Maurice Sendak: Moishe by Moonlight

We are plausibly told that the second state of Maurice Sendak's 1980 etching Moishe by Moonlight is a rarity, but that doesn't quite tell us how many prints of this image were actually pulled. It's an atmospheric etching of a Wild Thing that would look splendid on any wall. Some of us who admire it though might find the $60,000 price tag to be somewhat prohibitive. 

Maurice Sendak
Moishe by Moonlight
Etching, Second State, 1980

Maurice Sendak

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?cm_sp=SearchF-_-topnav-_-Results&kn=Moishe%20by%20Moonlight&sts=t

I believe I saw this impressive piece on display at the Society of Illustrators in November but I was not up to the challenge of photographing it through reflective glass.

Maurice Sendak
Moishe by Moonlight
Etching, Second State, 1980
The Society of Illustrators
November 6, 2020

03154

New Yorker Cartoon Copper Printing Plates

Joel Jacobus, cataloguer and chronicler of all things Addams, writes of three recent eBay sales of copper plates used in the printing process for cartoons. The first sale was in May of 2019. An eBay seller located in Illinois offered a Charles Addams copper printing plate featuring the reverse image of a full page cartoon. Joel noted that a plate such as this is apparently quite rarely if ever seen on the market. He writes, "The seller said that she had been to an estate sale in April of someone who work[ed] in the printing industry and that they had a lot of printing plates. She had bought a few to see if anyone was interested in them. There were very few bids on the Addams plate..." 

Charles Addams copper printing plate

Photo courtesy of Joel Jacobus

Joel goes on, "This copper printing plate is 7.25 x 10.5”. The drawing shows explorers bushwhacking through the jungle as they come upon a giant maze. It appears in Addams’ last book Creature Comforts. The website Artnet, states that the drawing is from 1980 and that the original was sold at auction on May 10, 2003. Since it had no caption, the auction gallery selling it listed it in their brochure as Intrepid Explorers About To Enter A Maze.”

Artnet

http://www.artnet.com/artists/charles-addams/intrepid-explorers-about-to-enter-a-maze-JRvRfbz6rNb_RSUXd1pe3g2

Printed copy of Addams cartoon marked 36

Photo courtesy of Joel Jacobus

Charles Addams copper printing plate

Photo courtesy of Joel Jacobus

Prior to its appearance in Creature Comforts, this drawing appeared in the May 19, 1980 issue of the New Yorker. The number 36 written across the printer's proof corresponds to its page number in the New Yorker.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1738241852/drawing-life-with-george-booth/description

Joel continues, "Then a month later another Charles Addams printing plate was offered by a different seller and it had a lot of interested bidders and sold for six times" the price of the first one. "Why? No idea. Strange that I’ve never seen one for sale before and then suddenly two show up within a month of each other. Perhaps they came from the same estate sale."

That seems likely, as the two Addams cartoons were published only six weeks apart.

The number 49 is written on the printed page above and on the back of the copper plate, below. This, we will soon see, again corresponds to the cartoon's page number in the New Yorker.

"49"
Back of Charles Addams cartoon copper printing plate

Charles Addams cartoon copper printing plate

Charles Addams
eBay Listing Ended June 13, 2019

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ADDAMS-FAMILY-Charles-Addams-Comic-PRINTERS-PLATE-Copper-/123794660799?hash=item1cd2bc9dbf%3Ag%3At4gAAOSwSZ5c-bZI&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Charles Addams
eBay Item Description

Charles Addams
eBay Bid History
Four bidders place a remarkable six bids in the last seven seconds of the auction.

"Don't worry. They'll be out by the tenth."
Charles Addams
The New Yorker, April 7, 1980, page 49

https://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1980-04-07#folio=048

Joel notes that "Each plate at the estate sale was wrapped in several layers of plain white paper and had a magazine page, showing the image from the plate, taped to the wrapping paper. The page looks like an actual page from the magazine, same type of paper and it’s printed on both sides, so it probably isn’t a printer’s proof." That's an interesting observation. If it isn't a printer's proof, why did someone go to the trouble of trimming off the caption? The caption, of course, was not part of the plate and had to be set in type separately.

