Gil Elvgren (American, 1914-1980), “It’s a Snap (Pretty Snappy; Snap Judgment),” 1958, sold at $215,100, in July, 2015. This painting was reproduced as figure 342 in Gil Elvgren All His Glamorous American Pin-Ups by Charles G. Martignette and Louis K. Meisel, Taschen Books, 1996.

DALLAS, TEXAS—Heritage Auctions has offered the Charles Martignette Collection of pin-up, pulp and commercial illustration art in auctions that spanned 6 years with 4,300 lots—and the collection has redefined a market.

When the art world first learned in 2009 that the Charles Martignette Collection of Illustration Art was headed to auction, speculation over how the market would respond to what was widely considered the most comprehensive and impressive survey of the genre ever assembled was rampant. That speculation has been finally answered: as the very last of works from the collection crossed the block in October, 2015, the Martignette Collection has realized more than $21.68 million—quite a figure for a collection originally appraised at $12.2 million. Among the more iconic and highest-selling works was “Gay Nymph,” 1947, by Gil Elvgren, which realized a record $286,800 in 2011, and is the still-standing world record price for the artist.