Bob's Copy of Playboy's New Kliban

The cartoon collection title Playboy's New Kliban (1980) makes it clear that B. Kliban, as he signed his name professionally, or Hap Kliban, as he was known to his friends, had achieved the status of an artist with name recognition solely through his surname. The cover drawing, in color, shows us Cliché Island, home to a number of cartoon tropes.

"Welcome to Cliché Island . . . have a nice day!"
B. Kliban

Inside there is an inscription to one Bob with an original drawing of a caveman and a cat, both of them wearing moose antlers. Kliban signs his nickname and provides some possibly intimate information, so perhaps Bob is a good friend.

"To Bob                 
from the ever-jolly  
but psychologically fragile
                           Hap Kliban"

B. Kliban
AbeBooks listing accessed April 20, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Playboys-New-Kliban-inscribed-B-Wideview/31834744184/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook

The sellers are Bud Plant & Hutchison Books, who write, "Many of the cartoons are of their period and might no longer seem as funny as they once did." That's one way to sell it. At post time the book is still available. Have a nice day!

"Many of the cartoons are of their period and might no longer seem as funny as they once did."
B. Kliban
AbeBooks item description

04648

Elise's Copies of Two Books by Milt Gross

Five years ago, PBA Galleries auctioned off two books by cartoonist Milt Gross with original drawings dedicated to either Elise or to Elise and Jimmy. The one for both of them is an atmospheric sketch of Hiawatta, to use Gross's singular spelling of Hiawatha, asleep in her hammock. The charming rendition is from Hiawatta and De Night in de Front from Chreesmas (1950). The other, for Elise alone, of a pipe-smoking pastry chef appears in a copy of I Shoulda Ate the Eclair (1946). Both books are signed simply Milt, indicating a personal relationship.

Milt Gross
PBA Galleries listing of April 19, 2018

https://www.pbagalleries.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/450/lot/145979/Two-volumes-by-Milt-Gross-with-original-signed-pen-amp-ink-sketches

Note:  Milt Gross is one of those cartoonists in Michael Maslin's exclusive One Club, indicating that he had one and only one drawing published in the pages of The New Yorker. His style is, all things considered, pretty wild for that publication.

Many more books with original Gross sketches are no doubt out there, and I'd be happy to show a few of them here on the blog if anyone cares to submit some good images.

04190

Views of Arizona: Wupatki Pueblo

Next stop:  Wupatki Pueblo.

Another day, another monsoon

Ball court

Preservation work on the site

Wupatki Pueblo above a ball court

Alimentary!
Wupatki Pueblo gift shop moose-themed Indian pottery

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

The Grand Canyon

Sedona

Scottsdale

Attempted Bloggery's Travel-Weary Index

02642

A Signed Copy of Lobster Therapy & Moose Pick-Up LInes

I will always remember 2018 as the year I added a book of cartoons from Maine to my library. The occasion, of course, is the publication of Lobster Therapy & Moose Pick-Up Lines edited by Mike Lynch. Here's the stock image of the cover from Amazon:

Disappointing, right? But here's the actual book. Note that a hyphen has judiciously been added to the word Pick-Up. That having been done, I can now heartily endorse this collection.

Lobster Therapy & Moose Pick-Up Lines:  Cartoons from Maine, 2018

The book is a paperback priced at $16.95, but Amazon offers it discounted to $13.14. I opted instead to pay a premium, $25 for a copy signed by the four living contributors, postpaid, because I was willing to pay extra to be sure I got a copy with the hyphen. In all seriousness, it's good to get things signed by Mike Lynch as he's eager to go the extra mile to promote cartooning just as he does with his blog, Mike Lynch Cartoons. Take a look and you'll see what I mean:

Signed by Mike Lynch with a drawing.
Additionally signed by David Jacobson, John Klossner, and Bill Woodman.

Lobster Therapy & Moose Pick-Up Lines:  Cartoons from Maine
Promotional postcard signed by Mike Lynch

Note:  You too can order a copy of this book signed by Mike Lynch, David Jacobson, John Klossner, and Bill Woodman here. It's the Maine event, while supplies last. Well, what are you waiting for?

02596

Maurice Sendak: Mother Goose, Max, and Moose

Bonhams has a very nice selection of Maurice Sendak works coming up in its December 15 Fine Books and Manuscripts auction in New York. There is a printed serigraph, an early autograph letter with an original illustration, and, of course, pencil drawings including Max, a few Wild Things, assorted rabbits, and--the wait is over!-- moose.

