Here is a true piece of newspaper comic strip history (and probably American pop culture history as well). This is the original artwork for one of the earliest Garfield strips. It is the original art by Jim Davis for the July 13, 1978 daily strip. This is not only from the first year of the strip, but is actually from within the first 4 weeks that the strip ran, as Garfield began on June 19, 1978. We believe this is Strip #25. So to say this is rare really does not do this piece justice. There have only been a handful of offerings of first-year Garfield originals within the past 5 years. Of the known ones that have come up for public sale in that time (either through auction houses, ebay, etc.), this is believed to be the earliest example. It is also a particularly outstanding example, with everyone's favorite lasagna-loving fat lazy orange cat in all 3 panels! The art has the original 1978 United Features Syndicate, Inc. copyright label attached in the second panel, and is signed by Jim Davis in the final panel. The full piece measures about 15" by 5", and is also signed a second time at the bottom of the strip - "GARFIELD" -- Best Wishes! Jim Davis".

Garfield originals are highly sought after, and rarely come up for sale. Within a decade of it's introduction, the strip was syndicated in about 2000 papers, putting it on level with such classics as Peanuts and Blondie. According to Guinness World Records, Garfield is the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world. Reaching massive levels of popularity, Garfield has extended into merchandise, Saturday morning cartoons, animated TV specials, and even live action movies. As one of the most popular and most circulated strips of all-time, no serious art collection is complete without one. Don't miss out on a rare chance to get an amazing piece that would look fantastic framed and would likely be the centerpiece of any collection.

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