Bob's Copy of Playboy's New Kliban

The cartoon collection title Playboy's New Kliban (1980) makes it clear that B. Kliban, as he signed his name professionally, or Hap Kliban, as he was known to his friends, had achieved the status of an artist with name recognition solely through his surname. The cover drawing, in color, shows us Cliché Island, home to a number of cartoon tropes.

"Welcome to Cliché Island . . . have a nice day!"
B. Kliban

Inside there is an inscription to one Bob with an original drawing of a caveman and a cat, both of them wearing moose antlers. Kliban signs his nickname and provides some possibly intimate information, so perhaps Bob is a good friend.

"To Bob                 
from the ever-jolly  
but psychologically fragile
                           Hap Kliban"

B. Kliban
AbeBooks listing accessed April 20, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Playboys-New-Kliban-inscribed-B-Wideview/31834744184/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook

The sellers are Bud Plant & Hutchison Books, who write, "Many of the cartoons are of their period and might no longer seem as funny as they once did." That's one way to sell it. At post time the book is still available. Have a nice day!

"Many of the cartoons are of their period and might no longer seem as funny as they once did."
B. Kliban
AbeBooks item description

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Polly Rowles's Copy of Paris Was Yesterday 1925-1939 by Janet Flanner

Janet Flanner's prewar "Letter from Paris" columns for The New Yorker were collected in 1972, edited many decades after the fact by Irving Drutman. The resulting volume is Paris Was Yesterday 1925-1939. Jane Grant, who established the magazine with her husband Harold Ross, the founding editor, and financial backer Raoul Fleischmann, received some of her friend Flanner's letters and recruited her to the magazine in its first year. The author, who also wrote under the pseudonym Genêt, inscribed a copy of the book in 1973 to actress Polly Rowles at Sardi's.

Janet Flanner
AbeBooks listing accessed April 20, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Paris-Yesterday-1925-1939-Flanner-Janet-Viking/31820893639/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=readmore

Janet Flanner
AbeBooks item description

Polly Rowles for Hanes, 1983

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My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #896

The fast food is supersized in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #896 from the issue of May 13, 2024. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Lonnie Millsap.

"The special is all-you-can-eat egg salad."

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Woodland Café Dancing Couple Animation Drawing

Yesterday an animation drawing from Walt Disney's animated short "Woodland Café" (1937) was sold at Heritage Auctions. A caterpillar couple—or perhaps they're earwigs—is shown tearing up the dance floor. The art is from the lively opening of the Silly Symphony. The couple must be doing the jitterbug.

Sold!

Video still at 1:57

"Woodland Cafe" (1937)

Walt Disney Studios

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Tony Bennett's Verdura Night and Day Dress Set

Classy guy, that Tony Bennett. His friends Jeanne and Herb presented the Bennetts with an extraordinary dress set in 2015. The cufflinks and matching studs were designed by Fulco di Verdura inspired by Cole Porter's song "Night and Day" from the show "Gay Divorce" (1932) and the movie version "The Gay Divorcee" (1934). The song was a popular hit and endured as one of the standards performed by many, including Frank Sinatra and Bennett. The cufflinks were first presented to Porter in 1941.

Fulco di Verdura
Julien's Auctions listing ended April 18, 2024

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/tony-bennett-verdura-night-day-dress-set-156-c-3a641a7859?objectID=187809572&algIndex=undefined&queryID=164faaad18297e946cb1f549b6a6c442

On the day of the auction, presale bidding was far below the estimate:

Sold!

Fred Astaire

"Night and Day"

From "Gay Divorce" (1932)

Leo Reisman and his Orchestra

Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers

"Night and Day"

From "The Gay Divorcee" (1934)

Frank Sinatra

"Night and Day" (1957 version)

Tony Bennett

"Night and Day"

Perfectly Frank

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

"Night and Day"

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Tony Bennett's Original Warren Miller New Yorker Cartoon

Tony Bennett:  A Life Well-Lived was the name of an estate sale held at Julien's Auctions on April 18. When no less an institution than The New Yorker publishes a cartoon in which one's name is dropped and one then goes out and buys the original art of said cartoon, then one must surely be living the quintessential well-lived life. The cartoonist is Warren Miller. The cartoon itself is a somewhat surprising Down Under take on the singer, mate.

"O.K., man, so maybe you do sound a little bit like Tony Bennett.
Take my advice. Go back to Australia, marry that girl from
the next sheep station, and settle down."
Warren Miller
Original art
The New Yorker, June 9, 1975, p. 33

Warren Miller's signature

Warren Miller
Julien's Auctions listing of April 18, 2024 accessed in early April

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/tony-bennett-warren-miller-new-yorker-cartoon-22-c-f4d4b05a94?objectID=187809445&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=058cef7e7f3f878f50b25cb8bbe71348

Warren Miller
Julien's Auctions item description

Sold!

"O.K., man, so maybe you do sound a little bit like Tony Bennett. Take my advice. Go back to Australia, marry that girl from the next sheep station, and settle down."
Warren Miller
The New Yorker, June 9, 1975, p. 33

"O.K., man, so maybe you do sound a little bit like Tony Bennett. Take my advice. Go back to Australia, marry that girl from the next sheep station, and settle down."
Warren Miller
Original art
The New Yorker, June 9, 1975, p. 33

A geometric spot drawing and a cartoon by Warren Miller

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1975-06-09/flipbook/032/

This spot drawing seems to have an initial at the bottom of it. Could it be an H, as in Henry Martin? Oh, why not?

Spot
Henry Martin
The New Yorker, June 9, 1975, p. 32

Note:  Comedian Groucho Marx also owned a work of original New Yorker art that made reference to his work. It's all in my post here.

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