Happy Birthday and new original art

Today is the anniversary of Frank Bellamy's birth. In May 1917, the world was at war, Italy was struggling with anarchists, while a new Pope was consecrated.  Fátima in Portugal was making a name for itself, and Atlanta in Georgia experienced a terrible fire leaving 10,000 people homeless.

This is a great day to highlight some new findings!  

Chris Hall got in contact and mentioned he had some Frank Bellamy original art he's selling. I'm always interested in recording these things to show how prolific and wide-ranging Frank Bellamy's talent was, and someone recently asked me about the artist's hobbies when not at work. Here's an example of a busman's holiday - his interest in portraying Africana and especially the Masai people. It's so sad he only ever got to Morocco on the African continent despite an interest in going on safari in Kenya.

MASAI WITH EARRING, NECKLACE, SPEAR and SEME

Masai with earring, necklace, spear and seme

Because of the differences between Masai drawings I have given them an arbitrary number and short description, so this one - totally new to me - becomes Masai Warrior #7. It looks to be more of an outline than others (but Bellamy also drew some abstract African pieces) and the warrior has two weapons: the spear and the leaf-shaped 'seme' - a 24 inch long sword (see here). 

Here are two similar drawings for comparison:

Masai (#5) with earring (and 'lightning' lines)

Masai (#3) circular earring, spear and partial shield

Here's the list of all of them so far:

• MASAI WARRIOR #1 - Brown tonal small face-on portrait of Masai warrior with elaborate animal headdress
• MASAI WARRIOR #2 - Brown tonal portrait of Masai warrior with large spear at left, thin band head-dress and animal hair covering neck
• MASAI WARRIOR #3 - Portrait with large circular earring, spear and partial shield
• MASAI WARRIOR #4 - Masai warrior with spear (triangular shaft)  and shield with necklace of animal hair
• MASAI WARRIOR #5 - Side portrait with earring and necklace - bottom right signed
• MASAI WARRIOR #6 - Indistinct portrait with spear and shield looking almost metallic
• MASAI WARRIOR #7 - Outline portrait, with necklace spear, and seme.
  

The next artwork Chris shared was this one and bear in mind the titles are mine, until I can match any to Bellamy's exhibited artwork by name.

MASAI DESIGN with WARRIOR

Masai design + warrior

 It's hard to tell precisely what material was used here and descriptions by others doesn't clarify the position - but then I've seen big name auction houses mention Bellamy's watercolour paints on Thunderbirds - where he only ever used inks! 

We are seeing a side view of a warrior with his spear, seme and shield and to his left is, what looks like, connected bones with some fur attached. The Masai are well known for their elaborate clothing and decorations which include coloured bone beads,fur and ivory.

SCAM BUDDY, I SAW HER FIRST!

"Scram buddy" cartoon

The cartoon showing two 'squaddies' following a well-dressed lady,  and one says to the other "Scram buddy! I saw her first!". The style is definitely from the period around 1939-1946 and the squaddies and Bellamy's signature that can just be seen verify this thought. Was it published? Was it a doodle? A portfolio piece to show when he got out of the Army? We don't know.  

SPACEFLEET REDESIGNED BADGES

Dan Dare Spacefleet insignia

This piece is interesting as it forms one of several boards on which Bellamy drew preparatory materials for his requested re-design of Dan Dare - which eventually didn't 'take'. I've already shared two of them (which Alan Burrows shared with me) showing operational and Spacefleet uniforms - so now we have the insignia re-design too

ORIGINAL ART: A plethora from Comic Book Auctions - Thunderbirds, Life Study, Masai, Garth

 

Thunderbirds from TV21 #172 (page 2)

Compal, or if you prefer Comic Book Auctions Limited are offering some lovely Frank Bellamy original artwork in their November 2020 auction. and you can bid live on The Saleroom 

The first auction lot is the second page from the Thunderbirds story in TV21 #172. I see that Malcolm has mentioned the fading but interestingly, for a change, it's not the blue! Take a look at the horribly printed version below and I see greens missing, which Bellamy will have mixed with yellow and blue!  This page comes from the shortest Thunderbird story (3 episodes from #170-172)!

