DALLAS, TX.- A landmark illustration by artist Barbara Remington which were used for a trio of Ballantine Book covers for J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series highlight the May 12 Heritage Auctions Illustration Arts Signature Auction in Dallas. The Lord of the Rings covers (est. $20,000-30,000) were designed so that laid side-by-side they create a panoramic scene. A hugely popular poster titled "Wilderness" was also produced using this iconic image.

"Categories such as Pulp, Pin-Up and Commercial Advertisement are seeing dramatic increases in demand and in value. Some of the most sought after artists such as Remington, Roger Hane and Mort Künstler who illustrated covers for Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and some of the most sought after adventure magazines are offered in this auction," said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President of at Heritage Auctions. "The diversity of offerings in this auction once again shows the demand for Illustration Art."

All seven Chronicles of Narnia book cover illustrations by Hane will be offered during the auction. Beginning with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe book cover, (est. $5,000-7,000) illustration which was the most popular novel of the seven written, by C.S. Lewis.

A preliminary illustration from the 1979 Disney sci-fi classic movie The Black Hole, (est. $10,000-15,000) painted by Robert McCall is also available.

Künstler, one of the most prolific adventure magazine illustrators often on the cover of Stag, For Men Only, and True Action is offering 30 works from his personal collection including Contraband Blonde, Stag magazine cover, April 1960, (est. $3,000-5,000), Renegade Sea Nymph and her Crew of Strange Castaways, True Action magazine cover, February 1963, (est. $3,000-5,000), Captured by the Chief, Stag magazine cover, February 1967, (est. $2,000-3,000) and Night of the Grizzlies, For Men Only magazine, March 1970, (est. $2,000-3,000) as well as many more excellent examples.

Other top lots include but are not limited to:

• Patrick Nagel, Joan Collins, #411, 1982, (est. $50,000-70,000)

• Garth Williams, He Let Go of the Wheel for a Second and Did a Little Dance on the Slopping Deck, (est. $10,000-15,000)

• John Conrad Berkey, The Towering Inferno, movie concept art, 1974, (est. $8,000-12,000)

• A Charles Samuel Addams, Skier, New Yorker magazine cartoon, 1949, (est. $6,000-8,000)