'Charlotte's Web' cover art fetches $155K in NYC

[October 16, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The original 1952 cover art for "Charlotte's Web" has sold at auction in New York City for more than $155,000.

Heritage Auctions says the artwork drawn by Garth Williams fetched more than five times its estimated sale price on Friday and is a record for any of Williams' art.

Heritage spokesman Barry Sandoval says the buyer is a New York collector who wishes to remain anonymous.

He says 42 of the late artist's original illustrations for the celebrated children's book were auctioned by his family and brought in more than $780,000. The total included the buyer's premium of 19.5 percent for all winning bids.

E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" is about a friendship between Charlotte the spider and a pig named Wilbur who is saved from slaughter.

[Associated Press]

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