Jaim Cobeau? The name looks like a typo. What are we to make of the online listing by James Cummins, Bookseller, describing a copy of Saul Steinberg's early book, All In Line (1945), inscribed, with a drawing, "To Jaim Cobeau (and Ann)." I was intrigued as I would be by any book with an original Steinberg drawing, particularly one listed by a reputable seller, although not accompanied by any photograph or scan and complicated by an improbably-named recipient. That vaguely French surname Cobeau looked somewhat off, especially with the not quite Spanish first name Jaim, but it was possibly suggestive of the name of a well-known cartoonist of that era. Still, a concrete connection seemed too much to hope for, so I didn't.
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| Saul Steinberg James Cummins, Bookseller, listing accessed September 8, 2022 |
What I do when confronted with such tantalizing incongruities can best be described as reckless gambling behavior. I take the self-assured stance of a casino goer who, after years of pondering the odds, is nearly certain which card the blackjack dealer will turn over next. In this instance I threw caution, accompanied by $550, to the wind. And what did I come up with?
So this is indeed cartoonist Sam Cobean's (and his wife Anne's) copy of the classic Steinberg book. It is boldy inscribed, "To Sam Cobean (and Ann) with [a tip of the hat]." It's remarkable how flawlessly Steinberg was able to incorporate English, the language of his adopted country, into his work. He can be forgiven for misspelling the co-recipient's name. The book is signed in the year of publication.
I really should move to Las Vegas.
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