Sale of Ogri strips nets £55,000

Fans of famous cartoon biker Ogri turned out in force to bid for the original artwork when illustrator and cartoonist Paul Sample put his huge collection up for auction in Shropshire yesterday (Wednesday). 

The Ogri cartoon strip featured in MCN sister magazine Bike for 35 years and became a motorcycling icon with a huge fan base and range of spin-off books, T-shirts and more.    

Sample, invented Ogri while at London’s Central School of Art in the late 1960s, and decided to sell his extensive collection of original artwork after moving house.

Over 170 strips, dating back to the early 1970s and ranging from black and white to full colour, highlighted the sale, which also included Paul’s original artwork for book covers, posters for BBC Radio Two and advertisements for many leading brand names.

The auction took place at Halls of Shrewsbury, near to Paul’s Shropshire home and netted £55,000 in total, including buyers premium.

Top selling Ogri strip No.333, an ink and watercolour, which sold for £1200. Five others sold for in excess of £400 each. The cheapest one went for £80.

Afterwards Sample said: “I had no expectations about the value of the collection. I just left it to the professionals and am very happy with the result.

“I am particularly pleased that Ogri fans got the piece of artwork that they wanted. I enjoyed drawing them and I hope that they get the same enjoyment from them.”

For more, see next week’s MCN