Ten Items Signed by Eight Cartoonists

A group of ten items signed by eight comic strip cartoonists was sold at auction this past March in L.A. First day covers signed by a cartoonist unassociated with the stamp's subject matter don't generally do much for me unless the cartoonist interacts in some way with what is already printed, stamped, or postmarked. A signature even by the great Charles M. Schulz gains nothing, in my opinion, from its placement on a Walt Disney cover postmarked with the first day of issue. I'd prefer to keep the Disney cover and the Schulz signature separate, or better still, of course, to have the Schulz signature in a Peanuts book. I suppose any oddball, signed cover becomes an instant rarity, but so what? Among the sample of covers shown here, I give Bo Brown the highest mark. Chester Gould drew one of his ubiquitous Dick Tracy profiles on an unstamped Canadian Papineau cover; I don't see how this is in any way preferable to a sketch on a plain blank card or sheet of paper. The signed cards with printed cartoon images are nice enough, sure, but Marge's hand-drawn and personalized sketch of Little Lulu seems more thoughtful and therefore more desirable.

Cartoonists

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/cartoonists-ten-items-signed-by-eight-cartoonists-7b04b10b00#

Ten Items Signed by Eight Cartoonists

https://www.goldbergcoins.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/69/?page=1&key=Cartoonists&cat=&xclosed=no

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Buford Tune in College Humor, September 1937

Buford Tune (1906-1989) is best known as the creator of "Dotty Dripple," a comic strip which ran from 1944 to 1974 and resembled Chic Young's "Blondie." Two single-panel cartoons by Tune appear in the September 1937 issue of College Humor magazine. Both these cartoons derive their humor by confirming readers' suspicions about how powerful men take advantage of attractive women. In this world view, the behavior of both the casting director and the physician are governed by their libidos and answer to no professional code of conduct.

"Mr. Epworth is ready for your audition now!"
Buford Tune, College Humor, Vol. 6, No. 1, September 1937, page 40

"Isn't this a rather unusual prescription, doctor?"
Buford Tune, College Humor, Vol. 6, No. 1, September 1937, page 61

Note:  This Tune's got talent. Attempted Bloggery would like to show further examples of his published single-panel cartoons. Original cartoon art by Buford Tune. would be welcome too, of course.

Some biographical information on Tune can be found on Kees Kousemaker's Comiclopedia.

According to his capsule biography of the New Yorker cartoonist on Michael Maslin's Ink Spill, Tune is a member of the One Club for his single cartoon published in the issue of October 10, 1936.

This issue of College Humor is in the Steven Boss humor magazine collection at Columbia University where I photographed it. The Rare Book & Manuscript Library is home to some 5,600 humor magazines, more than anyone could ever hope to read, let alone photograph or blog about. Curator for Comics and Cartoons Karen Green can guide anyone to relevant parts of the collection. Don't get too far ahead of me now.

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Buford Tune

College Humor

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I hope we’ve passed the audition.

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With Hearty Good Wishes

Four works of cartoon art inscribed to one Richard Portofee have been framed together and are offered for sale by Gallery of History, Inc. A boy playing the trombone has been inscribed and signed by cartoonist Chon Day. A drawing of Andy Gump by Gus Edson is very nicely personalized. A souvenir print of the Bumsteads from "Blondie" is likewise dedicated by Chic Young. A color illustration of characters from "The Katzenjammer Kids" beautifully inscribed by Harold H. Knerr rounds out the delightful quartet.

According to ancestry.com, Richard Portofee was born in 1926 in Mineola, Long Island. He graduated from Nutley High School in Nutley, NJ in 1944. This would have made him either 14 or 15 in 1941at the time he obtained the drawing from Harold Knerr. That sounds about right to me. (I think I started at 16.) There is no biographical information on whether he played the trombone, but I suspect he did.

The set is offered at $4,999, which sounds high to me. I'm never entirely sure whether I should be commenting on offering prices, but I do anyway. Look, it's easy for me sitting at my computer to say an asking price is too low or, more likely, too high, but usually I'm content to let the market sort all that out. Eventually, even expensive works of art offered for sale will sell, even if buyers and sellers have to negotiate a bit. It's simply not in a dealer's interest to offer works, even significant ones, at a price that no one will pay. That said, this is a fairly pricey offering.

Four framed works inscribed to Richard Portofee from cartoonists Chon Day, Gus Edson, Chic Young, and Harold Knerr.
Note the hinge discoloration at the corners of each.

Chon Day, original color illustration of a boy playing the trombone inscribed "Best Wishes to Richard/Chon Day"
A sterling example, incidentally, of poor watermark placement.

Gus Edson, Andy Gump from The Gumps says "I'm proud to include Richard Portofee among my friends!" Very nice.

Chic Young, a souvenir print of the Bumsteads from Blondie inscribed "To Richard Portofee" and signed

Harold Knerr, color drawing with the Katzenjammer Kids saying, "Gesundheit, Richard!"

Inscribed "To Richard Portofee--with hearty good wishes from-- Harold H. Knerr '41." A prize!

http://www.amazon.com/CARTOONISTS-EDSON-HAROLD-KNERR-YOUNG/dp/B009NK49P0

The framed cartoons are being simultaneously listed on Amazon and eBay. Does anyone see a potential problem with this?

http://www.amazon.com/CARTOONISTS-EDSON-HAROLD-KNERR-YOUNG/dp/B009NK49P0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CARTOONISTS-CHON-DAY-GUS-EDSON-HAROLD-KNERR-CHIC-Y-/370085179781?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item562acbb185

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CARTOONISTS-CHON-DAY-GUS-EDSON-HAROLD-KNERR-CHIC-Y-/370085179781?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item562acbb185

July 17, 2016 Update:  This piece has been discounted by about $500 and the watermarks have been removed from the eBay listing. On amazon.com, there is no discount and the watermarks remain.

Four framed works personally inscribed to Richard Portofee from cartoonists

Chon Day, Gus Edson, Chic Young, and Harold Knerr.

Note the hinge discoloration at the corners of each.

Chon Day, original color illustration of a boy playing the trombone inscribed "Best Wishes to Richard/Chon Day"

Gus Edson, Andy Gump from The Gumps says "I'm proud to include Richard Portofee among my friends!" Very nice.

Chic Young, souvenir print of the Bumsteads from Blondie inscribed "To Richard Portofee" and signed

Harold Knerr, color drawing with the Katzenjammer Kids saying, "Gesundheit, Richard!"

Inscribed "To Richard Portofee—/With hearty good wishes from—/Harold H. Knerr '41." A prize!

eBay Listing Copied July 17, 2016

Note:  Other posts about Chon Day may be seen here.

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