In other words, this is not the license plate for those who prefer to sit around and do nothing:
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| "YOU GOTA" New York State license plate |
I would have spelled it GOTTA, as in Tug McGraw's inspirational "Ya gotta believe," the one-time rallying cry for the New York Mets. But then, I disapprove of ya. Some days there's just no making me happy.
03841
The publisher must have been hoping demand would be standing room only for Garrett Price's cartoon collection Drawing Room Only, published in 1946. An advertisement in the book section of The New Yorker is meant to entice the collection's desired readership.
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| Garrett Price The New Yorker, November 30, 1946, page 140 |
03840
Please Pass the Hostess is a collection of New Yorker cartoons by Whitney Darrow, Jr. Published in 1949, it is Darrow's second cartoon collection. After seventy years, this book remains a pleasure to go through. It's hard to understand how a copy can remain so inexpensive, even a signed one.
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| The signature of Whitney Darrow, Jr. |
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| Whitney Darrow, Jr. eBay listing ended September 19, 2021 https://www.ebay.com/itm/294393028867?hash=item448b312103%3Ag%3AtGsAAOSwu9tgz14M&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 |
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| Whitney Darrow, Jr. eBay item description |
03839
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| Signed by Robert Leighton, Mike Shenk, Amy Goldstein, Will Shortz, and Bob Mankoff |
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| The New Yorker Book of Cartoon Puzzles and Games AbeBooks listing accessed March 27, 2020 |
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| Stock Photo |
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| Christoph Niemann "Give Us a Clue" The New Yorker, December 27, 2021 |
I did not get to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree this year. But my wife did.
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| The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree December 23, 2021 |
03837
Christmas is Together-Time by Charles M. Schulz was published in 1964, one year before "A Charlie Brown Christmas" first appeared on television. While the book might not have the catchiest title, at least the copy belonging to the Floripes makes up for it with an original drawing of Snoopy wearing his festive holiday stocking cap. Raptis rare books has had it listed at $3800 on AbeBooks for the past year.
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| Charles M. Schulz AbeBooks listing accessed January 6, 2021 |
003836
In an advertisement in the January 1936 issue of Esquire, cartoonist Peter Arno (1904-1968) has clothed Santa (make that Sandy) Claus in tartan to promote the Grand Macnish liqueur scotch whiskey. From a practical point of view, the reindeers' hind legs are way too close to the sleigh, seemingly touching it. The manner in which the house's silhouette is framed inside the antlers is also just a little too pat, but it works well enough. In sum, it's remarkable how much activity Arno was able to squeeze into a limited amount of space, all of it seen boldly in close-up.
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| Sandy Claus Arrives Peter Arno Esquire, January 1936 |
03835
It isn't often one sees a work of straight illustration by cartoonist Otto Soglow, creator of the Little King, but one such drawing with a Christmas theme turned up on eBay earlier this year. It has a central lozenge-shaped image depicting a four-in-hand being driven through a nighttime snowfall. This image is drawn supported by a metal stand and is flanked on either side by a burning candle. The seasonal illustration bears no resemblance to Soglow's typical stylized cartoons. It could very well be a magazine illustration.
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| Otto Soglow eBay listing accessed January 26, 2021 |
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| Otto Soglow eBay item description |
Note: I would like to hear from anyone who can locate this illustration's place of publication.
03834
It's time to go with the floe in the CartoonStock Caption Contest #145. My three captions are shown below. The drawing is by Liam Francis Walsh.
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| "I told you I'll quit before all the ice melts." "I might set fire to what?" "Our days are numbered anyway." |
January 5, 2021 Update: The Winner
03833
This year Chanukah began on the Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend, apparently inspiring Moment magazine's Cartoon Caption Contest for the November/December issue. My captions are below. The drawing is by Benjamin Schwartz.
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| "A great miracle happened back there." "Wait, you're Amish?" "Next time you light them, leave your hat on." "A foil-wrapped chocolate coin for your thoughts?" "Could we extend the reprieve through Chanukah every year?" |
03832
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| Ronald Searle eBay Listing Ended June 8, 2019 |
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| Ronald Searle eBay Item Description |
This town ain't big enough for the two of us, by which I mean me and The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #785 from the issue of December 20, 2021. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Drew Dernavich.
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| "Looks like Mom's back in town and she still wants me to practice." |
This caption was a bit lame:
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| "Wait a minute. Wasn't the recital supposed to be at the O.K. Corral?" |
January 15, 2022 Update: The Finalists
03836
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| Photo by Scott Burns |
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| Executive Producer Alec Guinness |
03829
Barney Tobey's drawing of two men playing chess was originally sold by the Nicholls Gallery in New York to a collector in Lansing. It may or may not have been included in his 1976 exhibition there. It is apparently an illustration or spot drawing but its publication history is uncertain. It was offered on eBay in August at $599, then the price was raised $1,000. It was sold in September for an undisclosed best offer price.
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| Barney Tobey's signature |
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| Barney Tobey eBay listing ended September 5, 2021 |
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| Barney Tobey eBay item description |
Note: I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can shed more light on this piece.
03828
