Charles Schulz (American, 1922-2000). Original four panel "Peanuts" comic strip, the daily strip for Monday, February 15, 1965. Black ink over pencil on drawing board. Pen signed along the right edge of the last panel.

Provenance: Private South Dakota collection since 1965.

Charles Schulz grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and fostered a love of comics throughout his childhood. He spent his later teen years studying drawing and cartoon work through a correspondence course with Art Instruction Schools. Following deployment in Europe during WWII, Schulz returned to St. Paul and got a job working as an instructor for the Art Instruction Schools. After a short lived comic strip for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, he hit it big with Peanuts in 1950, which was syndicated by United Features. The strip quickly became an enormous success, with legions of fans across the country–and world–falling in love with his quirky cast of characters and charming illustrations.

The present lot typifies the characteristics for which Schulz’s comics were best-loved. It shows the characters’ personalities, always distinctive and lovingly mocked by Schulz. The strength of the character depictions, together with Schulz’s crisp, mobile linework, makes this a wonderful example of a Peanuts daily strip and of Schulz’s facility with character.
Unframed; height: 5 1/2 in x width: 27 in. Framed; height: 12 1/4 in x width: 33 3/4 in. There are no rips, tears, or losses. There are two notable creases: one between the second and third panels running vertically through the empty space; one along the lower left corner, which appears to have been slightly covered with whiteout, possibly original to the artistic production. There are a few small stains: there are two along the first panel, one on Lucy's face and near the lower left of the speech bubble (see lot listing); there is one small stain along the hem of Lucy's dress in the second panel; there are a few minute ink stains throughout, likely original. Some of the original pencil marks are visible beneath the ink. The board is affixed to a mat board backing with framer's tape; due to this the verso could not be inspected. Some light wear to the frame; framed under glass. The paper backing of the frame has been cut along three sides since photography to inspect the work.