Leonard Lyons's Copy of Monster Rally by Charles Addams

They say that two heads are better than one. But nobody says it better than Charles Addams (1912-1988).

The matte cuts off the writing right where the dedicatee's name should be.

The souvenir drawing shows Pugsley more than a decade before he received his Addams Family name chasing a cat with more than the usual feline attributes.

A letter of authenticity from late 2023 is interesting because it predates the drawing's removal from a book, Monster Rally (1950), and its subsequent framing and possibly cropping. Thus we learn that this drawing was originally dedicated to theater columnist Leonard Lyons (1906-1976) who wrote "The Lyons Den" in the New York Post. In the year 1950 both Addams and Lyons had hit their mid-career strides and the artist's inscription "with affection" seems heartfelt.

The framed drawing was listed by Meier and Sons Rare Books of New Canaan for $4495 and archived by me in April. It has subsequently been sold.

Charles Addams
AbeBooks listing accessed April 20, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31807373893&searchurl=sortby%3D0%26kn%3DNew%2BYorker%26sgnd%3Don&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp2-_-title21

Charles Addams
AbeBooks item description

Note:  Personalized Charles Addams books can be quite wonderful, but one wonders how many of the ones bearing original drawings will eventually be sacrificed so the images can appear framed on someone's wall. If you've got original Addams art in books or removed from them, framed or unframed, I'd like to post your images right here. Send a scan or two and tell me what you know about them please.

Film critic Jeffrey Lyons is one of four sons of Broadway writer Leonard Lyons.

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Ima Rosada's Copy of Monster Rally by Charles Addams

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.

The original drawing in the book features the boy Pugsley as we now call him—he was as yet unnamed before "The Addams Family" television show. He holds the family's pet lizard, if you will, on a leash.

Charles Addams
AbeBooks listing accessed November 4, 2023

Charles Addams
AbeBooks item description

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Monster-Rally-Addams-Charles-Simon-Schuster/31692052602/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_high

The aforementioned 1956 real estate transaction had been posted in the local press. Addams misspelled Rosada's name in the book, but hi got Quiogue right.

Realty Sales
The Southampton Press, November 29, 1956, p. 12

https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=sp19561129-01.1.12&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------

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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Jerry Granat's Copy of Monster Rally by Charles Addams

In November of 1975, autograph collector Jerry Granat was very specific about what he wanted from Charles Addams when he sent the cartoonist a copy of Monster Rally (1950) for a signature. "In keeping within the pattern of my other books signed by artists, please don't forget to include a sketch or drawing within. I will appreciate this because, as I previously wrote you, an original drawing by the artist is making my book collection an exciting one, as opposed to an ordinary autograph collection." I fully agree with the sentiment, although I've never had the nerve to request such a thing so blatantly. But then, Jerry figured out how to get his copy of Monster Rally drawn in by Addams, and I didn't.

It's an unusual personalized book. Addams's drawing is not in the front of the book, but on page 83 under a cartoon of Uncle Fester on the road. It depicts a shirtless Pugsley flexing his biceps to try and impress a doubtful Wednesday. So Jerry obtained a drawing with two Addams Family characters for his efforts.

Addams's note, included with the lot, is dated prior to Jerry's typewritten letter, so it may refer to a different book he only signed.

This lot was offered yesterday with a presale estimate of $1,000 to $1,500. Early bidding was already at $700 two weeks before the sale.

Charles Addams
Potter & Potter Auctions, Inc., listing accessed c. January 29, 2023

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/addams-charles-1912-1988-an-original-ink-and-wash-128-c-c294939a52?objectID=176871504&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=d1244e1b45f3b29896a71764e0b8e573

The book sold for a $1900 hammer price, well above the high estimate, plus there's that $475 buyer's premium:

April 8, 2023 Update:  The book is now being offered by Neverland Books of Waalre, Netherlands for $5,000, a markup of about 100%, possibly more, depending on tax and shipping costs.

Charles Addams
AbeBooks listing accessed April 8, 2023

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31472122247&searchurl=an%3Dcharles%2Baddams%26sgnd%3Don%26sortby%3D100%26tn%3Dmonster%2Brally&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title2

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Gert and Dave Cooper's Charles Addams Library

No home should be without a Charles Addams library. Of course, some Addams libraries are more special than others. Gert and Dave Cooper were fortunate enough to have five books personalized for them by the master between 1976 and 1982. These five books were sold together at Bonhams last year for $4,845. Two months later they were relisted individually with Raptis Rare Books of Palm Beach for a combined total price of $7,750.

Three of these books have original Addams drawings. The featured characters are Grandmama for Mother's Day 1976 in The Chas Addams Mother Goose (1967), Pugsley for Father's Day 1978 in The New Yorker Album of Sports & Games (1958), and Wednesday for no particular 1976 occasion in that year's collection Favorite Haunts. Who says Addams wasn't a family man? There are also personalized copies of Monster Rally (1950, inscribed 1978) and Creature Comforts (1981, inscribed 1982). Here they are, in no particular order. A couple of Bonhams images and numerous images from the Raptis website are interspersed with the listings from AbeBooks.

https://www.raptisrarebooks.com/product/creature-comforts-charles-addams-first-edition-signed/

Title page

Listed on AbeBooks August 20, 2021 and subsequently sold

Charles Addams AbeBooks listing posted August 20, 2021 and sold by January 1, 2022 https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Creature-Comforts-Addams-Charles-Chas-Simon/30985552688/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=readmore_low

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26890/lot/96/?category=list

Title page

Peter Arno https://www.raptisrarebooks.com/product/the-new-yorker-album-of-sports-and-games-charles-addams-first-edition-signed/

Listed August 20, 2021

Charles Addams AbeBooks listing posted August 20, 2021 and sold by January 1, 2021 https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/New-Yorker-Album-Sports-Games-Addams/30985552690/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook_high

Title page

https://www.raptisrarebooks.com/product/monster-rally-charles-addams-first-edition-signed/

Charles Addams AbeBooks listing posted August 14, 2021 and accessed January 1, 2021 https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Monster-Rally-Addams-Charles-Chas-Simon/30980895133/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook_low

Title page

https://www.raptisrarebooks.com/product/the-chas-addams-mother-goose-charles-addams-first-edition-signed/

Charles Addams AbeBooks listing posted August 14, 2021 and accessed January 1, 2021 https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Chas-Addams-Mother-Goose-Charles-Windmill/30980895134/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook_high

As mentioned, we have an image from Bonhams of the copy of Favorite Haunts with the drawing of Wednesday. While I haven't seen this one listed on AbeBooks, Raptis does have it available on their own website:

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26890/lot/96/?category=list

Raptis may need to acquire a bigger scanner if they want to match Bonhams.

Title page

https://www.raptisrarebooks.com/product/favorite-haunts-charles-addams-first-edition-signed/

The original Bonhams sale:

Charles Addams Bonhams, June 17, 2021 https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26890/lot/96/?category=list

Note:  Now it's time to check your own Charles Addams library for books with original drawings. I'll be right here should you find something good.

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