Arthur Rackham: Endpapers to The Compleat Angler by Izaac Walton

The endpaper to Arthur Rackham's 1931 illustrated edition of Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler is a silhouette depicting two men fishing. He colored the origibal ink drawing with a sepia wash. The work was offered at Doyle New York on November 7 with an estimate of $7,000 to $10,000. It sold for just $4,410 with the buyer's premium. 

As published:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-COMPLEAT-ANGLER-1931-Izaak-Walton-ARTHUR-RACKHAM-David-McKay-1st-Edition-/123044899852?_ul=IL

Arthur Rackham
Doyle New York sale of November 7, 2023

https://www.doyle.com/auction/lot/lot-330---arthur-rackhams-watercolors-for-the-endpapers-of-the-compleat-angler/?lot=1367365&so=0&st=&sto=0&au=8102&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=1&pp=96&pn=4&g=1

04516

Ronald Searle: C'est la vie

A neckless and nearly formless man strains to pull a cart bearing a large pig across a vast, desolate plain. The title gives it away. C'est la vie is Ronald Searle's humorous allegory of life itself. The 1975 original ink and watercolor drawing was sold in Frankfurt on November 25 for a ridiculously low 300 euros (and that was after the sale ended, I believe). That Moderne-Auktion crowd just didn't appreciate a good allegory.

Ronald Searle
Auktionshaus Arnold listing accessed November 16, 2023

https://www.auktionshaus-arnold.de/auktion/moderne-auktion-10/

A variant was exhibited in New York at the Nicholls Gallery in 1976. It appeared on a black and white postcard promoting the Searle show. The original art either has wash or some watercolor.

C'est la vie, 1975
Ronald Searle
Nicholls Gallery postcard, 1976

Note:  You know, I wouldn't mind receiving a good photograph of the Nicholls Gallery variant or of any other variants of C'est la vie that might be out there. Oh, who am I kidding? I'd love to see any Ronald Searle original art.

04515

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #876

It's just another day in the lab but one of the rats is showing unusual talent. Here we are in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #876 from the issue of November 27, 2023. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Mike Twohy.

"It's a pity we neutered him."

Incidentally, I was planning to go with the following caption until I listened to The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest Podcast episode 134. Nicole Chrolavicius came up with an idea very similar to mine and mentioned it on the podcast, announcing it to the world. I then went to work on a new caption.

"I'm hoping he'll make me the Creator."

December 4, 2023 Update:  The Finalists

December 15, 2023 Update:  I voted for the caption from Reno.

December 30, 2023 Update:  The Winner

04514

The 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

I no longer brave the elements and the crowds to attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade but it happily goes on just the same without me. Here is a small sampling of photos courtesy of Uki and Friend who did not shrink from the festive multitude or the mild November weather.

Bluey

Spongebob Squarepants & Gary

Sinclair's Dino

Celebration Gator

Leo

Goku

Magic Meets the Sea

Stuart the Minion

Uncle Dan

Elf Pets

Pikachu & Eevee

Heartwarming Holiday Countdown

Palace of Sweets

Macy's Singing Christmas Tree

04513

MDLinx Comic Consult #13

The MDLinx Comic Consult is a caption contest open only to doctors with a sense of humor. Prizes are a $100 Amazon gift card for first place, and $50 gift cards for up to four runners up. I won a $50 gift card for contest #12 and immediately spent it, so I'm fired up. This is contest #13 and it features a physician exercising questionable judgment. Five entries are permitted; each of mine is shown below. The cartoon is by Jonny Hawkins.

"Now I'm going to check your reaction time."
"There's nothing to worry about. I hardly ever miss."
"Don't move. My malpractice insurance is riding on this."
"There. That's everything but the informed consent."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a prostate exam?"

December 3, 2023 Update:  The Winner

04512

Giving Thanks 2023

Thank You, no. 63/200
Roz Chast

Roz Chast's signature and the limitation

Throughout these dozen years or so of attempted blogging, I have benefited from the support of a bevy of generous contributors, advisors, and occasional nitpickers. I owe a great debt to each of the individuals listed below for offering much-appreciated help and inspiration to me over these past twelve months. To any others I may have neglected to include this go round, please accept my thanks despite my inexcusable laxity. 

