Arts: Collectors snap up rare Rupert Bear books

An antique collection of Rupert Bear books went under the hammer yesterday, with a 1931 first edition of Monster Rupert being sold for pounds 1,100.

Demand was also strong for a collection of comics from the Second World War period, including the Wizard, Hotspur, Rover and Dandy, which sold for pounds 1,200. There were some pleasant surprises for the sellers, such as Rupert: Little Bear and the Ogres, which, despite being in poor condition, sold for pounds 300 because of its rarity.

A letter from AE Bestall, the second of the series of Rupert artists, fetched pounds 360, almost four times what was expected, while three 1930s Rupert badges sold for pounds 200, well above the predicted price.

Hamer 20th Century Books, which ran the sale at Dinnington, South Yorkshire, was "very pleased" with the pounds 25,000 total. But many other lots disappointed. A first Rupert Book, dated 1921, expected to go for pounds 600, failed to reach the reserve price. There was also no sale for Rupert and the Secret Trail, with a pounds 1,100 tag. A repaired Rupert the Little Lost Bear of 1921 did not reach its reserve of pounds 600, while a 1925 Rupert and the Old Miser went for a "bargain" pounds 200, less than half what was predicted.The Rupert Adventure Series, numbers 1-50, expected to fetch about pounds 1,000, were sold for just pounds 680.