Peter Arno and Whitney Darrow, Jr.: "A Delightful Addition to Any Child's Bookshelf"?

eBay seller kna_4183 is new to the auction platform, having just joined in November, so perhaps I should go easy on him—but I won't. A current eBay listing offers three cartoon books by New Yorker cartoonist Peter Arno, one by Whitney Darrow, Jr., Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit (1907) by Joel Chandler Harris, and Colette and the Princess (1965) by Louis Slobodkin. The group is listed under the title "Joel Chandler Harris & Peter Arno • Illustrated Children's Hardcover Book Lot." To which I would only ask, "Are you sure these are really all children's books?"

This is an unconventional grouping, to be sure. There are fifty-eight years and two world wars between the two actual children's books in the lot, those of Harris and Slobodkin. In between are four books by New Yorker cartoonists that collect some of the wittiest and most sophisticated cartoons of their era. These books are Peter Arno's Parade (1929), his Hullabaloo (1930), and his Sizzling Platter (1949), as well as Whitney Darrow, Jr.'s, "You're Sitting on My Eyelashes" (1943). They're not in any way harmful to children, but they were all marketed to adults. The dust jacket to Peter Arno's Sizzling Platter with its delectable double entendre makes that pretty plain.

Here's how the eBay seller describes the listing: "This product is a lot of illustrated children's hardcover books featuring stories by Joel Chandler Harris, Peter Arno, and others. The books are in English and are original editions, with illustrations done by Louis Slobodkin. The stories fall under the genres of fairy tales and fantasy, making them perfect for young readers to enjoy. This collection would be a delightful addition to any child's bookshelf, offering a mix of classic tales and whimsical illustrations to spark imagination and creativity." They are all treated as if they had exactly the same sort of fairy story content and were all illustrated by Slobodkin. But the Harris book has folk tales, not fairy tales, and the Arno and Darrow books have single panel cartoons, not stories. Did the seller ever look inside them?

Peter Arno, Whitney Darrow, Jr., Joel Chandler Harris, and Louis Slobodkin
eBay listing ended March 14, 2026

https://www.ebay.com/itm/147190625647?

Peter Arno, Whitney Darrow, Jr., Joel Chandler Harris, and Louis Slobodkin
eBay item description

Since February 14, this lot has been relisted on eBay every Saturday at the same price, $90.

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Isabel's Copy of "You're Sitting On My Eyelashes" by Whitney Darrow, Jr.

In 1943, Whitney Darrow, Jr., collected his New Yorker work of the prior decade in a collection called "You're Sitting On My Eyelashes." Isabel's copy, whatever her identity, has an original full-page sketch by the cartoonist. It is dated in November of the year of publication. His wife Middy gets in on the fun as well, inscribing the book underneath Darrow's printed drawing of a woman with "Love/ Middy Darrow, Jr." The book was just sold on eBay in November, a full eighty years after the drawing was made.

Additionally inscribed "Love/Middy Darrow, Jr."

"Mr. Jackson has contributed
most generously to Bundles for Britain."
* * *
". . . and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as
ye both shall live? . . . True or false?"

"As you know, Collins, this national-defense situation has left us a bit shorthanded. Can you ride a bicycle?"

"It's some radio survey, Ma'am. They                "Don't look now, but I think we're 
 want to know if you're happy."                            all set for the evening." 

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
eBay listing ended November 18, 2022

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255823070725?hash=item3b903e4605%3Ag%3AQN4AAOSwdsljbp8g&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoO9Z8X6ViHHBO0FMd

LhI0fe8OXe1Y4ClEoF%2FQvibV7TKVJ7Eiku5%2BQT%2FZ%2BlXnP1lYTukJ9BPqVsVmUi91LPml%2Fe%2FQMvJWKBVFqKlf8sdlma0OjEAqFiQdKQBkVZOx6qcg31k7mh00JJpA4vfIeYVmv%2FNCO4gGJyMNrmtX%2F

mCd5RkTSMcSzs6Z4IKN%2BznaT8ds0CgEhRIzG177OPZ2gKwkhA%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4jr_5S6YQ&nma=true&si=64J6TuENCQvl%252FEQuIbsoMEcDQlw%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
eBay item description

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
eBay bid history
Just one bid with five seconds to spare

Note:  At this point, I've shown enough of these Whitney Darrow books to make it clear to anybody that I'd like to keep doing this. Help a blogger out by sending your scans and photos of original book sketches by Darrow.

04209

"You're Sitting On My Eyelashes" Cover Art

Last month, Whitney Darrow, Jr.,'s original cover art to his 1943 collection "You're Sitting on my Eyelashes" was sold at Swann Galleries for $850. I've always found the cover art to be too much of a hodgepodge, different cartoons situations all thrown together incongruously in the Central Park setting, but nevertheless it's quite an attractive piece for the price.

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Original cover art for "You're Sitting on my Eyelashes" (1943).
Swann Galleries, January 24, 2013

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2300+++++130+&refno=++666928&saletype=

Whitney Darrow, Jr.

Original cover art for "You're Sitting on my Eyelashes" (1943).

Swann Galleries, January 24, 2013

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2300+++++130+&refno=++666928&saletype=

$1,020 with the buyer's premium

The published book:

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
"You're Sitting on my Eyelashes" (New York:  Random House, 1943).

http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Sitting-Eyeglasses-Album-Cartoons/dp/B000XHCNEQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362139927&sr=1-3-fkmr0&keywords=%22You%27re+Sitting+on+my+Eyelashes%22

June 18, 2014 Update:  Darrow's original cover art is now available through Taraba Illustration Art, LLC.

Whitney Darrow, Jr. Original cover art, "You're Sitting on my Eyelashes" (New York:  Random House, 1943).
Taraba Illustration Art, LLC

Detail with apparent repaired tear

http://www.tarabaillustrationart.com/art288.shtml

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