Rob's Copy of The Art in Cartooning

The book is The Art in Cartooning:  Seventy-five years of American Magazine Cartoons, published in 1975. The original owner was named Rob and he had the good sense to get his copy at a signing with multiple cartoonists present. The four who signed and decorated his book were Gahan Wilson, Sam Gross, Marvin Tannenberg, and Bill Woodman. The cover art is, of course, by Charles Saxon.

Inside the book, the cartoonists play off each other's sketches, top to bottom. Wilson starts it off in his macabre manner with a drawing of a waiter serving his customer: "This what you asked for, sir?" Gross changes the culinary subject to frog legs, a convenient reference to his most famous cartoon, which appeared in the National Lampoon: "No, you yo-yo / He asked for frogs legs." Tannenberg supplies a missing frog leg on his self-portrait with "What's this craziness with frog's legs[?]"

What's on the menu? Woodman takes us out of the dining room and into the kitchen where a chef is in the preliminary stages of preparing dinner. With a full page (or at the very least half of one) to himself, Woodman shines.

The Art in Cartooning
eBay listing ended August 2, 2024

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204890575268?epid=2911644&itmmeta=01J4AZMZ64DACWYWKGTV6M9R3X&hash=item2fb46e11a4:g:WtwAAOSwzFtk1BCX&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8Oz%2F1S0dmyDe7H2Y4X6i22p5vCV7MZPCQyGxvEkZG5ra%2FNVuozwauT2KyCj15RYCcZGnvvG%2BHesoDlO%2BeCG1o6lb7%2Fd9YyEpCAFKBEWvVU7MMJ%2FMfcu97t

ufa%2FsdO6hSiLkl%2BWilTk1Y812aAo4LHrmgo%2BbaDGqVtOvcBiuoCKhRgjaDlZXYAgeErEl1GOGEUE1SeZ5S2jyjWegGW4LCNAq604XGAk6g5ic%2Bir6deftQunh03Mz5%2BI5VINWjXvFa9PU8vjP6leJfp56vbEzI9ujeR%2BrJtxG7Wpwl%2F%2ByFVNLqmZPiYMo2t0WgvtCOHKL9DQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5Tz09-iZA

The Art in Cartooning
eBay item description

A best offer of $175 was not accepted. A counteroffer of $195 nevertheless sealed the deal.

Note:  This is the tenth very special copy of this book to appear here on the blog. Scans or photos of other personalized copies from book signings of yore are welcome.

04708

Maurice's Copy of The Wild, Wild Women by Vip

Scott Burns has come through yet again with a scan of another copy of Virgil Partch's The Wild, Wild Women (1952). Vip, as he is also known, has inscribed this book to Maurice and included a drawing of what can only be called a book chest.

Scan by Scott Burns

Note:  My thanks once again go to Scott Burns of Burns Bizarre for this and the previous Partch books and originals he's scanned for the blog. This is the tenth post to which he's contributed. I do keep count.

As we have seen, Virgil Partch was endlessly inventive when it came to making drawings for his fans. Attempted Bloggery seeks more signed Vip books with drawings or inscriptions.

03417

The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest #84

Jogging in the park—and over it—is the theme of the Cartoon Collections Caption Contest #84. My entries are shown here. The drawing is by Kendra Allenby.

"Brad, I'm so over you."
"So do you still think it's cool to stalk your ex?"
"Remember the first time I fell for you?"
"Guess who got herself the new Air Jordans?"
"I just had to get off the beaten path."
"Just a new skill I picked up during the lockdown."

July 29, 2020 Update:  The Winner

In his caption contest commentary, seven-time New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest winner Lawrence Wood lists my caption as one of "the two best puns." Just to be clear, he lists it first. This is the tenth time he's referenced one of my captions in the Cartoon Collections contest. I'm not counting last week, when he referenced something close to one of my entries, only better.

https://more.cartooncollections.com/runners-high-caption-contest-commentary-with-lawrence-wood/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Caption+Contest+and+Help+for+Your+Presentations&utm_campaign=Contest+7%2F29+Hafeez+Non-Customers&vgo_ee=e9FQoNFd7oYF6%2FlPg0DPrXwFoqDlMHNmyq65fGLdufk%3D

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Kendra Allenby

Jogging

The Cartoon Collections Caption Contest

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest

The Moment Magazine Cartoon Caption Contest

All the Collected Cartoon Caption Contests

Attempted Bloggery's Free-Floating Index

03327

Frances's Copy of The World of John Lardner

Sports writer John Lardner (1912-1960) wrote for the New York Herald Tribune, Newsweek, the New Yorker, and other leading publications. After his death, Roger Kahn (1927-2020) collected much of his work in The World of John Lardner (1961). Walt Kelly (1913-1973), of Pogo fame, provided the cover illustration in a straightforward journalistic style and wrote the preface as well. 

