Here’s the original artwork used for the 1934 R135 National Chicle Skybirds #48 Amelia Earhart card.
Mastro auctioned it off in their April 2004 catalog. The painted piece was described as rendered on the 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ lower-left area of a 6″ x 7″ artists’ board with handwritten editorial notes in the margins. The back is blank and has some adhesive residue on it.
After I shared the piece on social media, Number5TypeCard shared the following photo of the collectible from the 2015 National, which was for sale for $15k.
I bought that artwork through a “The Wrapper” auction for a bid of $101 around 1985. Would have been willing to pay $500 at the time, as a) I thought it was beautiful, and b) I believed her to be the Babe Ruth (or at least Lou Gehrig) of the Sky Birds set. I sold it for, if I recall correctly, about $5000 circa 2003. I used the knowledge gained of National Chicle original art dimensions when I created the Diamond Stars Extension Set in 1991. (Google -charles nelson brown illustrated – to see May 2004 article.)
That’s super cool. Thanks for sharing the history