The Flehartys's Copy of B. Tobey of The New Yorker

B. Tobey of The New Yorker is Barney Tobey's 1983 cartoon collection. All the drawings are from the magazine not-so-casually mentioned in the title, published between 1949 and 1981. A copy inscribed to the Flehartys in December of the year of publication is currently available from Curtis Paul Books, Inc., of Northridge, California. 

Barney Tobey
AbeBooks listing accessed October 7, 2025

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/B-Tobey-New-Yorker-Dodd-Mead/31680705295/bd

Barney Tobey
AbeBooks Item Description

Note:  Take a trip into the blog archives to compare Lawrence R. Quinn's copy of B. Tobey of The New Yorker here.

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Bill Moyers's Copy of B. Tobey of The New Yorker

From Judith and Bill Moyers's personal library, an inscribed copy of B. Tobey of The New Yorker (1983) was offered for sale in the Rare Book Room of Strand Bookstore in June of 2015. This copy was photographed on November 14 and was subsequently sold.

B. Tobey of The New Yorker (1983) inscribed
"Dec. 3, '85
To:  Judith and
Bill Moyers
With Warmest
Regards ***
B Tobey—"

Bookseller notations:
"6/15
$40.00
1st ed.
Inscribed by the artist
to Judith and Bill Moyers"

Strand Bookstore

http://www.strandbooks.com/product/b-tobey-of-the-new-yorker-9111411287

Note:  Now we've seen a couple of excellent copies of this book, both personalized by Barney Tobey. The perpetrator of this blog is always pleased to share outstanding copies of books by New Yorker artists, especially those containing original signatures, inscriptions, and drawings. So why not send along your scans?

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Barney Tobey's Better Angel

A copy of B. Tobey of The New Yorker (1983) bears an inscription to Lawrence R. Quinn, probably the Chicago-based freelance writer. It is dated November 1984 and offers a greeting for the New Year. Barney Tobey's original drawing of a musically-inclined angel is a special bonus. The book was sold on eBay in November.

Barney Tobey
eBay Listing Ended November 10, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/B-TOBEY-OF-THE-NEW-YORKER-Illustrated-Signed-drawing-1st-Edition-1983-HC-DJ-/262126676277?hash=item3d07f7a935%3Ag%3Arg0AAOSwLVZV40RF&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Barney Tobey
eBay Item Description

eBay Bid History
Two bidders duke it out over a buck.

Note:  From the blog archives:

Barney Tobey

Signed books with drawings

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"I know more about art than you do, so I'll tell you what to like."

In September 2009, this classic original cartoon art by Barney Tobey was sold on eBay. It had been first published in The New Yorker on May 21, 1966, and was reprinted in The New Yorker Album of Art and Artists (1970). It appeared too in the artist's collection B. Tobey of The New Yorker (1983). It serves as the lead cartoon in The Museum of Modern Art Book of Cartoons (2008). It might very well have been collected in other books as well. As cartoons on the subject of art go, this one is pretty much perfect, and surely one of Tobey's best.

"I know more about art than you do, so I'll tell you what to like."
Barney Tobey
Original artwork
The New Yorker, May 21, 1966

Barney Tobey's signature

Hand-written caption

Verso

"I know more about art than you do, so I'll tell you what to like."
Barney Tobey
The New Yorker, May 21, 1966

J

"I know more about art than you do, so I'll tell you what to like."
Barney Tobey
The New Yorker, May 21, 1966

January 18, 2021 Update:  This post has been modified to reflect that the cartoon was collected in B. Tobey of The New Yorker (1983).

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