Attempted Bloggery

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

James Thurber: Out of Fix

On June 13, 1934, an amendment to the Code was adopted, which established the Production Code Administration (PCA) and required all films released on or after July 1, 1934, to obtain a Seal of Approval before being released.
—Wikipedia

Leave it to the cartoonists of The New Yorker to find the humor in such moral high-handedness. And, in this case specifically, leave it to James Thurber, whose original cartoon art on the subject was sold yesterday at Heritage Auctions. He does have a way with domestic scenes.

"She's out of fix because they've cleaned up the movies."
Original art
James Thurber
The New Yorker, September 29, 1934, p. 13

What a great idea it was for Thurber to portray the indignation of the young girl here—she still has a doll!—the very sort of person the Hays Code was allegedly trying to protect.

To me, it's an odd turn of phrase to say, "out of fix." It sounds wrong to my ear, but I take it to be close to "out of joint" or "bent out of shape."

"She's out of fix because they've cleaned up the movies."
Framed, original art
James Thurber
The New Yorker, September 29, 1934, p. 13

"October 6th or before," reads the notation on the back. The New Yorker knew it had a timely cartoon on its hands. It was published in the September 29 issue while the topic was still fresh in the public's mind.

Verso

James Thurber

Heritage Auctions listing accessed 22 days before the sale

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/james-thurber-american-1894-1961-she-s-out-of-fix-new-yorker-cartoon-september-29-1934ink/a/8245-71294.s?ic=homepage-myrecommendations-IllustrationArt-item-052114&tab=MyRecommendations-080216

James Thurber
Heritage Auctions item description

The present work, of course, translates well onto the printed pages of The New Yorker:

"She's out of fix because they've cleaned up the movies."
James Thurber
The New Yorker, September 29, 1934, p. 13

"She's out of fix because they've cleaned up the movies."
Original art
James Thurber
The New Yorker, September 29, 1934, p. 13

With cartoons by Alain and James Thurber

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1934-09-29/flipbook/012/

Sold!

* * *

On the page opposite the Thurber drawing, that old romancer Alain gets a little forward with the body language. Thurber's body language by comparison is rather restrained, at least in this issue.

"Go on, don't give
me that personality stuff!"
Alain
The New Yorker, September 29, 1934, p. 12

Note: This blog will remain out of fix indefinitely.

05252

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Ronald Searle: Strength Through Joy

Strength through joy?

I suppose Ronald Searle did indeed give his drawing of a wicked St. Trinian's girl flipping over her teacher the title of Unarmed Combat—twice, it seems—and that certainly describes the action well enough. But that is not how it appeared in print.

The titles of Searle drawings were generally afterthoughts. In his classic collection Souls in Torment, as promising a name for a cartoon book as one could hope to find in 1953, the present work is one of three drawings under the alternative heading Strength Through Joy.

The term "unarmed combat" actually appears as part of a caption on the page opposite. Thus, grouping these three drawings under an Unarmed Combat heading would have detracted from the caption on the following page. At least, that's a conjecture of what went on, and why Searle abandoned his presumptive title for this drawing when it was published in a book even though it fit perfectly.

The signature appears to be later than 1953 by more than a decade. Searle must have signed it whenever the drawing eventually left his studio.

Ronald Searle's signature

In 1991, this piece was offered by London dealer Chris Beetles. Despite Beetles noting the publishing history, the title he listed is the one that Searle wrote on the work. After all, it is a better title.

At auction, many a tempting work seems reasonably priced before the bidding gets underway.

Ronald Searle
Chiswick Auctions listing accessed March 21, 2026, ten days before the sale

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/Ronald-Searle-C.B.E.-British,-1920-2011-Unarm-168-c-BEBFCC408C?utm_source=alerts&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=artistalerts&utm_content=378696&utm_term=378696

Ronald Searle
Chiswick Auctions item description

And yet it sells on March 31 at Chiswick Auctions for more than twice the high estimate.

Here it is on the printed page as one of a trio of Strength Through Joy drawings. On the opposite page is "Some little girl didn't hear me say 'unarmed combat'." The captioned cartoon shows an earlier version of Searle's signature.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T3RcLoQuSZA/TrHj7rZjIFI/AAAAAAAAX7k/-SmvpXssYq0/s1600/Searle11.jpg

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Monday, April 20, 2026

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #987

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #987 from the issue of April 20, 2026, a pair of dogs look up at giant moon that is in the form of a cat's head. The dog on the right speaks. My submission is below. The drawing is by Christopher Weyant.

"Don't just sit there—howl."

This caption didn't sit well:

"I refuse to see anything but a man in the moon."

05250

Sunday, April 19, 2026

Alain [Daniel Brustlein]: Self-Portrait

Daniel Brustlein (1904-1996) was known to readers of The New Yorker as the cartoonist Alain. His signature collection is Alain's Steeplechase (1957). A self-portrait of his executed in oil on paper and sold on eBay early in 2020 is signed simply Brustlein.

The self-portrait shows the aritist surrounded by his paintings. The studio floor has tiles in a checkerboard pattern. The painter leaves the forms in an unresolved blur, and we are not sure whether we have quite seen him or not.

Daniel Brustlein's signature

The work is framed.

Alain [Daniel Brustlein]
eBay listing ended February 15, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Daniel-Brustlein-Alain-Autoportrait-Original-Oil-on-Paper-Painting-New-Yorker-/392362590977?hash=item5b5aa20301%3Ag%3Ajx8AAOSwyqhdQQip&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Alain [Daniel Brustlein]
eBay item descritpion

The work sold for a best offer somewhere less than $799.99.

[End of eBay listing]

Here, for comparison, is a photographic image of the artist. He definitely captured somthing of himself.

https://www.danielbrustlein.com/biography

This is his Wikipedia portrait:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Brustlein

Curiously, on the back dust cover to The New Yorker Album of Drawings 1925-1975, he is referred to as "Daniel Alain," but nowhere else does this combination of name and pseudonym appear in print.

The New Yorker Album of Drawings 1925-1975
Detail of rear dust jacket

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266426501507?/

You may wonder why I sometimes archive and hold on to eBay listings for years before proceeding to post them. I wonder as well.

05249

Saturday, April 18, 2026

Penny Sibson's Copy of Where the WIld Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Penny Sibson was a book publicist who worked for a number of houses, including the Bodley Head, a London imprint of Penguin Random House. A copy of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are from her personal library is dedicated to her by the author. He included a drawing of the wild thing Moishe, whom Sendak closely identified with. The book is available from Book Box London.