New York's James Cummins, bookseller, offers an original book illustration from Outlines of Sport (1930) by John Held, Jr. Twelve images make up the book, each showing a different sport. The drawing of a man trying to bait his hook is accompanied by a copy of the signed, limited edition of 100.
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| John Held, Jr. AbeBooks listing accessed November 11, 2024 |
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| John Held, Jr. AbeBooks item description |
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Charles O'Malley: The Irish Dragoon by Charles Lever was published in 1897. The book has sixteen illustrations by Arthur Rackham. James Cummins, Bookseller, has just listed the original of one of these, an equestrian drawing. Its title, taken from the action, is With one spring he rose, and cleared it at a bound. A young woman, a Rackham beauty, kneeling down on the paving stones is clearly overcome with the feat.
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| With one spring he rose, and cleared it at a bound Arthur Rackham Framed original art Charles O'Malley: The Irish Dragoon by Charles Lever |
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| Arthur Rackham AbeBooks listing accessed April 24, 2025 |
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| Arthur Rackham AbeBooks item description |
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In 1956, Ima Rosada purchased a home on Quiogue Point in Southampton Town. The following year New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams was her houseguest. He presented his hostess with a personalized copy of his 1950 book Monster Rally from its second printing. It was a housewarming gift of sorts as well a means of reciprocating her hospitality.
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| Charles Addams AbeBooks listing accessed November 4, 2023 |
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| Charles Addams AbeBooks item description |
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| Realty Sales The Southampton Press, November 29, 1956, p. 12 |
Note: This book has been sold. But Charles Addams, bless him, gave away many copies of his books to which he added personalized inscriptions and drawings. Other such volumes were no doubt obtained at book signings. Whatever the story behind them, consider this blog the home away from home for images of the superb Addams books in your library.
See Dan's Papers for a helpful 2013 primer on Quogue and Quiogue here.
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Since its premiere in 1954, George Balanchine's production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" has been a holiday institution in New York. Spoiler alert: The ballet ends with Marie and the Prince carried off in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.
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Photo: © Paul Kolnik / The New York City Ballet / The George Balanchine Trust |
In 1989, illustrator Michael Witte revisited this moment, adding The New Yorker's mascot Eustace Tilley as a third passenger in the sleigh, an excellent vantage point from which to observe through his monocle a butterfly perched on a reindeer antler. The drawing was used as a seasonal spot illustration in the Goings On About Town section of The New Yorker, one of a long series by Witte featuring Eustace Tilley in various situations and settings.
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| Michael Witte Original art The New Yorker, December 11, 1989, p. 8 The original art, unsigned, is available from Sotheby's, who identifies it only as "a Christmas scene," for a fixed price. It is also available from James Cummins, bookseller, no doubt the consignor, also for $1,000. |
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| Michael Witte Sotheby's listing accessed November 28, 2022 |
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| Michael Witte James Cummins, bookseller, listing accessed November 28, 2022 https://www.jamescumminsbookseller.com/pages/books/24027/new-yorker-magazine-art-michael-witte/new-yorker-drawing-original-ink-drawing-of-christmas-subject |
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| Michael Witte Original art The New Yorker, December 11, 1989, p. 8 |
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Jaim Cobeau? The name looks like a typo. What are we to make of the online listing by James Cummins, Bookseller, describing a copy of Saul Steinberg's early book, All In Line (1945), inscribed, with a drawing, "To Jaim Cobeau (and Ann)." I was intrigued as I would be by any book with an original Steinberg drawing, particularly one listed by a reputable seller, although not accompanied by any photograph or scan and complicated by an improbably-named recipient. That vaguely French surname Cobeau looked somewhat off, especially with the not quite Spanish first name Jaim, but it was possibly suggestive of the name of a well-known cartoonist of that era. Still, a concrete connection seemed too much to hope for, so I didn't.
