GUEST: I was the publisher of a newspaper in Sioux Falls for many years, the late '70s and early '80s. I got interested in cartoon strips, and I'm a chocolate chip cookie nut.
APPRAISER: (laughing)
GUEST: And so when this cartoon ran in our newspaper, I wrote to Charles Schulz, and he sent me the original, and I was very excited. The other one was Dick Brown, it's Hagar the Horrible. And we were going through a lot of change and turmoil at the time at the newspaper, and I thought that the cartoon kind of represented the management style that you needed, with a wink. I wrote to him, and he sent that. The Sally Forth one by Greg Howard we bought at an art show in Sioux Falls. My wife has raised me and my daughter to be good women's libber feminists. So I thought that was fun.
APPRAISER: So these were in your office, but now they sit in your home?
GUEST: That's right.
APPRAISER: Well, first of all, this is from 1983, in the heart of your time as a publisher. It is signed, "To Larry, with every best wish, Charlie Schulz."
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: He didn't always sign "Charlie Schulz." Now, Charles Schulz, of course, we know fought in World War II, became an art instructor afterwards, illustrated for Saturday Evening Post.
GUEST: From the Midwest, St. Paul.
APPRAISER: From the Midwest, St. Paul boy. And in 1950, he sold his Peanuts comic strip to United Features. And it lasted until he passed away in 2000. Hagar the Horrible, Dick Brown started this strip in 1973. So you have Hagar, you have his wife here, Helga. Dick Brown passed away in 1989. So this is nice you got this also in 1983 and also signed by him with best wishes.
GUEST: His son lives in South Dakota now.
APPRAISER: That's right, and his sons have carried on the comic strip since his passing. And Sally Forth, this was made by Greg Howard, and he was in charge of it from 1982 to 1992. He drew all of these. And then he did scripts 'til '99, and then it was taken over by other illustrators. So you have something very good from him as well, and I love about the socks discrimination. But you bought this at auction. How much did you pay for this?
GUEST: I think it was about $75.
APPRAISER: Now, I assume you're going to keep these, you're not looking to sell them.
GUEST: Yes, yes, absolutely.
APPRAISER: Because they're very personal. So we've got the Snoopy. This would probably sell for, the top of the market, insurance value here, I would put about $12,000 on it.
GUEST: Holy moly!
APPRAISER: Yes. Yes, chocolate chip cookies are paying off for you.
GUEST: Oh, my goodness.
APPRAISER: And if this wasn't faded, I'd say it would be higher. The signature I'd say it'd be more $15,000 for insurance value. Now Hagar the Horrible, again, this is during Dick Brown's lifetime. He signed it himself. Insurance value on this I would say about $2,500. Again, because it's personalized. We have provenance, him to you.
GUEST: Great.
APPRAISER: Greg Howard, a little bit less. I'd say insurance value on this about $1,000.
GUEST: About $1,000. Oh, my goodness. I'm astounded. I'm astounded.
