On Wednesday July 24th, 2019, the original paintings for two signature and staple Elves were sold on eBay. The original artwork for Heritage Druid by Larry MacDougall was sold for $7,600, and the final painting for Nettle Sentinel by Kev Walker sold for $5,600.
Heritage Druid by Larry MacDougall, mixed media, 9” x 12”
Nettle Sentinel by Kev Walker, mixed media, 6.5” x 9”
Heritage Druid by Larry MacDougall is a mixed media work measuring 9 inches by 12 inches. Nettle Sentinel by Kev Walker is also a mixed media work, though measuring a bit smaller at 6.5 inches by 9 inches. Both works were listed on eBay by the same seller, and both were offered framed as they currently hung in their previous collection. Each had been offered in some form and venue previously, but this was the first time they were presented at the same time, as an auction, and with no reserve. Based on the eBay bidding history, it appears they were purchased by the same buyer, and both paintings will stay together for the foreseeable future. The winning bidder is currently publicly unknown.
Both of these cards continue to see considerable play across multiple formats. Along with a handful of other cards, Heritage Druid and Nettle Sentinel work together to create large amounts of mana that can be turned into more elves, a large game-ending creature like Craterhoof Behemoth, or a large game-ending spell like Fireball. Elves as a deck has been championed by several people even within the last year, including Dana Fischer, the youngest player to ever Day 2 a Magic Grand Prix, as well as Pauper Pioneer Kendra Smith. While the deck’s popularity has risen and fallen over the last decade, it’s reasonable to believe that these cards will continue to make an impact, even if only on the fringe, for the foreseeable future.
With much of original Magic art collecting being driven at least in part by nostalgia, and given the longevity and popularity of these cards and their deck, it is no surprise to see them fetch such an impressive final bid at auction.
About the Artists
Larry MacDougall illustrated 29 cards for Magic over four sets: Lorwyn, Moringtide, Shadowmoor, and Eventide. Alongside artist like Omar Rayyan, Warren Mahy, and others, he had a large hand in visually creating and shaping the plane of Lorwyn/Shadowmoor as we know it today.
Kev Walker is one of Magic’s longest illustrating and most voluminous artists, illustrating 441 cards for the game as of Core Set 2020. His contribution to the game in terms of number of works is unparalleled, and his style is instantly recognizable in each and every set.