Friday, February 19, 2021

A James Thurber Letter to Mary Petty

In the summer of 1951, James Thurber was prompted to write to fellow cartoonist Mary Petty. He had been listening to the radio and heard an interview conducted by Cholly Knickerbocker (Igor Cassini) with British cartoonist Rowland Emett, who praised Petty as his "great favorite." Thurber, of course, couldn't agree more. I don't think this is mere flattery, although doubtless there's some of that. The anecdote also allows Thurber to note that he himself is in Emett's trio of favorite American cartoonists along with Saul Steinberg and Petty. Yet I think Thurber's regard for Petty is genuine—after all, whose wouldn't be?


James Thurber TLS
Alexander Historical Auctions LLC listing accessed January 23, 2021

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/JAMES-THURBER-1297-c-4584D9B98F?utm_source=alerts&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inv_kwalert&utm_term=2

James Thurber TLS
Alexander Historical Auctions LLC item description





A previous sale nine years ago, outcome unknown:

James Thurber TLS
RR Auctions

Note:  Just the other day on Ink Spill, Michael Maslin wrote about James Thurber and Mary Petty. Coincidence? Read it here.


Uncollected letters from New Yorker luminaries such as James Thurber make for welcome posts here on Attempted Bloggery. Scans welcome.



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