Bonhams Sale 19427 - Fine Books and Manuscripts, 15 Dec 2011
New York

Lot No: 5140

SENDAK, MAURICE, CHRIS VAN ALLSBERG, BARRY MOSER, et al.

Mother Goose Collection. New York: Serigrafia, 1990.

Suite of 6 color serigraphs on Rives BFK, approximately 560 x 725 mm each, individually signed and numbered by the artists. Original cloth-backed clam-shell portfolio with printed contents and colophon on the inside lid.

Provenance: Maurice Sendak.

LIMITED EDITION, no 107 of 300 copies issued to benefit the Children's Health Fund. Comprising: "Mother Goose" (M. Sendak); "Around the Green Gravel" (C. Van Allsberg); "The Queen of Hearts" (B. Moser); "The Kilkenny Cats" (Seymour Chwast); "Cat and the Fiddle" (Daniel Pelavin); and "Children on the Ice" (Guy Billout).


Estimate: US$2,000 - 3,000
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5181028

Lot No: 5141

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

Pen and watercolor illustration on an Autograph Letter Signed ("M. Sendak"), November 18, 1962, to Lyn, being a self-portrait of Sendak with his dog, fold creases, light edgewear.

 Sendak writes this charming letter to a friend and draws "a picture of (himself) after reading (Lyn's) letter," in the likeness of his character Pierre, accompanied by his dog Jennie. Sendak mentions the drawing in his postscript: "Tho I look 6 1/2 I am really 34!"


Estimate: US$700 - 900

December 15, 2011:  Sold for US$4,000 inclusive of Buyer's Premium

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5151143

Lot No: 5142

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

"Six and Seven," pencil drawing, 217 x 280 mm, signed lower right, preliminary sketches for the Seven Little Monsters television series, matted and framed.

In the 2000-2003 animated television series Seven Little Monsters, Six is the resident ballerina who wears a tutu and carries a wand while Seven is the youngest and the tallest of the group. The final version of Six was much younger and more feminine than this version.

Estimate: US$2,500 - 3,500 
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5186482

November 24, 2011 Update:  "Six and Seven" is being offered again at Bonhams New York in its December 4 Fine Books, Maps & Manuscripts sale. The estimate has been reduced to $1,500 - 2,000.

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20078/lot/2167/?search_query=1&division=None&passages=True&earliest_first=False&country=None&past_sales=future&back_to_year=2003&sale_no=None&top_level_department=None&department=None&query=Sendak&create_facets=True&value_data_curren

 Lot No: 5143

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

"Moose," pencil drawing, 217 x 280 mm, signed at lower right and additionally inscribed at upper right: "Moose--May 1, 2000 / M.S. / 1 + 2"," matted and framed.

Estimate: US$2,000 - 3,000
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5186481

 Lot No: 5144

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

"Tzippy," pencil sketch on vellum tracing paper, 190 x 150 mm, signed lower right.

A Wild Thing engaged in rumpus. Sendak named the Wild Things after his uncles and aunts: Tzippy, Moishe, Aaron, Emile and Bernard.

Estimate: US$2,000 - 3,000 
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5186477

Lot No: 5145

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

Pencil sketch of two rabbits on vellum tracing paper, 100 x 280 mm, signed lower left, upper and left margins trimmed unevenly, sketch on verso of sheet, signature on recto.

Possibly relates to the little-known Sendak title, Ten Little Rabbits.

Estimate: US$1,500 - 2,000 
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5186471

 Lot No: 5146

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

Max and three Wild Things, pencil sketch on vellum tracing paper, 245 x 180 mm, signed lower right, right margin trimmed unevenly.

The sketches are executed on the verso and the signature is on the recto of this leaf. A desirable sketch of Sendak's most famous creations in motion, being Max, Moishe, Tzippy and Bernard.

Estimate: US$3,000 - 5,000 
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5186479

Lot No: 5147

SENDAK, MAURICE. BORN 1928.

Max in his wolf suit, pencil sketch on vellum tracing paper, 215 x 165 mm, signed lower right, left margin trimmed unevenly.

Charming sketch of Max making mischief "of one kind or another."

Estimate: US$2,000 - 3,000 
December 15, 2011:  Unsold

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?screen=LotDetailsNoFlash&iSaleNo=19427&iSaleItemNo=5186478

Maurice Sendak, Letter (Detail)

Maurice Sendak, "Six and Seven"

Maurice Sendak, Max in his Wolf Suit

Note:  My most recent post on the Wild Thing parade balloon art of Maurice Sendak is here. 

154