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| Maurice Sendak Sketch, eBay Winning Bid and Item Description |
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Sendak's Hippie Family
This unsigned drawing sold on eBay certainly can pass for the work of Maurice Sendak, although the social criticism inherent in the subject matter does not appear to be typical of the renowned children's book illustrator. Al Goldstein's magazine Screw was first published in 1968, so the drawing most likely dates from the late '60's or the early '70's.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Warren Miller's Oz
Cartoonist Warren Miller's corporate version of Oz appeared in The New Yorker on November 26, 1990. The framed original artwork was sold on eBay on July 4 for less than the cost of a frame today.
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| Warren Miller's Signature |
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| Warren Miller's Oz, eBay Winning Bid |
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| Warren Miller, The Straw Entrepreneur, the Tin Accountant, and the Cowardly Attorney The New Yorker, November 26, 1990, p. 49 |
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Monday, August 27, 2012
Millet's Ditch Digger
Whenever this 1848 etching by Jean-François Millet comes up for sale, sellers are quick to remark on how scarce it is. Yet I've seen it offered at auction a number of times, and I wonder how many examples there can be out there. I suppose no one knows the precise number, but there should be twenty-five or fewer, I would think, for the term scarce to have any real meaning. Here's a 2004 sale from Swann Galleries in New York.
| Sale 2020 Lot 350 - Nov 04 2004 10:30 |
JEAN-FRANÇOIS MILLET
Homme appuyé sur sa Beche.
Etching on thin cream laid paper, circa 1848. 85x67 mm; 33/8x23/4 inches, wide margins. A very good impression of this scarce, early print. Delteil 3; Melot 3.
Estimate $1,200-1,800
Sold for $1,955
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Claude's Last Chance Gas
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| Claude Smith, Last Chance Gas The New Yorker, April 26, 1958, pp. 36-37 |
The original New Yorker artwork for Claude Smith's four-panel Last Chance Gas gag was sold recently on eBay for $125 with Buy It Now. The full details of the eBay listing are included below. Note how large each panel of the original artwork is compared to the size it was reproduced in the magazine. As I have lamented here before, the cost of framing such a large multipanel cartoon for optimal home display is likely far greater than the apparent market value of the artwork itself. Nevertheless, if you like a piece of original artwork enough to want to own it, it makes sense to be able to show it off in your home to its full advantage.
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| Claude Smith, Last Chance Gas, eBay Buy It Now Price |
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| Claude Smith, Last Chance Gas, eBay Item Description
[End of eBay Listing}
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| Claude Smith, Last Chance Gas The New Yorker, April 26, 1958, pp. 36-37 |
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| Claude Smith, Last Chance Gas The New Yorker, April 26, 1958, pp. 36-37 |
438
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Steinberg Fish Mail
This fanciful piece by Saul Steinberg was offered on June 25, 2011 at Illustration House. It boasts an excellent provenance, having belonged to the prominent modern art curator William Lieberman, who passed away in 2005.
November 10, 2012 Update: Seven months prior to being offered at Illustration House, this drawing was one of two offered at Swann Galleries. Note that the selling price for the two drawings at Swann, while almost twice their high estimate, was still less than half the low estimate for the one drawing at Illustration House.
Does anyone happen to know the sale price at Illustration House?
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| Saul Steinberg, Fish and Postage Stamps |
Saul Steinberg, Fish and Postage Stamps, Illustration House Auction Listing
http://www.illustration-house.com/exhib/a43/a43pages/a43_056.htmlNovember 10, 2012 Update: Seven months prior to being offered at Illustration House, this drawing was one of two offered at Swann Galleries. Note that the selling price for the two drawings at Swann, while almost twice their high estimate, was still less than half the low estimate for the one drawing at Illustration House.
Does anyone happen to know the sale price at Illustration House?
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Saul Steinberg, Abstract with Fish and Postage Stamps, Swann Galleries Auction Listing
Image added November 10, 2012
http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2231+++++294+&refno=++638351&saletype= |
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Saul Steinberg, Abstract with Fish and Postage Stamps, Swann Galleries Sale Price
Image added November 10, 2012
http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2231+++++294+&refno=++638351&saletype= |
Friday, August 24, 2012
Band Concert Mickey Bronze Figurine
Bill Toma's limited edition bronze figurine of Band Concert Mickey presents a head-on view of Mickey Mouse in one of his greatest roles. This is Mickey as he would like to be remembered, if I may so give him human attributes and emotions, seeing to the band's musical needs and for the moment untroubled by the distracting presence of Donald Duck.
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| Mickey Mouse, The Band Concert Bronze Figurine Signed by Bill Toma #13/25, 1993, Ex-Collection Kerby Confer |
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| Mickey Mouse, The Band Concert Bronze Figurine Signed by Bill Toma #13/25, 1993, Ex-Collection Kerby Confer |
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| Heritage Auctions, Mickey Mouse, The Band Concert Bronze Figurine Signed by Bill Toma #13/25, 1993, Ex-Collection Kerby Confer |
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| Mickey Mouse, The Band Concert Bronze Figurine Signed by Bill Toma #13/25, 1993, Ex-Collection Kerby Confer |
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Mickey Mouse, The Band Concert Bronze Figurine Signed by Bill Toma #13/25, 1993,
Ex-Collection Kerby Confer
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Thursday, August 23, 2012
Peppermint Patty
I was at first a bit surprised at the high hammer price achieved by this evidently quick marker sketch of Peppermint Patty, but Schulz sketches of this large size are a rarity. While I don't love the rapid rendering of the feet and especially of the hand, it would be pointless to deny the huge overall appeal of this piece.
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Charles M. Schulz, Peppermint Patty
http://bid.profilesinhistory.com/Oversized-Charles-Schulz-original-drawing_i13227056 |
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Charles M. Schulz, Peppermint Patty, Profiles in History Winning Bid
http://bid.profilesinhistory.com/Oversized-Charles-Schulz-original-drawing_i13227056 |
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Charles M. Schulz, Peppermint Patty
http://bid.profilesinhistory.com/Oversized-Charles-Schulz-original-drawing_i13227056 |
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Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Zen Frogs
Zen Frogs, cast stone garden ornaments apparently by Frontgate, photographed in situ last week at Lemon Tree Pottery in Brewster, Massachusetts.
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Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Pogo Pandemonia
This is absolutely gorgeous original artwork to a Pogo strip from 1967. I know $676 is a lot of money, but it nevertheless seems to me that Walt Kelly's genius is undervalued in today's comic art marketplace.
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| Walt Kelly, Pogo, January 12, 1967, eBay Winning Bid |
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| Walt Kelly, Pogo, January 12, 1967 |
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