Harry Bliss's cartoon collection Death by Laughter appeared in 2008. Many but by no means all of the cartoons are on the subject of death. This collection does not include any of his New Yorker work. There is an entertaining introduction by Christopher Guest which humorously recounts his own early, unsuccessful attempts at cartooning. Fortunately, he found his way to film work. Guest then recounts how he and his wife went on to collect original cartoon art by a number of well-known cartoonists including Bliss.
A signed and authenticated copy of the book was purchased by me on eBay in June of 2017 for $9.98 plus $3 shipping. The cover illustrates the basic concept of Death by Laughter.
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| With the signature of Harry Bliss |
Spoiler alert: I admire the way Bliss chose to end the collection.
The back cover has a funny cartoon blurb. |
| The back cover |
For once I did not archive the eBay auction. This is all I have:
The signature was certified by Beckett Authentication Services. I don't advocate making purchase decisions solely on the basis of certificates of authenticity, but in a case like this where a certificate corroborates what is already pretty clear, it can be a positive factor in the decision.
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| Certificate of Authenticity |
The authenticator placed a sticker in the book on the page directly behind the signature. Note the dedication and the acknowledgment of the Grim Reaper.
An online record of the certification still can be looked up almost five years after the fact. |
Certification verified January 8, 2021
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