Tom Bloom

Scott Burns

Vincent Coca

David from Manhattan

Linda H. Davis

Claude Haber

Joel Jacobus

Stephen Kroninger

Beth Lawler

Michael Maslin

Paul Nesja

Ben Roth

Steve Stoliar

Uki

Roz Chast
eBay listing accessed November 23, 2023
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155283797672?_trksid=p1.c101732.m5053&_trkparms=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F155283797672%3F_trkparms%3Damclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20230719113457%26meid%3Dd745b3e5febc4a91a25724ec1a71cbd8%26pid%3D101732%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26b%3D1%26sd%3D166400801

410%26itm%3D155283797672%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D1%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebWithV11WebTrimmedV3VisualRankerWithKnnV3AndUltBRecall&_trksid=p1.c101732.m5053&mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m5053.l9429&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=1c98a06b5d6742969972ed34cc093a10&bu=43186000575&ut=RU&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20231028013642&segname=11021

Roz Chast
eBay item description

Note:  The limited edition Thank You print by Roz Chast is new to me. Is it recent? I'm curious as to which Bloomsbury Press title this print is associated with.

04511

Thanksgiving 1951: Otto Soglow for Baker Furniture

A 1951 ad for Baker Furniture shows off the unmistakeable style of Otto Soglow. It was published in The New Yorker where Soglow's cartoons were popular and, as his work was widely known, it may have appeared in print elsewhere as well. The ad is in the form of a single-panel cartoon but it has a decorative frame around it with some additional copy, so it shouldn't be mistaken for one of the magazine's signature drawings. At Thanksgiving, we are reminded to be "especially" thankful for the some of the material things in life.

"And especially we are thankful for our Baker furniture"
Otto Soglow
The New Yorker, November 24, 1951, p. 135

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1951-11-24/flipbook/134/

Just look at all those pages in the magazine, and all those ads.

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1951-11-24/flipbook/134/

04510

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #875

The geese have taken wing with their briefcases in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #875 from the issue of November 20, 2023. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Sofia Warren.

"Is it Monday already?"

These captions didn't exactly soar:

"Why can't WE learn to work together."
"Their cases will never float."
"Not every case will make it to the Supreme Court."
"Next time why don't we try a working vacation?"
"Is it tax season already?"
"You have to admire their spirit."
"I mourn the loss of innocence."
"They must save a fortune on airfare."

December 3, 2023 Update:  The Finalists

December 4, 2023 Update:  I spread my wings and voted for the caption from New York.

December 15, 2023 Update:  The Winner

04509

Ludwig Bemelmans: Madeline's Rescue from the Seine

Poor Madeline would now be dead
But for a dog
That kept its head,
And dragged her safe from a watery grave.

—Madeline's Rescue (1953)

Ludwig Bemelmans

On Friday, Heritage Auctions offered an original interior book illustration from Madeline's Rescue (1953) by Ludwig Bemelmans. Madeline, trying to scare Miss Clavel, has taken a fall into the Seine. The illustration shows her being dragged to safety by the dog who would soon be named Genevieve. The scene is surely one of the most affecting moments of her adventure. The Heritage estimate was $60,000 to $80,000. Prior to the sale, the reserve was announced to be $60,000, precisely the low estimate. (This piece had been sold in 2021 at Freeman's for $63,000, so the seller used the reserve to protect the original investment. It's praiseworthy, by the way, that Heritage is so transparent about reserves.) Be that as it may, there can't be too many illustration collectors who can summon this kind of money on demand. None of them happened to bid the reserve amount on Friday, so the piece was made available after the sale at the reserve price plus the buyer's premium, a Buy Now price of $75,000. It's a lot of money, but then the drawing is iconic.

Ludwig Bemelmans
Heritage listing accessed September 12, 2023, four days prior to the sale

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/ludwig-bemelmans-american-1898-1962-and-dragged-her-safe-from-a-watery-grave-madeline-s-rescue-interior-book-illustra/a/8145-67036.s?ic4=GalleryView-BidNow-071515#

Ludwig Bemelmans
Heritage item description

Ludwig Bemelmans
Freeman's, December 5, 2021

https://www.freemansauction.com/auctions/american-art-and-pennsylvania-impressionists-featuring-the-collection-of-virginia-and-stuart-peltz-1720/lot/29A

Detail from Freeman's

04508