Tom Bloom provides us with a look at a very nice copy signed by both Roger Kahn and Walt Kelly in 1962. Frances, the lucky recipient, may have been a journalism student judging from Kahn's inscription. Underneath those words, Kelly just might have something to say about Kahn's handwriting.

Walt Kelly
The World of John Lardner edited by Roger Kahn
1961

Photo by Tom Bloom

Signed by Roger Kahn and Walt Kelley

Photo by Tom Bloom

Meanwhile, the good folks who edit Wikipedia have been unable to find a citation to verify Kelly's involvement with this project. Why such a citation is needed for information clearly visible on the book's cover is anybody's guess. So right now, having seen a beautiful copy of the book, you know more than Wikipedia's readers do.

From the Wikipedia Entry for John Lardner (sports writer)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lardner_(sports_writer)

Note:  My thanks to Tom Bloom for the superb photos. This is Tom's tenth contribution to Attempted Bloggery.

Roger Kahn, author of The Boys of Summer, passed away on February 6.

If anyone knows how to insert a proper citation in a Wikipedia entry, feel free.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Walt Kelly

Tom Bloom

Signed Books with Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Pulitzer Prize-Winning Index^{[citation needed]}

03191

J.P.'s Copy of The Art of The New Yorker 1925-1995

Say what you will about Tina Brown, who served as the New Yorker's editor from 1992 to 1998, she knew how to throw a party to launch a book. Case in point is the September 15, 1995 signing event for art editor turned cartoon editor Lee Lorenz's book The Art of The New Yorker 1925-1995. In the quarter century since its release, it has become abundantly clear that there are more copies of this book signed and embellished by multiple New Yorker cartoonists than of any other New Yorker collection. The most recent to come to light belonged to one J.P. It was sold at auction on Tuesday for $300, its low estimate. The page is dominated by a drawing of a fox by cartoonist Danny Shanahan. This fox is shown leaning against a wall and enjoying a drink at a party which must, come to think of it, be very similar to the book launch. Jack Ziegler's dog celebrates by lapping up his own drink. Roz Chast gives us a woman who knows how to dress up for the occasion. Victoria Roberts draws a crocodile imported from Down Under. Cartoonists Ed Fisher, Robert Weber, and Edward Sorel sign and pen a few words as well, but as usual they resist the urge to draw.

Lee Lorenz
Autographs of Prominent Personalities, Presidents, Pontiffs & Other Popular Personages
Lot 95
Lion Heart Autographs
March 3, 2020
New York, NY
Auction Accessed February 7, 2020

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/book-signed-by-seven-new-yorker-cartoonists-04F4293A3F

Sale result:

Note:  Can you believe it? This makes the tenth unique copy of Lee Lorenz's The Art of The New Yorker 1925-1995 we have seen here on Attempted Bloggery, and there's still plenty of room for the many others that must be out there. Readers are asked to kindly check your shelves and please send scans or photos of your own copy if you attended the signing back in the day; I'll try not to reveal your age. Tina Brown, I'm still waiting to see your copy.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Lee Lorenz

The Art of The New Yorker 1925-1995

Roz Chast

Ed Fisher

Victoria Roberts

Danny Shanahan

Edward Sorel

Robert Weber

Jack Ziegler

Signed Books with Original Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Foxy Index

03188

Gahan Wilson: The Road Not Taken

Jerome Wrinkle has contributed fresh scans of an original color cartoon by the late Gahan Wilson (1930-2019) which should please anyone who has ever despaired of understanding the behavior of the opposite sex. The drawing, set along a wintry, rural road, was first published in Playboy in 1990. It subsequently appeared in Gahan Wilson:  Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons (2009). Among other things, it is notable for making excellent use of a one-word caption.

Gahan Wilson
"Women!"
Original art
Playboy, November 1990, page 103
Gahan Wilson:  Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons (2009)

Scan by Jerome Wrinkle

Why place such a prominent hill on the left? Does it seem out of place with the farmland on the right? Wilson is trying to cover all the bases, having us look down on the men while we are looking up at the women. The road recedes while rising, giving us a simultaneous sense of perspective, depth, and altitude. One suspects some masterful sleight of hand here.

Verso

Scan by Jerome Wrinkle

Gahan Wilson
"Women!"
Playboy, November 1990, page 103

Scan by Jerome Wrinkle

Playboy, November 1990

Scan by Jerome Wrinkle

Note:  My thanks to Jerome Wrinkle for the beautiful scans. This is Jerome's tenth contribution to this blog.

03160

Peter Arno's Bunnies

Here are a pair of New Yorker covers featuring Easter bunnies by artist Peter Arno.

Peter Arno, The New Yorker, April 1, 1961

Peter Arno, The New Yorker, April 17, 1965

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