Barbara Shermund's redhead wears a sexy, diaphanous, dress and sits alluringly on a loveseat in Mr. Caldwell's den surrounded by his collection of erotic art. She wonders out loud what could be on the much older gentleman's mind. Is she simply naive or is she playing her cards exactly right? Many of Barbara Shermund's young women seem to know exactly how to get what they want. This particular cartoon, I think, can be read either way with pleasure.
The original framed Esquire cartoon art was sold last year on eBay with an accepted best offer of something less than $695.95. No information was provided regarding publication history, although Ms. Shermund was correctly cited in the listing's title as a "Known Esquire Artist." Indeed she is. Esquire's archive is now online allowing us to confirm that this lovely drawing was published on a full page in the magazine, during the spring of 1940.
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"A penny for your thoughts, Mr Caldwell."
Barbara Shermund
Original art, Esquire, April 1, 1940, page 40 |
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Barbara Shermund's signature is partially obscured by the matte, evidence of a substandard framing job.
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| Detail of the ingénue |
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| Detail of Mr. Caldwell |
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| Detail of the principal figures |
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| The caption is handwritten on the matte. |
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A close-up of Barbara Shermund's partially-obscured signature
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| Detail with see-through dress |
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| Detail |
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Barbara Shermund
eBay Listing Ended January 25, 2018
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Barbara Shermund
eBay Item Description
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Note: Scans or photos of original artwork by Barbara Shermund are welcomed here on Attempted Bloggery.
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