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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Charles Addams: Another Flashing Fester

Ten years ago I coined the term "Flashing Festers" to signify a specific type of souvenir drawing made by Charles Addams. These sketches featured his Addams Family character Uncle Fester engaged in some socially inappropriate behavior, if you will. The drawings typically have a dedication written across Fester's exposed chest and abdomen. The term hasn't caught on, but it still serves my purposes as the drawings continue to surface. 

Now we have one that was just sold on eBay accompanied by outstanding documentation of its authenticity. It is drawn on New Yorker stationery, indicating most probably that Addams created it in response to some office fan mail. Furthermore, the note was mailed, folded, in a New Yorker envelope. It is fully addressed in Addams's own unmistakeable hand with his surname also handwritten above the magazine's return address. It was postmarked on January 7, 1975 in New York, NY en route to Fort Lauderdale. Now, forty-seven years later, thirteen bidders placed fifty-five bids, and the drawing sold on August 21 for the not unreasonable price of $460.99.

Charles Addams
eBay listing ended August 21, 2022

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144679333883?hash=item21af8f6ffb%3Ag%3AQyQAAOSwR0Ni9tBj&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoBe4N%2F193QyJK0rM5xKL6RviuOmPOQ86V1%2B7bO0rwF%2F5K3rcinSPBwaWwIgylSrjaRBcXCVxybAweOuN%2Bs7KVS29zJtjvTRMgGGyMsUzjaMaots01EIVnymfiVP3DLuGVuLq3yNwJvQbFx1SC8CiUHmfFqd4Yn5lwJWAXx7abQUZkg3xP%2BLI1fnMakeK1OpsazXLXCkTaUfAzkcLu9FzeIQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-L30ufYYA&nma=true&si=64J6TuENCQvl%252FEQuIbsoMEcDQlw%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Charles Addams
eBay item description

Charles Addams
A brief highlight from the eBay bid history

June 11, 2023 Update:  The letter has been relisted on eBay with better and brighter images—at five times the price.

Charles Addams
eBay listing accessed June 11, 2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265901860695?hash=item3de8fc6757:g:9gIAAOSwqKpjL0y0&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwA1JbleuKQrvz2LkDoPCTUw1UwkbSDozrsIZxwnrkOUQsyxL5VDNMAVaH0vVDGuGBP10qYUem1Xn0GOHoTzJwHWyauBJ%2FIKGwXY0z8E4YO1SyR1hmsbLuk9Fk0SYc6p9QDdtE9qbqbfiAbpTupNOOgn197JKG8Ug3dyq8LM1KghtYzBznqjVhvj9hJW%

2FP6pfvhaNlfGkUS43IomAxj32Czv7OXuJbiSI1s8tZhYPNNufOSkdmgXWGvsb3hfoSMtTDg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5CQ-sSVYg

Note:  My original post on the Flashing Festers of Charles Addams can be viewed in the archives here.

More original drawings of Uncle Fester, flashing and otherwise, would make welcome submissions to this blog.

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Edward Koren: Greetings from Vermont

On New Yorker stationery, creased apparently from mailing, cartoonist Edward Koren sends "Greetings from Vermont" to the ophthalmologist David Pearce, MD. He uses the eye chart format twice here, with words going from big at the top to small below, adding "Happy Holidays" followed by a diminuendo of et ceteras. He signs the greetings "From yr friend Ed. K." He signs the drawing Koren.

Edward Koren
eBay Listing Ended April 16, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Yorker-Cartoonist-Ed-Koren-Orig-Signed-Drawing-on-Letter-Head-6-75-034-x8-034-/133389371781?hash=item1f0ea04985%3Ag%3APQsAAOSw1PNemgO6&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Edward Koren
eBay Item Description

Edward Koren
eBay Bid History
Best Offer Accepted

03977

Edward Koren: An Eye Chart

Today we have an Edward Koren drawing on The New Yorker's letterhead gratefully dedicated to one David, by now familiar to us as the ophthalmologist Dr. Pearce, who apparently prescribed lenses for the artist's daughter. The inscription is in the style of an eye chart with the biggest letters at the top, getting smaller with each successive line. The mention of "fuzzy" vision is, of course, compatible with Koren's fuzzy style of cartooning.

Edward Koren
eBay Listing Ended May 7, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Yorker-Artist-Ed-Koren-Signed-Personal-Drawing-on-Old-New-Yorker-Stationary-/133400117668?hash=item1f0f4441a4%3Ag%3AuIMAAOSwu0Feoyw4&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Edward Koren
eBay Item Description

Edward Koren
eBay Bid History
Best Offer Accepted

000

To Edward Koren's Favorite Visionary

David from Manhattan presents us with some interesting scribblings from cartoonist Edward Koren to his "favorite visionary," ophthalmologist David Pearce. David writes:

The drawings on a single sheet of stationery was accompanied by a letter from June 4, '96. It reads: "I've repaired (i.e. traced the old drawing with more permanent ink) & included a new offering as penance for having the unprofessionalism to give you a tribute with disappearing ink. I may or may
not be in N.Y.C. next week. The search for [a] new principal for our school may claim my trip. Best—Ed"

Presumably the "new offering" is the lively visionary drawing here. A legendary cartoonist's embarrassment over mediocre ink isn't the usual remark from an artist to a fan. One wonders what the retraced drawing looks like. A couple of Koren sketches on NYer or volunteer fire dept. stationery to Dr. Pearce are still on eBay. Both sellers are in Brooklyn, as was mine. I don't recall the purchase price, but an offer got us down to, I believe, $125.

I did not have the presence of mind to archive this eBay auction, but fortunately Worthpoint did hang on to it:

Edward Koren
Worthpoint-archived eBay listing

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/yorker-ed-koren-orig-signed-drawing-3759079849

Note:  Thanks to David from Manhattan for keeping this blog in his thoughts. This is David's forty-ninth contribution here, but I'm not going to call him a perfect square.

Do people really subscribe to Worthpoint? If so, could one of you tell me what this piece sold for?

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