Algonquin Cat

Hilary Knight is best known for illustrating the Eloise books but he has illuminated dozens of other books as well. In one of these, Algonquin Cat, Val Schaffner tells the story of Hamlet, the cat residing in New York's celebrated Algonquin Hotel. In 2011, Sotheby's auctioned off preliminary cover artwork by Mr. Knight, giving it a reasonable estimate of $1,500-2,000.  It sold for $7,500, not too shabby for a preliminary design.

Hilary Knight, Algonquin Cat, preliminary drawing

Hilary Knight, Algonquin Cat, preliminary drawing, with mat and frame

http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2011/original-illustration-art-from-the-collection-of-kendra-and-allan-daniel-n08757#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08757.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08757.html/189/

Hilary Knight, Algonquin Cat, 1980. The published version.

Hilary Knight, Algonquin Cat, preliminary drawing

Note:  My previous post on Hilary Knight is here.

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