James Thurber: A Collection of Dogs

It is an unusually focused collection of James Thurber art and memorabilia that was sold on Sunday by Saratoga Estate Auction of, as one might guess, Saratoga, Florida. The fabulous theme is Thurber's dogs—on paper, on dishes, and in book form. 

The plates, the first edition of Thurber's Dogs (1955), and the postage stamps are well-established collectibles—cartoon commodities, if you will. But it is the two drawings, matted and framed, that are the one-of-a-kind finds. As such, they should be the prime determinants of the auction price.

James Thurber's shortened signature

James Thurber's signature

There are, of course, no dogs on the U.S. postage stamps. Now where have we seen that font?

It is, of course, misleading to offer such a collection with an auction estimate of $100 to $200, particularly with the two signed original Thurber drawings. But that's the point: the unrealistically low estimate allows potential buyers to visualize themselves winning the whole caboodle with a casual lowball bid. Who among us hasn't been the willing subject of such psychological manipulation from time to time?

James Thurber
Sarasota Estate Auction listing accessed May 25, 2025, two weeks before the sale

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/6-james-thurbers-collection-pieces-1471-c-6fc45188d5?objectID=197379768&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=9fb379145686519cfcf6cd35a3e627ce

James Thurber
Sarasota Estate Auction item overview

No bids had been placed as of May 25, 2025

Sold!

June 12, 2025 Update:  Today this post was discussed on Michael Maslin's Ink Spill. As a result, Sara Thurber Sauers was able to identify the two drawings as original book illustrations from  James Thurber’s The Beast in Me and Other Animals (1948).

Note:  Men, women, and dogs are the classic subjects that make up Thurber's artistic repertoire. I stand ready to display images of original Thurber art on the very blog you see before you.

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