Arthur Glickman's Copy of Black Maria by Charles Addams

Arthur Glickman's copy of Black Maria (1960) was inscribed in the year of publication by cartoonist Charles Addams with Christmas greetings. There is also an original drawing of the boy we know as Pugsley, although he was not to be given that name until the creation of "The Addams Family" television show in 1964. Here he stands proud and forgoes his usual striped shirt for solid orange to welcome in the new year of 1961.

The Chicago auction house priced this book at $600 to $800, and that was about half right. It sold for an impressive $1,400 plus a $350 premium. What would Addams have made of this?

Charles Addams
Potter & Potter Auctions, Inc., February 16, 2023, Lot 127

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/addams-charles-1912-1988-an-original-ink-and-wash-127-c-c8c43e3bc8?objectID=176871503&algIndex=undefined&queryID=df917409dca3d06f78fb867d0b6427ef

June 11, 2023 Update:  After more than sixty-two years, this drawing has been removed from Arthur Glickman's former copy of Black Maria and framed, with the signature visible but the inscription either hidden by the matte or perhaps trimmed away entirely. The asking price is now more than 150% above the price at auction with premium, $1,750 versus $4,495.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256098591225?hash=item3ba0aa61f9:g:yiIAAOSwycFke7tW&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4ARqC4rZDN023uFzvnDc06Mvha8k8szvAdFfbNee8hQWJOAwWJGKLLM8fej6lfUH%2FgZUInKnzmAPdg061claFLCHeI
ddHwbggV9UqibXVl%2BtO4qfG9j%2FiS33zWYBIGadymvhWfMaM2vqAlRtly50N8BtUTpXJSZeWem1HUv%2BCoFNLp0tjG2Br72acZG223nBstkvALI%2FwwSs1BsjNyeIFOhUhw
m1m0bGz85kjfg9ypIB5cBtu4pJZV7bMBxSQOiZo5aOHbrHae3T3DH8IsLxEz24i04MjjxRzzjB0DqP3EtP%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR46QsSVYg

04235