Showing posts with label George Gershwin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George Gershwin. Show all posts

Monday, January 1, 2024

Lea and Ira Gershwin's Copy of Carry On, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse

With the new year come new post-holiday sales to torment the insolvent. For any who somehow still have reserves of cash in the bank, though, there are bargains to be had. Peter Harrington of London, for example, offers Lea and Ira Gershwin's lovely copy of Carry On, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse. It has a very desirable full-page inscription made out to one of the author's collaborators and his wife. The price has been significantly discounted but it's still up there.









P. G. Wodehouse
Peter Harrington listing accessed January 1, 2024

The price in U.S. dollars
P. G. Wodehouse
Peter Harrington item description









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Saturday, May 30, 2020

George Gershwin's Copy of The Low-Down by Charles G. Shaw

In 1928, Charles G. Shaw published a series of profiles of American luminaries. Each subject was illustrated by the New Yorker's popular cartoonist Peter Arno. Arno's portrait of author Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1925) also appears on the cover.
Anita Loos illustrated by Peter Arno
Shaw, Charles Green. The Low-Down. Holt and Co., 1928.

Composer George Gershwin is another personality Shaw included in the book. Shaw inscribed this copy to him, and may well have presented other personalized copies to his other subjects. 
Inscribed " To George Gershwin
With all best wishes
from Charles G. Shaw
March 15, 1928."

Title page

First edition, first printing

 Attorney Clarence Darrow, we are informed, "cannot behold an evergreen or weeping willow without thinking of a grave-yard." Peter Arno's portrait introduces the section.
Clarence Darrow
Peter Arno


 The book's price corresponds to 1750 GBP.
George Gershwin's Copy of The Low-Down by Charles G. Shaw
AbeBooks Listing Accessed May 29, 2020






Note:  At the time of this posting George Gershwin's copy of The Low-Down remains available for sale. That's one nice copy.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Peter Arno

 George Gershwin

 Signed Books

Attempted Bloggery's Sweet and Low-Down Index

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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Blog Post No. 2100: Eustace Tilley in Leotards

It's ninety-two years ago this week that Eustace Tilley made his debut on the newsstand. As yet unnamed, Rea Irvin's cover creation must have either delighted or confounded readers who encountered this hopelessly outdated dandy superciliously regarding a butterfly through his monocle. What an unlikely mascot for Harold Ross's brand new magazine reveling in the jazz age and the Prohibition Era! And what incredible staying power he's had! Until very recent times, Eustace Tilley made a return engagement on the cover of each anniversary issue.

Rea Irvin, The New Yorker, February 21, 1925

It was fifteen years into this run that Eustace Tilley appeared onstage in a ballet entitled (not too surprisingly) "The New Yorker." George Zoritch danced the role of Tilley with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Rea Irvin himself, evidently a man of many talents, wrote the libretto in collaboration with choreographer Léonide Massine. Scenes and characters were based on the cartoons of Peter Arno, Helen E. Hokinson, Otto Soglow, William Steig, and others including James Thurber. Performed to the music of George Gershwin, it was an odd amalgam of Russian and American sensibilities. The production received poor reviews, prompting ongoing revisions. Massine elaborated the character of Peter Arno's Timid Man. The production continued through at least 1942, but was eventually dropped from the repertoire. The Museum of the City of New York retains in its permanent collection a painting by Marc Perper of Zoritch in his Eustace Tilley costume.


Marc Perper, George Zoritch, 1940





Maurice Seymour, Léonide Massine as Peter Arno's Timid Man



A program from 1942, two years after the premiere when "The New Yorker" headed a three-act program that included "Sheherazade" and "Gaîté Parisienne."
https://gallery.multcolib.org/download/file/fid/4264/full



The New Yorker magazine noted the opening of "The New Yorker" ballet with absolutely no fanfare:
http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1940-10-19#folio=004


There exists a nine-minute video segment related to this production in the collection of the New York Public Library.
https://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/collection/data/77623486

Note:  I am sure there exist many studio photos of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's production of "The New Yorker." In addition, the company kept videos and other notes of their productions in order to be able to restage them at future dates. I would be grateful for any production-related photos, stage designs, or recordings to add to this post. If anyone would care to access the video in the New York Public Library, I'd love to hear your assessment.


