Peter Arno and Whitney Darrow, Jr.: "A Delightful Addition to Any Child's Bookshelf"?

eBay seller kna_4183 is new to the auction platform, having just joined in November, so perhaps I should go easy on him—but I won't. A current eBay listing offers three cartoon books by New Yorker cartoonist Peter Arno, one by Whitney Darrow, Jr., Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit (1907) by Joel Chandler Harris, and Colette and the Princess (1965) by Louis Slobodkin. The group is listed under the title "Joel Chandler Harris & Peter Arno • Illustrated Children's Hardcover Book Lot." To which I would only ask, "Are you sure these are really all children's books?"

This is an unconventional grouping, to be sure. There are fifty-eight years and two world wars between the two actual children's books in the lot, those of Harris and Slobodkin. In between are four books by New Yorker cartoonists that collect some of the wittiest and most sophisticated cartoons of their era. These books are Peter Arno's Parade (1929), his Hullabaloo (1930), and his Sizzling Platter (1949), as well as Whitney Darrow, Jr.'s, "You're Sitting on My Eyelashes" (1943). They're not in any way harmful to children, but they were all marketed to adults. The dust jacket to Peter Arno's Sizzling Platter with its delectable double entendre makes that pretty plain.

Here's how the eBay seller describes the listing: "This product is a lot of illustrated children's hardcover books featuring stories by Joel Chandler Harris, Peter Arno, and others. The books are in English and are original editions, with illustrations done by Louis Slobodkin. The stories fall under the genres of fairy tales and fantasy, making them perfect for young readers to enjoy. This collection would be a delightful addition to any child's bookshelf, offering a mix of classic tales and whimsical illustrations to spark imagination and creativity." They are all treated as if they had exactly the same sort of fairy story content and were all illustrated by Slobodkin. But the Harris book has folk tales, not fairy tales, and the Arno and Darrow books have single panel cartoons, not stories. Did the seller ever look inside them?

Peter Arno, Whitney Darrow, Jr., Joel Chandler Harris, and Louis Slobodkin
eBay listing ended March 14, 2026

https://www.ebay.com/itm/147190625647?

Peter Arno, Whitney Darrow, Jr., Joel Chandler Harris, and Louis Slobodkin
eBay item description

Since February 14, this lot has been relisted on eBay every Saturday at the same price, $90.

05228

Whitney Darrow, Jr.: A Good Lesson for Eugene

A 1966 New Yorker cartoon original by Whitney Darrow, Jr., was sold at Heritage Auctions in February. It was from the collection of Irvin Greif, Jr. 

"But, Eugene, it's not enough to                              
be gifted. We've got to do something with our gift."
Original art
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
The New Yorker, November 19, 1966, p. 61

The setting is a suburban classroom, in what is in all likelihood a private school. The teacher wishes to impart an  important lesson to Eugene.

"But, Eugene, it's not enough to                              
be gifted. We've got to do something with our gift."
Framed and matted original art
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
The New Yorker, November 19, 1966, p. 61

It's a good lesson for Eugene. But he does seem skeptical.

"But, Eugene, it's not enough to                              
be gifted. We've got to do something with our gift."
Original art
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
The New Yorker, November 19, 1966, p. 61

On Bainbridge Board

The bidding opened at $1. Who could possibly resist? (But the buyer's premium did start at $49.)

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Heritage Auctions listing of February 6, 2026, some 20 days before the sale

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/whitney-darrow-jr-american-1909-1999-it-s-not-enough-to-be-gifted-new-yorker-cartoon-1966-charcoal-ink-and/a/15263-17110.s?ic10=ExpandedResults-Thumbnail-022817#

It was sold to an internet bidder:

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Heritage Auctions item description

The original art is now toned. It looked great in the pages of The New Yorker:

"But, Eugene, it's not enough to                              
be gifted. We've got to do something with our gift."
Original art
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
The New Yorker, November 19, 1966, p. 61

"But, Eugene, it's not enough to                              
be gifted. We've got to do something with our gift."
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
The New Yorker, November 19, 1966, p. 61

With drawings by Al Ross and Whitney Darrow, Jr.

