Thursday, March 12, 2026

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

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

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

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Patrick Callahan's Copy of Stay Hungry by Charles Gaines

Every now and then I like to indulge my antiquarian side. Last spring, a signed copy of the 1972 novel Stay Hungry was sold on eBay. The author, Charles Gaines, inscribed it to Patrick Callahan of New Orleans. It was sold on eBay by the seller rialtos, who always does such a commendably thorough job of scanning his books and writing his copy.

Charles Gaines
eBay listing ended June 8, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/205540401711?itmmeta=01K39JYESBTAM74EJP7PRPB74S&hash=item2fdb29a22f:g:l8gAAOSw5VhoQ071&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dvmKyjJ2KNhTVp7DyQ1J5TCDSfo%2By3%2F4gqCs1FVZoUascMGrexBKci4Xl3evlAuKr5C189FabKMa%2FVkViMO3G1TO%2FowgAvZ6oQDgO9vJSYM8NGbXvkkMnVirQwkAqgThkDl5ph63PQyp2q8QPPiRnNE416GlTX7k5yYKHDfGKB8q%2FzWpjyx%2BZXJ9WdIxRdu8pHbLeP7FJx97ILXywPVO4MqA%2BOO2KednXIgnkv%2FmJzE2e5sWURHwXA%2F9T2Ck9DHCH5KKTTzEZwwKAzqw61Pt3K%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-Ls-bKaZg&pfm=1

05223

Monday, March 9, 2026

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #981

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #981 from the issue of March 9, 2026, two cats observe a third cat stepping out with a flamboyant mustache. The cat on the left speaks. My submission is below. The drawing is by Felipe Galindo, but his hipster name is Feggo.

"Well—hellooo, Dali."

05222

Sunday, March 8, 2026

Maurice Sendak: Chicken Soup (With Rice?)

In the December 4 Illustration Art sale, Swann Auction Galleries offered a charming drawing by Maurice Sendak that was there called Chicken Soup—for one very obvious reason. It is clearly inspired by his book Chicken Soup With Rice: A Book of Months from 1962, a part of The Nutshell Library. The drawing is inscribed by Sendak to Lynn Caponera, who was Sendak's longtime housekeeper and caretaker, and is now the Executive Director of the Maurice Sendak Foundation. Swann gives its date as circa 1962.