Russ and Ada's Copy of Black Maria by Charles Addams

In 1960 when Charles Addams published the cartoon collection Black Maria, Uncle Fester was an as yet unnamed member of the Addams Family which, come to think of it, was also as yet unnamed. Not to worry—everyone would have a name by the time the 1964 television series was aired. The book's dust cover shows the ghoulish family as they are discovered enjoying a ride in a police van, also called a paddy wagon, also called a Black Maria.

Russ and Ada's copy, a first printing, was inscribed by the artist in New York in the year of publication. Addams inscribed it only to Russ. Ann and Wright, who presented the book as a gift, added Ada's name in a shaky hand meant to look like Addams's.

Fester meanwhile is lurking in the corner of the front free endpaper not quite undercover wearing an OSS cap. He clutches a dagger beneath his cloak, as one does.

The copyright page shows how important The New Yorker was to Addams, where the bulk of his work from this book was first published.

Charles Addams
AbeBooks listing acessed October 8, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=32006452903&searchurl=an%3DCharles%2BAddams%26ds%3D30%26rollup%3Don%26sortby%3D1%26tn%3DBlack%2BMaria&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp0-_-title1

Note:  This book is available from a Chicago bookseller at the time of posting. Most such books are nestled in private collections and come to the market maybe once in a generation. Of course, I'm happy to showcase important books personalized by Charles Addams even when they're not yet for sale. All I ask is for book collectors to send scans or photos of such Addams treasures along with whatever story they may know. Please send them by police van.

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Latrine Duty: John's Copy of Chas Addams' Black Maria

These days, with the new animated Addams Family movie haunting theaters, it's easy to think of Charles Addams exclusively as the progenitor of his famously creepy family. His prodigious talents as a cartoonist also took him in a great many other directions, and not always to those refined subjects one might expect of a New Yorker cartoonist. Predictably, most original Addams drawings found in his cartoon collections and inscribed to friends and fans depict various members of the Addams Family, but a book personalized to one John currently offered on eBay shows instead a hapless military serviceman engaged in what might be considered latrine duty. This then is a rare Addams example of deadpan bedpan humor.

                              "Is it anyone we know?"

Charles Addams
eBay Listing Retrieved October 20, 2019

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-BLACK-MARIA-CHARLES-ADDAMS-FAMILY-SIGNED-FIRST-EDITION-WITH-COMIC-DRAWING/122409813368?hash=item1c80318578:g:8FEAAOSwHPlWdHat

Charles Addams
eBay Item Description 

Note:  Stop me if you've heard this before. If you have access to a book like this one containing an original Charles Addams drawing like this one—or even not like this one—you are encouraged to scan or photograph it and send it along to Attempted Bloggery for possible inclusion in a future blog post.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Charles Addams

The Addams Family

Signed Books with Original Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Pisser of an Index

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Christmas with Claude

On Christmas morning the children come bounding down the stairs, but their joy is threatened by a Santa Claus who can't remain jolly for even two seconds. Original artwork by Claude Smith from the Christmas 1960 issue of the New Yorker was sold on eBay in September for $125. The artist, who signs his name Claude, doesn't command much of a market premium, but just observe how skillfully he handles the domestic scene here.

Claude Smith, "Don't run down the stairs!"
Original art, The New Yorker, December 24, 1960, page 32

Claude Smith, "Don't run down the stairs!"The New Yorker, December 24, 1960, page 32

Claude Smith, "Don't run down the stairs!"
Original art, The New Yorker, December 24, 1960, page 32

Detail with Claude Smith's signature

Detail

Peter Arno, The New Yorker, December 24, 1960

The published cartoon

Peter Arno, The New Yorker, December 24, 1960

eBay Listing Ended September 8, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Yorker-Magazine-SIGNED-ORIGINAL-Art-Work-DECEMBER-24-1960-Magazine-Too-/262614248208?hash=item3d25076b10%3Ag%3A8BQAAOSwOdpX0KeK&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

eBay Item Description

http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1960-12-24#folio=032

Note:  What's the best way to frame an original cartoon when it doesn't have its caption?

Attempted Bloggery's quick links:

Claude Smith

Original New Yorker Cartoon Art

Peter Arno

Santa Claus

Christmas

Attempted Bloggery's Gifted Index

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Saul Steinberg: The 1960 Calendar

Saul Steinberg's first calendar for Hallmark was published in 1960. A rare copy showed up on eBay and was sold for $100 last week after two previous weeks of failing to attract any bids. I have it on good authority that the seller immediately rescinded the sale, feeling this first calendar was worth considerably more and had been erroneously underpriced. Some days, eBay's terms of service don't seem to count for much.

Saul Steinberg, 1960 Hallmark Calendar

Saul Steinberg, January 1960

Saul Steinberg, 1960 Hallmark Calendar

Saul Steinberg, September 1960

Saul Steinberg, November 1960

EBay Listing Ended February 20, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-Calendar-12-Color-Reproductions-of-Drawings-by-Steinberg-/201286550647?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2edd9d0477&nma=true&si=MY%252BVlM1DDf4MNMNGGnCdh3m%252FHQQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

EBay Item Description

Note:  There's usually a lot to say about the art of Saul Steinberg.

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