Quick Links to Attempted Bloggery's Archives
The Attempted Bloggery Centennial Posts
Blog Post No. 100
Blog Post No. 200:  A Shaggy Dog Story

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

An Anniversary

Shortly after my parents' 57th wedding anniversary last year my mother passed away following a long illness. Today would have been Mom and Dad's 58th anniversary but instead it has become an uncomfortable emptiness in the calendar. Here is an instrumental version of my parents' song, the Gershwins' "I've Got a Crush on You." This recording by Thad Jones dates from 1956, the year of their marriage.

"I've Got a Crush on You" (1928)
Performed by Thad Jones (1956)
from "The Magnificent Thad Jones"
George Gershwin, Music
Ira Gershwin, Lyrics

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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Lucia Davidova's Copy of George Gershwin's Song-Book

Anyone seeking a fine copy of George Gershwin's Song-Book (1932) illustrated by Constantin Alajálov could look for one of the three-hundred limited edition copies from May 1932 signed by both Gershwin and Alajálov. Here is the limitation page of copy no. 74 sold by Heritage Auctions in 2009 for $3,883.75 including the buyer's premium:

George Gershwin's Song-Book, limited edition, copy 74/300. 1932

A still more extraordinary copy of the book is being offered by Bauman Rare Books. This copy is not from the limited edition. It belonged to Lucia Davidova, associate of Igor Stravinsky and friend of choreographer George Balanchine who contemplated a collaboration with Gershwin on a ballet. Her copy is signed and inscribed by Gershwin in October of 1932. Alajálov also signed and dedicated the book, adding a small "mask" drawing of Davidova herself, or so we are told.


A photograph of Davidova taken in Havana in the 1920's does precious little to indicate how accurate the likeness might be. It's probably not too bad.
Lucia Davidova, second from the right, c. 1920's.

The mask theme, incidentally, appears in the book's illustration accompanying Gershwin's "Fascinating Rhythm."
Constantin Alajálov, "Fascinating Rhythm," George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

http://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Gershwins-Song-Book-1st-in-Dj-1932-Jazz-Rare-in-Dust-Jacket-/321326867588?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item4ad092e484


Bookseller Image

http://www.baumanrarebooks.com/rare-books/gershwin-george/george-gershwin-s-song-book/83946.aspx


Well, this is quite a rarity, perhaps the most extraordinary copy of this book out there. It is exceptional because it was signed by both author and illustrator, the illustrator provided an original drawing, and the recipient was a close friend of Balanchine's. Original drawings by Alajálov in books are not common; indeed this is the first I've seen. The bookseller's price is $17,500. That's a nice piece of change.

Copies of the George Gershwin Song-Book signed by Gershwin can often by obtained for $4,000 to $5,000 or maybe a little higher. Alajálov's signature is certainly desirable, although whether it adds much value to the book beyond Gershwin's I'm not sure. The same goes for the drawing. If an original magazine cover illustration by Alajálov should be worth on the order of, say, $3,000 to $5,000, then it's exceedingly generous to suggest a minor drawing might add $500 to the value of the book. The value of the association with Lucia Davidova I find hard to quantify as well. Surely it's worth more than a book with no such association. But is the whole thing worth $17,500? The market will tell. Perhaps there's some synergy among the elements of a rare book, with autographs, drawings, and associations combining to propel the value to a level in excess of the sum of any of the individual elements. And surely there is no better copy of the book available at any price.

But there is another way of looking at it. With $17,500 to spend, a Gershwin lover might very well wish to spring for the book. A fan of Alajálov, on the other hand, could spend the same amount of money and put together a very fine collection of  original published art, including several magazine covers and other high-quality items. That's not a bad option.