A third plate sold on eBay, much smaller, is by New Yorker cartoonist Barney Tobey.

"31"

Barney Tobey cartoon copper printing plate

Detail of Barney Tobey cartoon copper printing plate

"31"

Back of Barney Tobey cartoon copper printing plate

Barney Tobey
eBay Listing Ended June 5, 2019

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-SIGNED-B-TOBEY-BRIDE-CARTOON-METAL-COPPER-PRINT-PLATE-NEW-YORKER-/173916966852?hash=item287e424fc4%3Ag%3AFhQAAOSwi5Nc5Bc-&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Barney Tobey
eBay Item Description

Barney Tobey
eBay Bid History
One early bid

Printed copy of Tobey cartoon marked for page 31

Photo courtesy of Joel Jacobus

Barney Tobey cartoon copper printing plate

Photo courtesy of Joel Jacobus

"I want her first marriage to be a beautiful one."
Barney Tobey
The New Yorker, June 2, 1980, page 31

https://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1980-06-02#folio=030

Finally, Joel asks, "Is the entire printing run of the New Yorker magazine done in one printing plant? If so, does that mean that this is the only copper plate for this Addams image? Or, if multiple printing plants around the country are used, how many printing plates might there be of this image? Of course, these questions pertain to the New Yorker printing as it was done circa 1980."


Note:  So those are very good questions. How many printing presses were needed to produce the national net press run? Were multiple copies of the copper plates produced for the published cartoons or is each unique? Over what years were these copper plates used in production? Does anyone know of other cartoon printing plates?

I want to thank Joel Jacobus for introducing me to this brand new subject. Who knew?


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Charles Addams

Barney Tobey

The New Yorker

Joel Jacobus

Attempted Bloggery's Mazelike Index

03022

Inspector Mouse Signed by Ralph Steadman, Part 2

Inspector Mouse is a children's book by Bernard Stone with illustrations by Ralph Steadman published in 1980. Twenty-five years later, Mr. Steadman inscribed a copy in red ink complete with trailing ink blotches and an original drawing of the mouse over the printed magnifying glass. This copy is currently offered on eBay. We have seen a variation on this transformation of the magnifying glass into a mouse the first time we saw a copy of this book.

Bernard Stone, Inspector Mouse, 1980

Inscribed "For Jeffrey Helman/from Ralph Steadman/2005" with a drawing of the mouse

eBay Listing as of October 2, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RALPH-STEADMAN-Inspector-Mouse-SIGNED-First-Printing-with-ORIGINAL-DRAWING-/391577205136?hash=item5b2bd1f990:g:lhEAAOSwzaJX7Eyr

eBay Item Description

Note:  "A Retrospective:  Ralph Steadman" is on view in New York City at the Society of Illustrators. There are fewer than three weeks left to catch it. You'd better get busy.

Books that have been signed, dated, scribbled upon, drawn in, ink blotted, and otherwise altered by Ralph Steadman may be scanned or photographed and forwarded to the proper authorities, by which I mean me, for possible inclusion on the blog. This is what we bloggers term a call to action. Again, get busy.


Attempted Bloggery's quick links:

Ralph Steadman

Bernard Stone

Children's Books

Signed Books with Drawings, Sketches, or Doodles

Attempted Bloggery's Clueless Index

01985

Inspector Mouse Signed by Ralph Steadman

Inspector Mouse by author Bernard Stone and illustrator Ralph Steadman was published in 1980. It is the sequel to Emergency Mouse of 1978. Whether Ralph Steadman made a drawing like the one here only once or a thousand times, one has to be impressed by the sheer ingenuity involved in transforming the published magnifying glass into a likeness of the jittery mouse.

Bernard Stone, Inspector Mouse, 1980

Inscribed with a drawing of the mouse over the published magnifying glass "For Stephen Parr, Ralph Steadman 2006."

