Glen Baxter: The Advent of Spring

Glen Baxter's original artwork from 1992 is currently listed with Chris Beetles in London. Right now it seems as timely as it's ever likely to be.

Glen Baxter
Chris Beetles listing accessed January 14, 2024

https://www.chrisbeetles.com/artwork/24192/with-the-advent-of-spring-i-set-about-one-or-two-minor-improvements-to-the-nursery

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Glen Baxter: Robin Hood, Impressed

An original 1991 cartoon by Glen Baxter features Robin Hood and his Merry Men indulging in anachronism. It was published in The Further Blurtings of Baxter (1994).

Glen Baxter
AbeBooks listing accessed December 21, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31385097139&searchurl=kn%3DGlen%2BBaxter%26sgnd%3Don%26sortby%3D0&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title2

This piece has remained side by side with the Santa Clauses drawing (posted yesterday) thus far. It was originally offered by Chris Beetles, Ltd., of London in 1997. It later went on the auction block at Bonhams London in November of 2022 with a presale estimate of 500 to 700 GBP. It sold for 956.25 GBP, the hammer price of 750 GBP plus the 27.5% buyer's premium. Maggs Bros. listed it in December 2022 with just an 83% markup, keeping it at the same 1,750 GBP price as the Santas (which itself was marked up 292%). It's not an outrageous price; Chris Beetles prices Baxter originals usually at the high end of 1,750 to 2,500 GBP.

Glen Baxter
Bonhams

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27375/lot/255/baxter-glen-robin-was-certainly-impressed-with-the-simulated-teak-finish-original-artwork-in-pen-and-crayon-1991/

Note:  There's something perplexing about the 1991 date on this drawing. This cartoon is mentioned in "Gladys Whispered," John Bayley's December 6, 1990 review of that year's The Billiard Table Murders by Glen Baxter. See the London Review of Books article here. Perhaps then there is an earlier version of this drawing. I hope a Baxter aficionado will set me straight on this. I'd also like to hear from anyone with access to the original 1997 price from Chris Beetles.

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Glen Baxter: It is December

Original Glen Baxter art was published in The Observer on December 7, 1997:

Glen Baxter
AbeBooks listing accessed December 21, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31385090405&searchurl=kn%3DGlen%2BBaxter%26sgnd%3Don%26sortby%3D0&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1

The image was published in America as a greeting card:

https://shop.nybooks.com/collections/holiday/products/dark-forces-holiday-greeting-cards-by-glen-baxter

The artwork was listed at one time by Chris Beetles. It was later offered in November 2022 by Bonhams London with an estimate of 500 to 700 GBP. It sold for 350 GBP, or 446.25 GBP with the 27.5% buyer's premium. It resurfaced the following month at Maggs Bros., Ltd., priced at very close to a 300% markup.

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27375/lot/254/baxter-glen-it-is-december-and-already-dark-forces-are-gathering-original-artwork-in-pen-and-crayon-1997/

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/bonhams/catalogue-id-bonham10494/search-filter?CategoryCode=DPS

As published:

https://biblioklept.org/2011/12/02/it-is-december-and-already-dark-forces-are-gathering-glen-baxter/

I don't know the price history of this piece with Chris Beetles, Ltd.—feel free to help me out here—but I can report on the gallery's current listing of a similar Baxter work of unknown date. The multiple Santas are explicit in both cartoons. Note also the hands-on-hips stance, the single pair of Santa sunglasses, and the use of the word already in both instances.

https://www.chrisbeetles.com/artwork/2086/there-are-ominous-signs-that-the-festive-season-is-already-under-way

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A Signed Copy of Glen Baxter's Almost Completely Baxter from the Brooklyn Book Festival

Glen Baxter appeared last fall at the Brooklyn Book Festival to promote his new collection Almost Completely Baxter. He joined a panel with cartoonists Emily Flake and Ben Katchor moderated by Connie Sun. At the conclusion of the discussion at the Brooklyn Historical Society, he signed books outside. He is one of those signers who crosses out his printed name, replacing it with the signature.

Panel with Emily Flake, Ben Katchor, and Glen Baxter
Brooklyn Book Festival, September 18, 2016

Glen Baxter, Almost Completely Baxter, 2016

Signed by Glen Baxter

From moderator Connie Sun's Twitter feed

https://twitter.com/cartoonconnie/status/777935772792020992

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A Signed Copy of Emily Flake's Mama Tried from the Brooklyn Book Festival

And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole.
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried.
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading I denied.
That leaves only me to blame 'cause Mama tried.

—Merle Haggard, "Mama Tried"

Emily Flake, Ben Katchor, and Glen Baxter promoted their new books
at the Brooklyn Book Festival on September 18, 2016

http://bkbfcomics.tumblr.com/post/150492808057/bkbfcomics-can-you-stand-it-ben-katchor-glen

Last fall at the Brooklyn Book Festival, Emily Flake gave a presentation along with fellow cartoonists Glen Baxter and Ben Katchor entitled “Hey, Some Comics are Still Funny!”—or was it renamed “Short But Sweet” prior to the festival? Anyway, Connie Sun moderated. Afterwards, outside the venue, Ms. Flake signed and inscribed copies of her 2015 book Mama Tried: Dispatches from the Seamy Underbelly of Modern Parenting.

Emily Flake, Ben Katchor, Glen Baxter, and moderator Connie Sun
The Brooklyn Book Festival, September 18, 2016

Emily Flake, Mama Tried, 2015

Signed and inscribed by Emily Flake
She's right.

A page from Emily Flake's Mama Tried, 2015

http://www.emilyflake.com/mama-tried/

Merle Haggard, "Mama Tried" Live

Note: As reported here on Ink Spill, Mama Tried is being produced for television by IFC.

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