DALLAS, TX.- James Allen St. John was a prolific artist, known best for his work illustrating novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. He helped bridge the space between the written word and the imagination of the reader.

Seven examples of his work from a collection will be up for auction October 4 in Heritage Auctions’ Illustration Art event.

Two artworks are from the collection of renowned illustration art collector Gary Munson carry pre-auction estimates of $80,000-120,000: original artwork for the At the Earth’s Core and The Chessmen of Mars dust jackets.

“Gary Munson collected the best of early science fiction and fantasy art, books and pulps,” Heritage Auctions Illustration and American Art Consignment Director Meagen McMillan said. “Both Burroughs, as an author, and St. John as an artist defined science fiction and fantasy as a genre.

“The collaboration of these fathers of fantasy are on clear display in Chessman of Mars and At the Earth’s Core in our upcoming October 4 Illustration Art auction. These pieces will be the star of any collection and we are thrilled to be offering them at Heritage. This is very rare opportunity to own such imaginative and original artwork from a master.”

Other lots by St. John in the auction include:

• James Allen St. John Thuvia, Maid of Mars interior book illustration, 1920 – also from the Gary Munson collection (estimate: $20,000-30,000)

• James Allen St. John The Baboons, The Son of Tarzan interior book illustration, 1917
Ink on paper (estimate: $6,000-8,000)

• James Allen St. John You Will Pay More, Son of Tarzan interior book illustration, 1917 (estimate: $2,000-3,000)

• James Allen St. John Paulovitch, Son of Tarzan interior book illustration, 1917 (estimate: $1,000-2,000)

• James Allen St. John Unpublished The Beast of Tarzan, interior book illustration, 1916 (estimate: $1,000-2,000)