sought-after, but strips this early rarely come up for public sale. Coming just weeks after the debut of strip, this November 17 entry also points to some forgotten Peanuts history: Shermy was one of the primary Peanuts characters at the outset of the strip, and it was even implied that Snoopy was Shermy's dog early on. But Shermy faded into relative obscurity in the strip after the early 1950s.

While there are 17897 published Peanuts strips, original Peanuts art this early doesn't come up for sale too often, which makes this charming bit of Snoopy history something special.

Charles Schulz Peanuts Daily Comic Strip Snoopy Original Art dated 11-17-50 (United Feature Syndicate, 1950). The oldest Peanuts strip that Heritage Auctions has ever offered! The strip started on 10-2-50, making this just the 40th daily ever! The characters all still had the look of Schulz's previous Li'l Folks strip that was the spark that "Sparky" used to get this strip syndicated. A name change was needed to keep it from being confused with a similarly named series. There is no mistaking lovable and mischievous Snoopy in this one, but who's the boy? It's Shermy, one of the original Peanuts characters, who was seen in the very first Peanuts strip just a few weeks before this one, and who was Snoopy's original owner! Rendered in ink over graphite on Bristol board, with an image area of 26.5" x 5". Signed in the last panel. As is common for his strips, this one has been folded down the center between the panels to allow mailing to the syndicate. The top layer of Bristol board has been skimmed-off between the panels and on the side margins. The board is lightly toned and in Very Good condition.