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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| Helen E. Hokinson AbeBooks listing retrieved May 2, 2019 |
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Section header by Rea Irvin, cartoon by I. Klein, and a Profiles illustration
https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1926-06-19/flipbook/018/ |
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Profiles illustration by Will Cotton, cartoon by Helen E. Hokinson
https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1943-03-20/flipbook/024/ |
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| Profiles illustration by Abe Birnbaum, cartoon by Leonard Dove |
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| Profiles illustration by Miguel Covarrubias, cartoon by Helen E. Hokinson |
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| Calvin Trillin Listing from James Cummins, Bookseller Retrieved July 11, 2019 |
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| Miguel Covarrubias James Cummins, bookseller Catalogue #116
Scan by David from Manhattan
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| Garrett Price, original art The New Yorker, October 2, 1954, pages 38-39 |
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| Garrett Price James Cummins, Bookseller Listing Copied July 7, 2016 |
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| Garrett Price, The New Yorker, October 2, 1954, pages 38-39 |
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| http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1954-10-02#folio=038 |
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| Charles Addams' Black Maria (1960) Argosy Book Store AbeBooks Listing as of June 24, 2017 |
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| Charles Addams' Black Maria (1960) James Cummins Bookseller AbeBooks Listing as of June 29, 2017 |
