When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
About the item
Offered here is an original 1988 Larry Elmore SnarfQuest art print, featuring the iconic Fool's Gold image originally used as the cover of Dragon Magazine #132, published in April 1988.
The original print run was limited to approximately 500 copies. This particular example is unnumbered and does not carry an “AP” (Artist Proof) designation. Though unnumbered copies from limited print runs have various origins, (additional copies printed to cover damages, printer overruns, personal copies for the artist, etc), what can be established is that it bears the 1988 date and “A Shadow Graphics Production” notation associated with the original release, making it distinctly different from later reprints of the image which lacked these markers. To reiterate, this print is therefore not a later reprint. It is an original print from the 1988 release, simply without a hand-numbered edition number.
The print is also hand-signed by Larry Elmore. The signature is an actual, handwritten signature directly on the print—not a printed or reproduced signature.
The print measures approximately 18" × 24".
Condition is excellent overall and the print has never been displayed, although it does have some storage wear. Most notably, a very small portion of the bottom-right corner is missing; please examine the photographs carefully for the condition details. The artwork itself remains exceptionally well preserved.
This is a particularly nice opportunity for collectors of Larry Elmore, SnarfQuest, Dragon Magazine, TSR, and classic 1980s fantasy art to acquire an original 1988 example of one of Elmore's most recognizable SnarfQuest images.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they are considered part of the description.
About Larry Elmore
Larry Elmore is one of the most influential fantasy artists associated with TSR and the golden age of tabletop role-playing games. His extensive body of work includes covers and interior artwork for TSR's RPG modules, Dragon Magazine, boxed sets, and numerous other publications. He is perhaps best known for his iconic artwork for the Dragonlance series, as well as creating and illustrating the beloved SnarfQuest comic strip for Dragon Magazine.
About SnarfQuest
SnarfQuest debuted in Dragon Magazine #75 in September 1983, created and illustrated by Larry Elmore. The series follows the misadventures of Snarf, a roguish and perpetually unlucky adventurer whose adventures combine classic fantasy and role-playing tropes with Elmore's distinctive humor.
The strip became one of the most memorable recurring features in Dragon Magazine during the 1980s and eventually spawned collected editions, merchandise, and other licensed products. For fans of TSR and the history of tabletop gaming, SnarfQuest remains one of the defining pieces of the era.
