David Levine has not only signed a bookplate, he's drawn a caricature of a pen as well. This bookplate has never found its way into a book, but presumably that is what it was intended for. It is an orphan now available on eBay.
Here's a similar but more detailed and more caustic caricature of a pen in a copy of Levine's book Pens and Needles, published in1969. It is currently offered for sale on eBay.
Now, did you read what I read? This last admittedly wordy eBay listing offers the tantalizing biographical detail that Levine once illustrated the magazine covers for both Time and Newsweek during the same week, a fact of which the editors of both were unaware prior to publication. What an incredible coup! I did not know of this.
Here's a cruder example sold on eBay in June:
Note: For more on the topic of caricature, see my earlier blog posts here.
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| David Levine bookplate |
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David Levine bookplate
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| David Levine, Pens and Needles, 1969, title page inscribed "To Charles + Pat Searle," signed with a caricature of a pen by David Levine and dated 2/6/78. |
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| David Levine, Pens and Needles, 1969, Book Cover |
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| http://www.ebay.com/itm/DAVID-LEVINE-ANNOTATED-BOOK-SIGNED-02-06-1978-/300257347291?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45e8bb86db |
From historydirect, the same eBay seller offering Pens and Needles, here is another caricature drawing of a pen by David Levine being offered on eBay:
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David Levine, caricature of a pen signed D. Levine drawn on a printed postcard of a caricature of Chekhov from The New York Review of Books.
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| http://www.ebay.com/itm/DAVID-LEVINE-SKETCH-SIGNED-CIRCA-1976-/370211587170?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5632548462 |
Now, did you read what I read? This last admittedly wordy eBay listing offers the tantalizing biographical detail that Levine once illustrated the magazine covers for both Time and Newsweek during the same week, a fact of which the editors of both were unaware prior to publication. What an incredible coup! I did not know of this.
Is such a thing even possible? Tune in tomorrow.
August 14, 2015 Update:
A beautiful example of David Levine's souvenir pen drawing was offered on eBay at a very reasonable price.
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| EBay Listing Ended May 17, 2015 |
Here's a cruder example sold on eBay in June:
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| EBay Listing Ended June 3, 2015 |
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| EBay Item Description |
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| EBay Bid History |
Note: For more on the topic of caricature, see my earlier blog posts here.
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