Maurice Sendak: Fantasy Sketches

Fantasy Sketches is a catalogue issued by the Rosenbach Foundation of Philadelphia on the occasion of an exhibition of art by Maurice Sendak. It was first published in 1970. A signed copy with an event invitation was offered by Tavistock Books of Alameda in February of 2020. This example is possibly the third edition from 1982. It has long since been sold.

Maurice Sendak
AbeBooks listing accessed c. February 3, 2020

https://www.abebooks.com/FANTASY-SKETCHES-Sendak-Maurice-1928-2012/30558079031/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=readmore

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John and Therese Wright's Copy of Desclozeaux

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni in South Kensington held an exhibition of work by French cartoonist Jean-Pierre Desclozeaux in January and February of 1982. It was the artist's first showing in England. The exhibit featured a sampling of the artist's vibrant watercolors. The catalogue has an appreciative introduction by Ronald Searle. John and Therese Wright's copy has some foxing on the cover, but it boasts an inscription by the artist in multicolored pencil.

The Institut français du Royaume-Uni, London
Desclozeaux, 1982

Slightly foxed—but still desirable

Spine view

Inscription by Jean-Pierre Desclozeaux

"Apropos Desclozeaux" by Ronald Searle

Desclozeaux
eBay Listing Ended November 18, 2019

https://www.ebay.com/itm/034-DESCLOZEAUX-034-SIGNED-1982-EXHIBITION-CATALOGUE-INSTITUT-FRANCAIS-LONDON-/392530998969?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Desclozeaux
eBay Item Description

eBay Bid History
One stealthy bid at the auction close.

Note:  I'm almost certain that perfectly-centered Searle signature is a printed one that appears in every copy of the catalogue. Anyone with a copy who can confirm or refute this should get in touch.

This is the first appearance of Jean-Pierre Desclozeaux on Attempted Bloggery. Readers with examples of his original art are encouraged to share them here by submitting scans or photos.

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Catalogues

Ronald Searle

Signed Books

Spring

Attempted Bloggery's Franco-American Index

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Lee Lorenz: Ecce Femina

Lee Lorenz's color lithograph Ecce Femina (the title is a play on the Latin Ecce Homo, "behold the man," from the Gospel of John) dates from 1982 and was published in an edition of 80. The woman at the center of the composition is Eve; she whom we are asked to behold is herself preoccupied with beholding the woman in her hand mirror. Meanwhile Adam seems ready to take a fall for her, St. George battles his dragon for her, and Pan plays the pipes, presumably in an attempt to get her attention. At the bottom of the composition an unconventional pair of suitors is eager to present her with flowers. The overall effect, though, is lacking in coherence. The colors, judging by the scan, appear unhappily muddy. 

Lee Lorenz
Ecce Femina
Edition of 80, 1982

https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Ecce-Femina/2CE658EFC1103309

Note:  This is the fourth and last of the lithographs by Lee Lorenz that I am aware of. The chronological sequence is The Temptation of St. Anthony (1981), Ecce Femina (1982), Weight Watcher (c. 1989), and In the Beginning (1990). If there are any others I've missed, or other states of these four prints, please let me know.

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The Water Flowers Signed by Edward Gorey

It seems superfluous to speak of oddities where the published work of Edward Gorey is concerned. Even so, The Water Flowers (1982) doesn't seem especially typical of the artist. The water flowers convey an unearthly menace with their spearlike form and subtle undulation in the current. Although they occur together, they each appear very much isolated. Compositional monotony is averted through variations in flower height on the cover (and depth in the interior illustration), and by Gorey giving each group a single flower that curves away from the vertical. Even the irregular spacing of the lettering on the cover across the flower stalks is unsettling. This signed copy is currently available on Abe Books.

Edward Gorey, The Water Flowers, 1982

Edward Gorey's signature

Edward Gorey
Abe Books Listing as of October 28, 2017

https://www.abebooks.com/Water-Flowers-GOREY-EDWARD-Congdon-Weed/22584663114/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook

Note:  I seek scans or photos of rare books and original art and oddities by Edward Gorey,


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Edward Gorey

Attempted Bloggery's Flowery Index

02348

Bumming a Greeting from James Stevenson

One of the late James Stevenson's stock characters, an unshaven tramp, offers a friendly wave of greeting in a presentation copy of Let's Boogie! The New Yorker cartoonist's collection was signed and inscribed to Bob Hemminger with the original drawing in 1982, four years after the collection's publication. Today this copy is available from History for Sale in the $450-$500 range. What an irony, though, that a couple of the artist's original published New Yorker cartoons have sold for considerably less than this book's asking price, as we've noted here in the days since Mr. Stevenson's passing.

Inscribed "For Bob Hemminger—
Best wishes—
Jim Stevenson
                 1982"

James Stevenson
Let's Boogie!, 1978

James Stevenson
Title page, Let's Boogie!, 1978

History for Sale listing as of February 28, 2017

http://www.historyforsale.com/james-stevenson-inscribed-original-art-signed-1982/dc9062

November 29, 2025 Update:  The book was published in 1978, not 1982. I have corrected the post accordingly.

Note:  To continue to celebrate the life and work of the late James Stevenson, I would like to hear from readers with original book drawings like this one, or other artwork and memorabilia.


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James Stevenson (1929-2017)
Signed books with original drawings

Another book signed to Bob Hemminger from Edward Koren

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Christmas Eve with Ronald Searle

Christmas Eve depicts two loving cats decorating their Christmas tree the last minute. Ronald Searle's original Christmas card illustration from 1982 is exceedingly colorful and charming.

Ronald Searle, Christmas Eve, 1982

Christie's South Kensington, Sale 9314, Lot 196, December 4, 2002

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/ronald-william-fordham-searle-christmas-eve-4032917-details.aspx?from=searchresults&pos=3&intObjectID=4032917&sid=fc452f62-298b-44cf-933f-cf6d15624e56&page=2&lid=1

Note:  Further blog reading:
           Cats
           Ronald Searle
           Christmas
           Original Christmas card art

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Ronald Searle: The Twelve Days of Christmas—and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Ronald Searle's 1982 original illustration of the Twelve Days of Christmas was sold by Christie's in 2001 for a very festive price. The artwork features a Searle cat and was created for a Camden Graphics Christmas card. It also depicts a partridge in a pear tree—and it's delicious!

Ronald Searle, The Twelve Days of Christmas—and a Partridge in a Pear Tree1982, Camden Graphics

Christie's South Kensington, Sale 9281, Lot 236, December 6, 2001
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/ronald-william-fordham-searle-the-twelve-days-3851649-details.aspx?from=searchresults&pos=4&intObjectID=3851649&sid=fc452f62-298b-44cf-933f-cf6d15624e56&page=2&lid=1

Christie's Lot Description

Christie's Lot Notes

Note:  Further blog reading:
           Ronald Searle
           Christmas
           Original illustration art

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