Printed version

This is the auction description:

Lot: 105   

Thunderbirds original artwork (1968) drawn, painted and signed by Frank Bellamy for TV21 No 172. A neutron cannon developed by Brains has crashed into the Thames. The crash has activated the firing mechanism and a neutron particle is aimlessly fired every ninety seconds destroying everything in its path... Pelikan inks on board with some fading to grey. 15 x 18 ins £1,200-1,500

Masai Warrior

The second lot is a gorgeous pastel. Bellamy did a few of these and they are so hard to appreciate unless seeing them out of their glass, being so difficult to photograph. BUT I have seen some of these photographed well, and love them. The auction description:

Lot: 106   

Maasai Warrior drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy (1960s)
Terracotta pastel on black cartridge paper. 23 x 20 ins £300-400

Life study (rear view)

And another 'life study' as I call them! 

Lot:107   

Nude study drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy (mid 1960s)
During this time Frank Bellamy ran and organised life drawing classes at the Studio Club in London's Piccadilly Crayon on paper. 15 x 12 ins No Reserve

Then we get three sets of Garth strips which sell very well - especially as two of three lots are consecutive pairs of strips.

 

F251-F252: Garth: People of the Abyss

They show no markings or scribblings by Daily Mirror staff - which is unusual but I'm guessing they are mounted with a passe-partout or something similar.

Lot 116 description: 

Garth: 'The People of the Abyss'. 2 original consecutive artworks (1972) by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror 24/25 Oct 1972 Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins (x2) £500-600  

The next lot is also from the same story, so if you are collecting the whole of this story, good luck! I don't know anyone who has a complete story of any Garth by Bellamy as they're scattered to the four winds!

F278: Garth: People of the Abyss

Notice, here we can see a sticker and some faint notations.

Lot 117 description:

Garth: 'The People of the Abyss' original artwork (1972) by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror 24 Nov 1972 Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins £250-300

G41-G42 Garth: The Women of Galba

 The final Bellamy lot  is another pair of consecutive strips
 Lot 120  description:

Garth: 'The Women of Galba’ 2 original consecutive artworks (1973) by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror 16/17 Feb 1973 Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins (x2) £500-600

AUCTION SUMMARY

THUNDERBIRDS in TV21 #172
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions
STARTING BID (with reserve): £1,080.00
Auctioneer's estimate £1,200 - £1,500
ENDING PRICE: £1,080
END DATE: Sunday 22 November 2020

GARTH: F251-252 (People of the Abyss)
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions
STARTING BID (reserve): £450 
Auctioneer's estimate £500 - £600
ENDING PRICE: £820
END DATE: Sunday 22 November 2020

GARTH: F278 (People of the Abyss)
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions
STARTING BID (reserve): £230.00
Auctioneer's estimate £250 - £300
ENDING PRICE: £470
END DATE: Sunday 22 November 2020

GARTH: G41-42 (Women of Galba)
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions
STARTING BID (reserve): £450.00
Auctioneer's estimate £500 - £600
ENDING PRICE: £820
END DATE: Sunday 22 November 2020

LIFE STUDY (Back view)
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions
STARTING BID: £1
ENDING PRICE: £38
END DATE: Sunday 22 November 2020

MASAI WARRIOR
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions
STARTING BID (with reserve): £270.00
Auctioneer's estimate £300 - £400
ENDING PRICE: £270
END DATE: Sunday 22 November 2020

 

 

Frank Bellamy and all things African

Click to enlarge

In the list of 'Unpublished' works - which I confess is a mixed bags of things I've seen, but have not necessarily got scans of, there are several animals of Africa, scenes from Africa and also Masai warriors (my best description). I know that Bellamy exhibited in various top shows in London with pictures listed with African names and unfortunately I haven't been able to match names to pieces. For example, he listed 'Oluwaru' which a quick search on the Net tells me is Masai for 'wild animal'. I have seen lions with Kilimanjaro in the background, but this sounds grander.

Anyway, Adrian Fear has contacted me to share a " drawing [which] actually belongs to my brother. He bought the drawing at a flea market about 10 years ago. The pictures dimensions are 530mm by 610mm. It is a pencil and pastels drawing on black paper/card then mounted."

I know that Nancy Bellamy proudly displays one such piece, of a head in profile, and others, on her walls in her home in Kettering, but this is a new one to me. I'm very grateful to Adrian for not only making contact but also sharing this photo.

The piece is the same as those I have seen and shows another side to Bellamy, who most people know as the comic artist and who Sir William Russell Flint respected for his African work. Praise like that does inspire!