Red Ryder Lot: Saunders Signed Cover Homage Print & 1956 Thunder Trail Book

A two-piece Red Ryder collectible lot anchored by a hand-colored limited-edition homage of Red Ryder Comics #93 (Dell, April 1951) produced by New Mexico artist John Saunders of Saunders Studio, Albuquerque. The print is numbered 125/600 with printed plate text at lower left reading "Fred Harman / John Saunders after / 125/600," and carries two live signatures in that same lower-left area: John Saunders (artist/printmaker) and Dan Saunders as Red Ryder (personal appearance performer). The upper right bears a bold ink inscription, "Happy Trails from your Pal — Troy Vicenti, the original 'Little Beaver,'" tying the print to a named New Mexico performer who portrayed Little Beaver in personal appearances. The sheet is captioned at the bottom margin "Dave Saunders AKA Red Ryder". Accompanied by a Saunders Studio artist statement flyer separately signed "My Best! John [Saunders]."

The second piece is the Whitman Red Ryder and The Thunder Trail Authorized Edition hardcover (stock no. 1547:49), copyright 1956 by Red Ryder Enterprises, Inc., with vivid pictorial boards depicting Red on his black horse front cover and Little Beaver with a companion rider on the rear. The Saunders Studio Albuquerque provenance and the Vicenti "Little Beaver" inscription together form a coherent New Mexico provenance chain of regional interest to Western Americana and Red Ryder collectors.

CONDITION

Print is in Very Good condition with bright color, light handling creases, and minor edge curl; both live signatures and the Vicenti inscription are bold and legible. The Whitman hardcover is Good with age-appropriate wear, edge rubbing, soiling along the spine and lower corners, and fraying at the head and tail of the spine as shown in supplemental images. Binding is intact and the interior copyright page is clean.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Saunders signed print: approx. 14" H × 11" W Numbered 125/600, hand-colored homage after Fred Harman's Red Ryder Comics #93 (April 1951)
• Lower-left plate text (printed, not signed): "Fred Harman / John Saunders after / 125/600"
• Live signatures lower left: John Saunders and Dan Saunders as Red Ryder
• Inscribed upper right: "Happy Trails from your Pal — Troy Vicenti, the original 'Little Beaver'"
• Saunders Studio (Albuquerque, NM) artist statement flyer included, signed "My Best! John [Saunders]"
• Red Ryder and The Thunder Trail, Whitman Authorized Edition, 1956
• Whitman stock no. 1547:49, copyright Red Ryder Enterprises, Inc.
• Hardcover, pictorial boards, children's quarto format