November 27, 2016 Update:  The book is no longer available and presumed sold.


Note:  By all means see what else I have to say about the artwork of Constantin Alajálov.

This blog contains many examples of original drawings made inside of books!

There are also a few blog posts on the music of George Gershwin.

Don't forget about Friday the 13th!

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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Constantin Alajálov: George Gershwin's Song-Book

Even if you're familiar with Constantin Alajálov's exceptional work for the New Yorker and the Saturday Evening Post, the artist's illustrations for George Gershwin's Song-Book (1932) come off as strikingly original and unexpected. Here's a generous sampling.

Constantin Alajálov
Dust jacket, George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932


Dust jacket flaps
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Gershwins-Song-Book-1st-in-Dj-1932-Jazz-Rare-in-Dust-Jacket-/321326867588?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item4ad092e484



Table of Contents
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-George-Gershwins-Song-Book-Constantin-Alajalov-Russian-artist-signed-1st-/191183950430?



Samuel M. Kootz on Constantin Alajálov
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-George-Gershwins-Song-Book-Constantin-Alajalov-Russian-artist-signed-1st-/191183950430?
"Swanee"
Constantin Alajálov
"Swanee"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"Nobody But You"
Constantin Alajálov
"Nobody But You"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise"
Constantin Alajálov
"I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" for voice and piano
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1932-George-Gershwins-Song-Book-Constantin-Alajalov-Russian-artist-signed-1st-/191183950430?

"Do It Again"
Constantin Alajálov
"Do It Again"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"Fascinating Rhythm"
Constantin Alajálov
"Fascinating Rhythm"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
"Oh, Lady Be Good"
Constantin Alajálov
"Oh, Lady Be Good"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932


"Somebody Loves Me"
Constantin Alajálov
"Somebody Loves Me"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"Sweet and Low Down"
Constantin Alajálov
"Sweet and Low Down"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
Image replaced June 16, 2014

What's this? My guess is that this colorful but cropped image of the illustration for "Sweet and Low Down" is from a modern reprint of the songbook. The rich color suggests that the full palette of Alajálov's artwork may not have been reflected in the original edition's reproductions. The cropping no doubt was done to eliminate the offensive blackface caricature on the left side of the illustration, something that was regrettably commonplace in the 1930's and is unpalatable today.
"Sweet and Low Down" [cropped]
"Sweet and Low Down" for voice and piano
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932


"That Certain Feeling"
Constantin Alajálov
"That Certain Feeling"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"The Man I Love"
Constantin Alajálov
"The Man I Love"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"The Man I Love" for voice and piano
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
"Clap Yo' Hands"

"Do, Do, Do"
Constantin Alajálov
"Do Do Do"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

Constantin Alajálov
Original artwork for "Do Do Do"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"My One and Only"

"'S Wonderful"
Constantin Alajálov
"'S Wonderful"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
Constantin Alajálov
"'S Wonderful"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932

"Strike Up the Band"

"Liza"
Constantin Alajálov,
"Liza"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
Image added January 5, 2020

"I Got Rhythm"
Constantin Alajálov
"I Got Rhythm"
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
http://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Gershwins-Song-Book-1st-in-Dj-1932-Jazz-Rare-in-Dust-Jacket-/321326867588?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item4ad092e484

"Who Cares?"


Constantin Alajálov
Alajálov paints Gershwin
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932







January 5, 2020 Update:  I'm not sure which song this illustration corresponds to. The four Gershwin songs still unaccounted for with illustrations are "Clap Yo' Hands," "My One and Only." "Strike Up the Band," and "Who Cares?" It looks to be "Who Cares?"
Constantin Alajálov
"Who Cares?" [?]
George Gershwin's Song-Book, 1932
Image added January 5, 2020





Note:  By now this blog has had quite a lot to say about the artwork of Constantin Alajálov and not quite so much on the music of George Gershwin.

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