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Heritage Auctions: Hard-Boiled Heroes: Detective Pulp Magazines from The Dr. Richard Meli Collection Showcase Auction

Auction Reports

Auction Name Hard-Boiled Heroes: Detective Pulp Magazines from The Dr. Richard Meli Collection Showcase Auction Total Sales (USD) 126,184.50
Auction Date February 19, 2026 - February 19, 2026 Low Estimate of Lots Sold (USD) 0.00
Sale Number #47179 High Estimate of Lots Sold (USD) 0.00
Total Lots 227
Sold Lots 227.0 Low Estimate of All Lots (USD) 0.00
% of Lots Sold 100.00% High Estimate of All Lots (USD) 0.00
Unsold Lots 0 Total Sales as a % of High Est. Inf%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Lot Number Author Name Book Title Year Published Estimate Actual Price
75006

Black Mask #43 June 1, 1923 (Pro-Distribution / Popular) CGC VG+ 4.5 Cream to off-white pages.

1923 Not Available USD 29,280.00
75175

Public Enemy #1 December 1935 Strasser Pedigree (Dell) CGC VF- 7.5 Off-white to white pages.

1935 Not Available USD 3,172.00
75015

Black Mask #119 November 1928 (Pro-Distribution) CGC VG 4.0 Off-white pages.

1928 Not Available USD 2,318.00
75181

Real Detective Tales and Mystery Stories #31 August 1925 (Rural Publishing Corp.) CGC VG/FN 5.0 Cream to off-white pages.

1925 Not Available USD 1,952.00
75101

Crime Busters #21 July 1939 Strasser Pedigree (Street & Smith) CGC VF- 7.5 Off-white to white pages.

1939 Not Available USD 1,586.00
75124

Dime Detective Magazine #105 April 1938 (Popular) CGC VF+ 8.5 Off-white to white pages.

1938 Not Available USD 1,464.00
75187

Spicy Detective Stories #18 October 1935 (Culture) CGC FN/VF 7.0 Off-white to white pages.

1935 Not Available USD 1,464.00
75126

Dime Detective Magazine #112 November 1938 Strasser Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF/NM 9.0 White pages.

1938 Not Available USD 1,342.00
75128

Dime Detective Magazine #115 February 1939 Strasser Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF+ 8.5 Off-white to white pages.

1939 Not Available USD 1,220.00
75129

Dime Detective Magazine #116 March 1939 Strasser Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF- 7.5 Off-white to white pages.

1939 Not Available USD 1,220.00
75135

Dime Mystery Magazine #1 December 1932 (Popular) CGC FN+ 6.5 Off-white to white pages.

1932 Not Available USD 1,220.00
75189

Spicy Detective Stories #36 April 1937 (Culture) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages.

1937 Not Available USD 1,220.00
75218

The Spider #113 February 1943 (Popular) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white to white pages.

1943 Not Available USD 1,220.00
75118

Dime Detective Magazine #50 August 1, 1934 (Popular) CGC VF- 7.5 Cream to off-white pages.

1934 Not Available USD 1,159.00
75130

Dime Detective Magazine #118 May 1939 Strasser Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF+ 8.5 White pages.

1939 Not Available USD 1,098.00
75188

Spicy Detective Stories #20 December 1935 (Culture) CGC FN 6.0 Off-white to white pages.

1935 Not Available USD 1,067.50
75131

Dime Detective Magazine #120 July 1939 Strasser Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white pages.

1939 Not Available USD 1,037.00
75127

Dime Detective Magazine #113 December 1938 Strasser Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white to white pages.

1938 Not Available USD 976.00
75208

The Spider #72 September 1939 (Popular) CGC FN/VF 7.0 Off-white to white pages.

1939 Not Available USD 945.50
75140

Dime Mystery Magazine #89 April 1940 (Popular) CGC VF 8.0 White pages.

1940 Not Available USD 915.00
75147

Dime Mystery Magazine #106 May 1942 Yakima Pedigree (Popular) CGC VF- 7.5 White pages.

1942 Not Available USD 915.00
75046

Black Mask #238 November 1938 Strasser Pedigree (Pro-Distribution / Popular) CGC VF- 7.5 Cream to off-white pages.

1938 Not Available USD 854.00
75082

Black Mask #336 November 1950 (Popular) CGC VF 8.0 Off-white to white pages.

1950 Not Available USD 854.00
75155

Dime Mystery Magazine #119 July 1944 (Popular) CGC VF+ 8.5 Off-white to white pages.

1944 Not Available USD 854.00
75195

Spicy Detective Stories #101 September 1942 (Culture) CGC FN- 5.5 White pages.

1942 Not Available USD 854.00
  • ALDE, Apr. 8: GUEVARA (ANTONIO DE). Histoire de Marc-Aurèle, Empereur Romain, vray miroir et horloge des Princes. Paris, Pierre et Galliot du Pré, frères, 1565. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: HEURES DE LA VIERGE. Horæ in laudem beatissimæ virginis Mariæ ad usum Romanum. Paris, Charles L'Angelier, 1556. €4,000 to €5,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: MONTAIGNE (MICHEL DE). Les Essais. Édition nouvelle, trouvée après le deceds de l'autheur… Paris, Abel L'Angelier, 1595. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [ROJAS (FERNANDO DE)]. Celestina, tragicomedia di Calisto et Melibea, tradotta de lingua castigliana in italiano idioma… Venise, 1531. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CAMÕES (LUÍS DE). Os Lusiadas. Lisbonne, Pedro Crasbeeck, 1613. €2,000 to €3,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Bruxelles, Roger Velpius & Huberto Antonio, 1611. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: LA FONTAINE (JEAN DE). Fables choisies, mises en vers. Paris, Denys Thierry et Claude Barbin, 1678-1694. €6,000 to €8,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Madrid, Joaquin Ibarra, 1780. €3,000 to €4,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: DIDEROT (DENIS) ET JEAN LE ROND D'ALEMBERT. Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. Paris, 1751-1765. €15,000 to €20,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. LAMARTINE (Alphonse de). Les Laboureurs. Poème tiré de Jocelyn… Lyon, J. A. Henry, 1883. €8,000 to €10,000.
    ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. Livre de prières tissé d'après les enluminures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVIe siècle. Lyon, [A. Roux], 1886. €5,000 to €6,000.
  • Sotheby’s
    Books, Manuscripts & Objects from Three Important Collections
    Open for Bidding 2-17 April
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: [Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun]. Le Roman de la Rose, [Geneva or Lyons, c.1481], first printed edition of the most important medieval French vernacular poem. £200,000 to £300,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Castiglione. Il libro del cortegiano. [Venice], April 1528, first edition, in a magnificent binding by Jean Picard for Jean Grolier. £100,000 to £150,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Jacobus de Cessolis. Schachzabelbuch, Strasbourg, 1483, von der Lasa copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: World Championship, 1972. A collection of 84 press photographs of the famed match between Spassky and Fischer. £2,000 to £3,000.
    Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Ben Franklin. Autograph letter signed, to Lord Shelburne, British Prime Minister, during peace negotiations, November 1782. £15,000 to £20,000.