Thursday, September 15, 2011

Six Sendak Sketches

These six pencil sketches by famed children's book illustrator Maurice Sendak are being offered at Bonhams's Fine Books and Manuscripts sale on October 10.  Sendak has donated all of his original book illustrations to the Rosenbach Foundation in Philadelphia, leaving avid fans and collectors to scramble after mostly his lesser works.

Lot No: 1127
SENDAK, MAURICE. B.1928.
Original pencil sketch on tracing paper, 270 x 200 mm, signed lower right ("Maurice Sendak"), depicting Emil, the bird-like Wild Thing, in typical pose.

Estimate: US$3,000 - 5,000
October 10, 2011:  Sold for US$2,750 inclusive of Buyer's Premium

Lot No: 1128
SENDAK, MAURICE. B.1928.
Original pencil sketch on tracing paper, 230 x 300 mm, signed lower right ("Maurice Sendak"), depicting Little Bear in overcoat and hat, and Little Bear in the arms of Father Bear.

Estimate: US$2,000 - 3,000
October 10, 2011:  Sold for US$1,875 inclusive of Buyer's Premium


Lot No: 1129
SENDAK, MAURICE. B.1928.
Original pencil sketch on tracing paper, 300 x 225 mm, signed lower right ("Maurice Sendak") and dated September 2, 1987, depicting Edward Lear's Jumblies after their arrival across the Western Sea, in their "useful cart" being pulled by a pig who is drunk on "Ring-Bo-Ree," additionally inscribed "Lear."

Sendak illustrated the Lear poem in Sing a Song of Popcorn (edited by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, 1988).

Estimate: US$2,000 - 3,000
October 10, 2011:  Sold for US$2,000 inclusive of Buyer's Premium


Lot No: 1130
SENDAK, MAURICE. B.1928.
Original pencil sketch on tracing paper, 230 x 300 mm, signed lower center ("Maurice Sendak"), depicting a prairie dog, a fox, and two small bears, additionally captioned "9 prairie dog ... 4 fox (Poppy, Pete?)," crease near lower right corner.

Poppy and Pete are two silly foxes who feature in The Little Bear Movie.

Estimate: US$1,500 - 2,000
October 10, 2011:  Sold for US$1,500 inclusive of Buyer's Premium


Lot No: 1131
SENDAK, MAURICE. B.1928.
Original pencil sketch on tracing paper, 200 x 160 mm, signed lower right ("Maurice Sendak"), depicting an ebullient fairground operator, surrounded by the words "Fun! Ha! Ha! Ho! Hee!"

Possibly a sketch for E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker, or a preliminary design for the stage set for the Pacific Northwest Ballet's production.
See illustration overleaf.

Estimate: US$1,500 - 2,000
October 10, 2011:  Unsold


Lot No: 1132
SENDAK, MAURICE. B.1928.
Original pencil sketch on tracing paper, 230 x 300 mm, signed lower right ("Maurice Sendak"), depicting an irritated-looking cow in profile.

Estimate: US$1,000 - 1,500
October 10, 2011:  Unsold
The auction listings are here.

December 21, 2013 Update:  The cow drawing has now been sold by Bonhams in its December 11 sale.
Maurice Sendak, Annoyed Cow

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21029/lot/1281/

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21029/lot/1281/



Note: Did you know my very first blog post was about Sendak poster art?  You can take a trip down memory lane with me here.

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