Note:  "A Retrospective:  Ralph Steadman" is now showing in  New York at the Society of Illustrators. If it were up to me, it would be called "Ralph Steadman:  A Retrospective." Otherwise, I'm pretty good with it.

Books signed, dated, inscribed, drawn upon, and otherwise mutilated by Ralph Steadman can be scanned, photographed, commented on, and otherwise documented by their owners for consideration by, inclusion in, or possible rejection from this blog. Steadman collectors please take note.


Attempted Bloggery's quick links:

Ralph Steadman

Bernard Stone

Rolling Stone

Signed Books with Drawings, Sketches, or Doodles

Inspect Attempted Bloggery's index yourself.

01966

Edward Koren's Eye Exam, Part 2

Reader David from Manhattan has found more books with original drawings by cartoonist Edward Koren from the library of the late Manhattan ophthalmologist David Pearce. Today's book is "Well, There's Your Problem." published in 1980. Can you make it out?

Edward Koren
Drawing inscribed "For David [Pearce]"
in "Well, There's Your Problem." (1980)

Scan courtesy of David from Manhattan

Note:  Thanks to David from Manhattan for his excellent work unearthing books with original drawings by Edward Koren. Even Indiana Jones couldn't do that.

Quick links:

Edward Koren on this blog, including Part 1 of the Eye Exam

Books with original drawings

Ink Spill's recent tribute to George Booth (which mentions this blog)

Peter Arno posts

Attempted Bloggery's index

01907

Jogging with George Booth

In 1980, cartoonist George Booth designed some bedding on the subject of jogging. Along the way he offers lots of good, practical advice. Here's a listing found last year on eBay:

EBay Listing Ending 4/26/2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-George-Booth-Cartoonist-Art-Exercise-Motivational-sheet-set-fabric-Exc-/271843575131?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f4b23c55b#shpCntId

EBay Item Description

This bedding is currently available on Etsy, with the added benefit of a good ironing:

Etsy Item Copied June 25, 2016

https://www.etsy.com/il-en/listing/228405298/cartoon-runner-athlete-twin-sheet-set

Etsy Item Description

Also from Etsy are matching pillow covers listed individually at $20:

Start slowly.

Etsy pillow cover

Loosen up.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/127382322/loosen-up-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-7

Proper footwear is a must!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/126898705/proper-footwear-is-a-must-16-pillow?ref=related-7

Determine your speed.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/127346861/determine-your-speed-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-7

Don't let the weather slow you down.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/126996280/dont-let-the-weather-slow-you-down-16?ref=related-5

Don't cut corners too closely.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/127418085/dont-cut-corners-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-7

Watch out for neighborhood dogs...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/126964629/watch-for-dogs-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-0

Keep your eye on the road.

Etsy pillow case

Stop and rest if you feel the need.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/127391496/stop-rest-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-6

Don't get lost!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/126903084/dont-get-lost-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-2

Jogging is not just for the young!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/126901749/jogging-is-not-just-for-the-young-16?ref=related-1

Jogging clears the mind and prepares you to
face a new day refreshed and renewed.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/126963876/jogging-clears-the-mind-16-pillow-cover?ref=related-7

Note:  With this post, I hope to make Attempted Bloggery the world's leading authority on bedsheets designed by New Yorker cartoonists. I find you can be very successful in the blogosphere if you don't set your sights too high.

Meanwhile, George Booth will turn 90 this coming Tuesday. There's still time to relive the joy of this blog's collected posts about the art of George Booth.

While you're at it, don't miss Michael Maslin's Ink Spill posts about George Booth which now include a splendid photo of the artist's 90th birthday cake. All may be found here.


Chris Wheeler's Cartoon(ist) Galleries is a fine resource on George Booth. Just don't expect to find anything there about bedsheets.

Finally, if you'd like to know more about this great cartoonist, you don't want to miss Jane Mattimoe's recent interview with the man himself at A Case for Pencils.

01896