Frank Frazetta’s ‘Captive Princess’ Heads to Auction with $1 Million Estimate

A cover painting by Frank Frazetta for the 1973 Ace paperback edition of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The People That Time Forgot is set to headline Propstore’s Spring Entertainment Memorabilia auction, with an estimate of $500,000 to $1 million. The auction will take place from March 25–27.

Rising Demand for Frazetta’s Work

The painting, titled “Captive Princess,” comes to market amid surging demand for Frazetta’s fantasy artworks. In September 2025, Frazetta’s “Man Ape” (1967) sold for $13.5 million at Heritage Auctions, setting a record for an original Frazetta painting [1]. Other recent sales include “Luana” (1972) for $1.75 million and a 1970 version of “A Princess of Mars” for over $1.4 million [2].

About ‘Captive Princess’

“Captive Princess” depicts the abduction of a woman by two ape-like creatures, set against the backdrop of a large, moss-covered tree. According to Propstore’s Vice President of Business Development, Chuck Costas, Frazetta added details to the painting even after it had gone to print [2]. Costas described the work as a “quintessential example of what makes Frazetta’s work so enduring,” highlighting its blend of physical dynamism and narrative imagination [2].

Frazetta’s Legacy

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Frazetta’s cover art significantly shaped how readers visualized the works of Robert E. Howard’s Conan novels and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ adventure stories, defining the visual identity of sword-and-sorcery fiction [1]. His work transcends genres, having been used for book covers, magazine illustrations (such as Vampirella), and film posters (including the American poster for the 1968 film Luana) [2].

Future Outlook

Costas anticipates continued growth in the market for Frazetta’s art, driven by generational demand, institutional endorsement, and cross-collecting among enthusiasts of fantasy art, comics, and film [2].