Perhaps it's no surprise that of all Ronald Searle's cartoon collections, booksellers seem to have a special affinity for Slightly Foxed—But Still Desirable: Ronald Searle's Wicked World of Book Collecting (1989). The title alludes to genuine bookseller terms reportedly culled from unnamed sales catalogues and graphically interpreted in Searle's unique hand. No bookseller of merit is going to let a copy go without extracting a hefty price from the buyer, and that includes copies with some water damage or, at least in theory, slight foxing.
The copies from the Souvenir Press's signed and limited edition of 150 tend to cost the most. Of these, the first ten command the highest prices as they are graced with an original Searle cartoon of a bookish cat. D&D Galleries of Somerville, NJ, currently has copy no. 3/150 offered on AbeBooks, eBay, and elsewhere for $7,900. For comparison, in 2012 I reported on copy no. 10/100, which readily sold for $2,750.
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Note: As alluded to above, my 2012 post showing copy #10/150 may be seen here. That leaves copies 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9/150 still to be accounted for on this blog. Get to work, people!
Original drawings by Ronald Searle hidden away in books are just the kind of things I like to unearth and publicize on the blog. Please submit your scans or photos. I'm quite sure I would never reject a Searle cat.
Blog Post No. 100
Blog Post No. 200: A Shaggy Dog Story
Blog Post No. 3000: The Vatican Museums 2019
Blog Post No. 3100: Frank Beaven's Dickensian Christmas
Blog Post No. 3200: St. Patrick's Day 1938—Will Cotton Original New Yorker Cover Art
Blog Post No. 3300: "GIve Up?" by Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Blog Post No. 3400: The 1942 Navy Relief Show Program
Blog Post No. 3500: William Steig's "What is Art?"
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