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1966-11-19/flipbook/060/

* * * 

On the facing page, Al Ross's more linear, unshaded style contrasts nicely with Darrow's. Ross comments on the Vietnam War. The speaker is not that many years older than Darrow's children.

"Did you ever realize that one of those little things will destroy everything within 
a half mile, regardless of race, creed, or color?"
Al Ross
The New Yorker, November 19, 1966, p. 60

05227

Milton Caniff: A Leprechaun

It's generally a good idea to avoid making unfounded assumptions, particularly online. Nevertheless, I would guess that a fan named Mike Mongan wrote to the popular comic strip artist Milton Caniff back in the day, and requested, perhaps, a souvenir. I further imagine he was not disappointed with the color artwork he received in reply. Whatever the story, though, the drawing of a winking leprechaun, pipe in mouth, seems a fitting work to bring out ahead of St. Patrick's Day. Caniff has embraced an unfortunate stereotype, and that leprechaun appears to be rather inebriated. What we have then is a smoking, winking, drinking leprechaun—or so I would assume.

Milton Caniff
AbeBooks listing accessed April 11, 2025

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Leprechaun-Sketch-Signed-CANIFF-MILTON/32177586780/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook

Milton Caniff
AbeBooks item description

05226

Ludwig Bemelmans: The Old Port and the Arche de Noé, Antibes

An undated painting of Antibes by Ludwig Bemelmans shows the old port and l'Arche de Noé. The art is available for $19,995 from Meier and Sons Rare Books of New Canaan.

Ludwig Bemelmans
AbeBooks listing accessed January 5, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/art-prints/LUDWIG-BEMELMANS-ORIGINAL-OIL-PAINTING%7ETHE-OLD/32367882452/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_high#&gid=1&pid=3

The selfsame piece was sold at auction in 2019 for $10,000.

This piece was sold in 2019 by Leland Little for $10,000.

Ludwig Bemelmans
Leland Little Important Fall Auction sale of September 21, 2019

https://www.lelandlittle.com/items/343903/ludwig-bemelmans-ny-1898-1962-i-the-old-port-and-the-arche-de-noe-i/

View through arch to Port Vauban marina and Antibes old town (Vieil Antibes) from Fort Carré in Antibes, French Riviera, Côte d'Azur, Provence, France

https://www.alamy.com/view-through-arch-to-port-vauban-marina-and-antibes-old-town-vieil-antibes-from-fort-carr-in-antibes-french-riviera-cte-dazur-provence-france-image610667417.html

0517x

William James, Jr.'s, Copy of Conclusive Evidence by Vladimir Nabokov

 Vladimir Nabokov's memoir Conclusive Evidence retailed for $3.00 when it was published in 1951. Chapter 6 is "Butterflies," which was originally published in The New Yorker. In 1952, the author, a lifelong lepidopterist, signed a copy for William James, Jr., and added a detailed drawing of a butterfly. This exquisite copy of the book, with James's printed name and Cambridge address, is available today from Whitmore Rare Books, Inc., of Pasadena, for $35,000.

Vladimir Nabokov
AbeBooks listing accessed March 10, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Conclusive-Evidence-Inscribed-original-butterfly-artwork/32402485628/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_high

Vladimir Nabokov
AbeBooks item description

Chapter 6 got its start in The New Yorker of June 12, 1948.

With a cartoon by Robert Day, left, and then a spot drawing of a mailbox by Esther Pressoir on the first page of "Butterflies" by Vladiimir Nabokov

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1948-06-12/flipbook/024/

Note:  Peter Kuper pays tribute to Nabokov's passion for butterflies in Insectopolis: A Natural History (2025). I photographed the original Nabokov artwork at his Society of Illustrators show here.

05224