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Azzaz
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:15 pm 
 

Is anyone here familiar with the original artwork used on the covers of the 1st edition D&D and AD&D books & modules?  Did TSR (and now WoTC) retain ownership?  Are they in private collections?  Are they ever on public display?

...My first post, so I hope it's not too far outside the scope of this forum.
  

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bbarsh
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:28 pm 
 

Welcome Azzaz. You can introduce yourself in the new member thread above.

I am not the art expert here, but TSR purchased the full rights for the art if that is your question. What happened to all of it has been discussed several times on this forum. You could do a search, or one of our super enterprising members might dig it up for you.

You will be shocked to know that some original art is most likely in a landfill in southern Wisconsin.


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g026r
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:38 pm 
 

http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/museum.html has information on where some of the artwork ended up.


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Azzaz
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:57 pm 
 

Thanks!
  

Azzaz
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 4:59 pm 
 

g026r wrote:http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/museum.html has information on where some of the artwork ended up.


Wow, there are a lot of "unknown"s in there.  At least two of the original three AD&D cover originals are known to have survived though, so that's good.  I'd love to learn that the Eye of the Idol (if that's it's real name) painting from the Players Manual is still out there too!
  

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beasterbrook
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 5:16 pm 
 

The museum here only has started to show the origional pics of the covers, there are a kot more out there that aren't listed here (Foul not that up to date.. whip whip)..

There are a couple of us here that own origional pieces of work of the covers.. 2nd edition stuff is a lot easier to find and buy, 1st ed stuff is much harder..

Brette:)


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Azzaz
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:22 pm 
 

While I'm asking about cover art, does anyone here know what became of Larry Elmore's original paintings that were used on the Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends novels?  
Elmore's "Time of the Twins" cover in particular, of Raistlin and Crysania, is my personal favorite of all paintings - fantasy and otherwise.  If those ever come up for sale, I hope I find out about it in time to make a bid!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Time_ ... _cover.jpg

:farao:
  

Tharizdun
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:45 pm 
 

User "TSR Art" knows a lot more about your questions than anyone else I know of.

The nice Dragonlance set is in a private collection... Larry mentioned being ripped off on these somehow. If you're interested in buying his classic stuff it goes really high.

2nd edition stuff is a lot easier to find and buy, 1st ed stuff is much harder..


How little you know Brett, how little you know...  8)


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beasterbrook
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:49 pm 
 

LOL..

Brette:)


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misterspock
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Post Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:51 pm 
 

The word on the street is that the two who are posting above have major pieces from TSR history. And when I say "street", I mean the internet super highway  :D
  

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Theleb
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Post Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:30 am 
 

The three Elmore DL cover paintings are in the hands of one private collector couple.  Said couple had a good deal of their collection up for sale the past few years but have said the DL paintings are not for sale.  But everyone has a price so you never know...  :wink:
  

TheLidlessEye
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Post Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:53 am 
 

Here is a link to the Illustration Exchange where you can see the thread related to the original Elmore Dragonlance Covers and see the collection of the owners of the piece.

http://www.munchkinpress.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=327
  

Tharizdun
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Post Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:24 pm 
 

Again, Larry mentioned some shady happenings between him and the original buyer/s of those paintings...


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Gladiator27
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:01 am 
 

Speaking of Elmore, I recently talked to him at Con on the Cob in Ohio and he had prints of his famous "Basic Set" and "Expert Set" paintings(probably the first Elmore paintings most of us are familiar with first seeing at the beginning of his tenure at TSR) where the fighter types are going up against dragons and I asked him whether he still owned those particular pieces or not and he told me that they had been sold a few years back to private collectors. No telling what those sold for.

He also told me that his all-time favorite piece that he's done personally is probably "Avalyne, the Life Giver." He mentioned that he didn't think he'd ever sell that piece.
  

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beasterbrook
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:55 pm 
 

he sold the cover of Set 3: Companion Rules only about 6-10 months ago now..

Brette:)


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Tharizdun
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:47 pm 
 

He mentioned that he didn't think he'd ever sell that piece


That's what he says about everything else... offer him 15K? He'll think about it :wink:


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Tharizdun
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 5:53 pm 
 

Speaking of Elmore, I recently talked to him at Con on the Cob in Ohio and he had prints of his famous "Basic Set" and "Expert Set" paintings(probably the first Elmore paintings most of us are familiar with first seeing at the beginning of his tenure at TSR) where the fighter types are going up against dragons and I asked him whether he still owned those particular pieces or not and he told me that they had been sold a few years back to private collectors. No telling what those sold for.


They went for quite a bit.


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Pipswich
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Post Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 6:43 pm 
 

If anyone is in contact with the owner of those two paintings, I would like to buy them.   :P


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