Katharine Cornell's Copy of Nightcrawlers by Charles Addams

Leave it to cartoonist Charles Addams (1912-1988) to get invited to the estate of celebrated stage actress Katharine Cornell (1893-1974). Her home, built in 1951, was in Sneden's Landing in the Palisades. Addams thanked the Tony Award winner for her hospitality as only he could: with a personalized copy of his 1957 collection Nightcrawlers. It is inscribed "For Katherine [sic] Cornell/ with admiration/ Chas Addams/ Sneden's/ 1958." Below that, Addams includes an original drawing of the then-unnamed mischievous girl we all now recognize as Wednesday with her pet reptile (Lucifer?). The pair are also seen on the book's dust cover along with other now-famous Addams Family members enjoying some time outdoors in the moonlight.

"Mmmmm—smells good, dear. Who is it?"

"I hope you're not angry, Ed. I just had to see you."

Art from The New Yorker cover of June 22, 1957

The cartoon on the back of the dust jacket cover is set in the Automat:

Charles Addams
eBay listing accessed August 15, 2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175720686792?hash=item28e9c4e4c8:g:oocAAOSww0BkW7Nb&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Pt2VrlA8Vzw5ZQDQUn%2F2KdLVOlciNbhVBZtOcBdBHFNxw5WvxRskki7CnKxD%2FMrUUz4PAVk9vnZharoHfj36N4MEnyacGUoAAy1aa1itR87P7GyHv3OgyKSuPY

QuSFEsf8uDM0kbFhPrBpIwSwt1wOCAb9Dfzu%2BTCqVKN88AVhpzhJH9y%2B%2BrtVp2CK2TxVLh2Of50ZzCIHSmnDQGN4Y59NRxu2T1n2I9QbUolX1q%2FCKOLXP5l9aSQXCIaHgK2%2FOSJ0uGS9Vs7%2BlCtuKWARYUVr9vBBPQi45YkhrmrDMwA71%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR97p_oi5Yg

Charles Addams
eBay item description

[End of eBay listing]

Katharine Cornell in

"Stage Door Canteen" (1943)

Katharine Cornell put her Sneden's Landing estate on the market in 1964:

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1964/11/05/118687187.html?pageNumber=47

September 6, 2024 Update:  Sold! Best offer of $1,650 declined, but counteroffer of $1,700 accepted.

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