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| Saul Steinberg James Cummins, Bookseller, listing accessed September 8, 2022 |
What I do when confronted with such tantalizing incongruities can best be described as reckless gambling behavior. I take the self-assured stance of a casino goer who, after years of pondering the odds, is nearly certain which card the blackjack dealer will turn over next. In this instance I threw caution, accompanied by $550, to the wind. And what did I come up with?
So this is indeed cartoonist Sam Cobean's (and his wife Anne's) copy of the classic Steinberg book. It is boldy inscribed, "To Sam Cobean (and Ann) with [a tip of the hat]." It's remarkable how flawlessly Steinberg was able to incorporate English, the language of his adopted country, into his work. He can be forgiven for misspelling the co-recipient's name. The book is signed in the year of publication.
I really should move to Las Vegas.
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James Thurber inscribed a copy of his 1953 collection Thurber Country to James Geraghty, The New Yorker's art editor from 1939 to 1973. The handwriting appears very loose and poorly controlled. By this time Thurber had lost almost all of his vision, but evidently not his spirit. The book is now on the market via the estate of New Yorker cartoonist Claude Smith. The AbeBooks seller James Cummins mentions—but does not reproduce in the listing—a note from Smith describing how he acquired the book from Geraghty.
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| "For Jim from Jim Happy Times" |
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| James Thurber AbeBooks listing accessed July 4, 2022 |
Note: Images of books personalized by James Thurber for other New Yorker writers, artists, and staff are eagerly sought after here for future blog posts.
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Arthur Rackham's original illustration for the Brothers Grimm story "The Robber Bridegroom" depicts the miller's daughter meeting an old woman in the cellar kitchen where she will soon have to hide from her bridegroom-to-be and his murderous band. The three bottles in the center contain the three different varieties of wine that play so gruesome a role in the story. Rackham, as is his wont, goes to extremes in contrasting the bride's beauty and the old woman's haggardness. How differently he handles their figures, posture, and garb, yet they are allies in the story. Rackham shades the brick floor with a loose hatching technique while the dark wall features elaborate crosshatching.
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| At last she reached the cellar, and there she found an old, old woman with a shaking head. Arthur Rackham |
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| Arthur Rackham AbeBooks listing accessed April 7, 2021 |
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A presentation copy of a first edition by George Gordon, Lord Byron just turned up in the shop of James Cummins, Bookseller. Byron is hands down my favorite Romantic poet on the strength of his Don Juan. I confess I have not read Hours of Idleness and, come to think of it, I have not experienced all that many of them. This copy, inscribed to a Harrow friend in 1807, is admittedly a bit expensive, but previously I had no idea such a thing could be obtained at any price.
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| Lord Byron James Cummins, Bookseller |
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William Steig's original cartoon for The New Yorker of December 6, 1958 has been listed by bookseller James Cummins with the caption "Sandra, my happiness is in your hands." Perhaps that's what's written on the original, or perhaps it's a transcribing error, but in either case it isn't the full published caption, which reads, "Sandra, my whole life's happiness is in your hands." That's much better, or at least more earnest, and it may reveal the guiding editorial hand of The New Yorker. The original can be yours, or your Valentine's, for a grand.
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| "Sandra, my happiness is in your hands." William Steig Original art Published as "Sandra, my whole life's happiness is in your hands." The New Yorker, December 6, 1958, page 45 |
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| William Steig James Cummins, Bookseller listing accessed February 13, 2021 |
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| "Sandra, my happiness is in your hands." William Steig Original art Published as "Sandra, my whole life's happiness is in your hands." The New Yorker, December 6, 1958, page 45 |
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| Cartoons by Dana Fradon and William Steig There's also the tail-end of a Talk piece on caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. |
Note: Original art by William Steig often goes beyond the traditional bounds of gag cartoon humor to say something meaningful about life itself. Images of his original art are something I'm happy to post here on Attempted Bloggery. Reader submissions of scans or photos are welcome.
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