Just sold on eBay is this extraordinary letter from R. Crumb to illustrator R. O. Blechman. Mr. Blechman has been cleaning house of late, selling some artwork from his collection at Bonhams last year and now putting some personal correspondence on eBay.
Mr. Crumb is in his glory here. He has a new baby boy, Jesse, and he's ecstatic. The initial press run of the first issue of Zap Comix (4,000 copies) has sold out, and again he's thrilled. Zap was first published in 1968, so the seller's date for this letter of c. 1962 is probably too early.
The strange cut-out corners, I would imagine, may have contained drawings that were removed by Crumb for whatever reason, either because he didn't like them or because he did, prior to his sending the letter. This letter is signed, though, with a caricature self-portrait.
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| Letter c. 1968 from R. Crumb to R. O. Blechman with a cartoon self-portrait |
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| Letter c. 1968 from R. Crumb to R. O. Blechman with a caricature self-portrait |
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=260952945129&nma=true&rt=nc&si=Zv4PhLp6HocGRC23iqci2JeQ2LI%253D&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_500wt_1413
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R. Crumb, Zap Comix, No. 1, 1968
The same eBay seller also offered a 1969 Christmas postcard from the Crumbs to the Blechmans.
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| Christmas postcard from the Robert Crumbs to the Robert Blechmans, 1969 |
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| Christmas postcard from the Robert Crumbs to the Robert Blechmans, 1969 |
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| Christmas postcard from the Robert Crumbs to the Robert Blechmans, 1969 |
Note: R. O. Blechman is included in my post on The World Trade Center in Pre-9/11 New Yorker Covers here.
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I know Crumb is a hero to many but I just can't get on with his work. I find it very unsettling and unattractive. I just don't think I do counter-culture stuff terribly well. I like lots of psychedelic Sixties posters but in my opinion there's always been a whiff of something unsettling and sordid about Crumb's stuff. Obviously my problem alone - particularly as I have great respect for any chap who likes playing 78 records...
ReplyDeleteI agree with your sentiments, Professor, although I do like Crumb's Mr. Natural. What I like about the letter here is that Crumb seems very happy, with none of his demons on view.
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