Collector Richard Rae to burn leftover vintage comics, art in ‘pre-deceased estate’ sale
A washed-up advertising executive has produced one of his best works yet a "pre-deceased estate" sale to sell his more than $2 million art work collection.
NSW
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A washed-up advertising executive has produced one of his best works yet a "pre-deceased estate" sale to sell his more than $2 million art work collection.
“Pre-deceased estate sale — The Richard Rae Collection — Original Fine Art and Comic Art — $2,000,000 (Cheap),” his advertisement in The Daily Telegraph reads.
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Richard Rae worked in advertising from the age of 13 until moving into politics, orchestrated advertising campaigns for both Labor, Liberals and One Nation.
But in 2008 at the age of 50 his life spiralled out of control as an ugly divorce sparked an 11-year family court battle.
After years of alcoholism, depression and isolation, the man who brought the first ever international comic convention to Australia is selling his collection before he dies.
What doesn't sell will be burnt six hours after Mr Rae dies.
The works include paintings by David Boyd, the brother of famous Australian painter Arthur, a Conan Brothers drawing by Frank Frazetta and hundreds more original pieces.
He even has original Avengers, Black Panther and Spider-Man drawings, not the comics but the actual artwork.
The collection was gathered over Mr Rae’s undulating lifetime and while the auction has been labelled “pre-deceased estate”, he claims it is more about getting attention than foreshadowing his early death.
“A pre-deceased estate sales gets attention and also nobody has done it before in that wording,” he said.
“There is nothing new in advertising but you can twist things around a little to get more exposure.
“One person actually said to me it was very morbid, and I said ‘no a deceased estate sale is morbid, I’m still alive’.”
Mr Rae laughs when he says an “estate” — a small rented home in western Sydney with artwork, comics, posters and books spread across the living room and a bedroom.
After his family law battle with his ex-wife ended in December he decided he had to move forward.
“I’m at a point now where I need to clear out some stuff, I need to move on,” he said.
At the age of 13 Mr Rae’s stepfather died forcing him to leave school and find a job.
He loved drawing and landed a position in the advertising department of Lowes.
From there he continued to work in advertising until his love for comics took over.
He and fellow comic fanatic Peter Mitris opened a store in Sydney and soon launched the International Comic Convention at Sydney Opera House in 1986.
But their relationship broke down and Mr Rae walked away.
Mysteriously, Mr Mitris disappeared six months later and is believed to have been murdered.
“There are two trains of thought, one is he was taken to St Peters, tied to a chair, beaten to death and left there for three days,” Mr Rae said.
“Then they went back and got him, took him out past the heads and dropped him in the water.”
Mr Rae said the rumours going around were that Mr Mitris was importing drugs with comic books and when some went missing underworld figures were after him.
“However, Peter told me if ever he found things too hot with courts and legal battles, he would go back to Greece and take his collection with him.
“He loved his comic collection and he would never have left it.
“They have never found his body and never found one of his comics. I have a feeling he is on a Greek island somewhere.”
Mr Rae moved on from comics and back into advertising where he reluctantly fell into creating campaigns for the Australian Labor Party.
After almost a decade of that he briefly worked for the Liberal Party and then One Nation.
While he was campaign director for One Nation, David Oldfield was elected to the NSW Upper House in 1999 and Pauline Hanson failed in he bid to win a NSW seat.
That was the end of their working relationship but he was brought back into the fold when a photos of a naked woman were misidentified as Pauline Hanson surfaced.
Mr Rae was misquoted in the media claiming the photos were of her and she later called him a liar.
“I knew the photos weren’t of her because she said they weren’t of her,” he said.
“Pauline is a wonderful woman and she is very honest. She said they weren’t of her which means they weren’t.”
After that ordeal and facing financial troubles, Mr Rae’s previously “perfect” marriage broke down, transitioning into an 11-year family court dispute where there were “no winners”.
“I have accepted my part in the failed marriage but by that also accept my part in the good parts of the marriage,” he said.
Mr Rae said he would order his collection be burnt following his death to stop the “flock of vultures” from his past from fighting over it.