One doesn't usually think of cartoonist George Price as someone with a gift for caricature, yet somehow he was able to imbue a horse with features reminiscent of the actress Katharine Hepburn. When Miss Hepburn saw this cartoon in the New Yorker, she decided to acquire the original and it remained in her possession when she passed away at the age of 96 in June of 2003. The following year it was sold by Sotheby's at her estate sale.
The market, as we have had occasion to observe, does not always place sufficient value on cartoon art, and even published examples of Mr. Price's artwork do not necessarily fetch a high price at auction, although they certainly can. What the market does appreciate is celebrity, and Katharine Hepburn was a movie star of the first order. When people go to the estate sale of a Hollywood star, they are not merely looking for fine collectibles; they are also seeking a memento representing the life and glamor of an admired personality. An original cartoon such as this one, making specific reference to the great actress and remaining among her possessions for almost seven decades has itself acquired some of her star quality. With a deliberately low estimate of $300 to $400, it sold for $7,500. Bravo! Or Brava!
Note: George Price's artwork doesn't always sell for stratospheric amounts, but it's always worth a second look. See more examples of his art here.
In a similar vein, J. C. Duffy's New Yorker cartoon about cabaret singer Bobby Short was acquired by Mr. Short himself, and he didn't even appear in it. Read all about it here.
Feeling romantic? Why not show your Valentine a few posts from the archives here?
The market, as we have had occasion to observe, does not always place sufficient value on cartoon art, and even published examples of Mr. Price's artwork do not necessarily fetch a high price at auction, although they certainly can. What the market does appreciate is celebrity, and Katharine Hepburn was a movie star of the first order. When people go to the estate sale of a Hollywood star, they are not merely looking for fine collectibles; they are also seeking a memento representing the life and glamor of an admired personality. An original cartoon such as this one, making specific reference to the great actress and remaining among her possessions for almost seven decades has itself acquired some of her star quality. With a deliberately low estimate of $300 to $400, it sold for $7,500. Bravo! Or Brava!
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| George Price, "Oh, she's been acting that way all day. Someone told her she looked like Katharine Hepburn." Original artwork for the New Yorker, February 3, 1934, page 18 Provenance: Estate of Katharine Hepburn |
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| Sotheby's New York, June 10, 2004 |
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| http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/356753 |
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| George Price, "Oh, she's been acting that way all day. Someone told her she looked like Katharine Hepburn." The New Yorker, February 3, 1934, page 18 |
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| George Price, "Oh, she's been acting that way all day. Someone told her she looked like Katharine Hepburn." The New Yorker, February 3, 1934, page 18 |
In a similar vein, J. C. Duffy's New Yorker cartoon about cabaret singer Bobby Short was acquired by Mr. Short himself, and he didn't even appear in it. Read all about it here.
Feeling romantic? Why not show your Valentine a few posts from the archives here?
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