Newton G.Brand, Jr.'s, Copy of Gahan Wilson's America

Texas banker Newton G. Brand, Jr., (1929-2011) corresponded with a number of New Yorker cartoonists, requesting that they personalize copies of their books by mail. Gahan Wilson (1930-2019) was one of those who complied. In Brand's copy of Gahan Wilson's America (1985), Wilson acknowledges with the word again that this is not the only instance that the artist and the collector have come together in this way. The book was inscribed for Brand on November 19, 1991, some six years after publication. It includes an original drawing of hanging dice and a skull, which recalls an idea that appears on the book's dust jacket. 

Gahan Wilson's signature and date

Gahan Wilson
eBay listing ended July 7, 2026

https://www.ebay.com/itm/377307892029_

Gahan Wilson
eBay listing

Gahan Wilson
eBay bid history
There were seventeen bids in very small increments when the final bidder won the book. Who is that guy?

Note:  I remain eager to use this blog to share books inscribed by Gahan Wilson and other New Yorker cartoonists to Newton Brand, Jr., and other collectors.

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Newton Brand, Jr.,'s Copy of Pussycats Need Love, Too by George Booth

Let's assume, if you will, that the man to whom New Yorker cartoonist George Booth enthusiastically inscribed a copy of his 1980 collection Pussycats Need Love, Too with "For Newton!" was none other than Newton G. Brand, Jr., a collector of such personalized books. Brand was a Texas banker who obtained signed copies of books—by mail at least some of the time. This book was signed in June of 1987, some seven years after it was published, and is an edition created for the National Lyric Opera Company. It has an original Booth drawing of a dog wagging its docked tail.

George Booth
eBay listing accessed September 21, 2025, six days before the auction ended

https://www.ebay.com/itm/376564257976?

George Booth
eBay item description

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Newton Brand, Jr.,'s Copy of Omnibooth: The Best of George Booth

Newton Brand, Jr., was a Texas banker who, we have seen, collected cartoon books drawn in and signed by preeminent New Yorker cartoonists. It seems likely he built his collection over time from a distance, by mail. His copy of Omnibooth: The Best of George Booth (1984) has just come to light thanks to David from Manhattan, who reports getting it for $115. George Booth is a beloved cartoonist who delights us by populating his world with an endless variety of quirky characters: people, dogs, and cats, sometimes even chickens. In this book, there is a drawing of a somewhat unkempt-appearing codger viewed from behind while he enjoys his pipe.

Photo by David from Manhattan

This cover photo is of a different copy of the book:

https://www.ebay.com/p/5154231?iid=333810248479

Note:  My thanks to David from Manhattan for adding this book to our virtual recreation of the library of Newton Brand, Jr. This is David's forty-second contribution to Attempted Bloggery, give or take.

Any other personalized cartoon books from the library of Newton Brand, Jr., would, of course, be of interest.

Images of other original works by George Booth are sought after here as well. Of course.

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Newton Brand, Jr.,'s Copy of Prince and Mrs. Charming by Warren Miller

Our friend David from Manhattan writes about his copy of a 1970 book personalized by New Yorker cartoonist Warren Miller with a very nice drawing and an inscription on the front free endpaper. The title cartoon is based on one originally published in The New Yorker of April 13, 1968. David writes:

Prince and Mrs. Charming has remained my favorite book title for a cartoon collection, so it was a happy surprise to see this on eBay. Newton Brand, Jr., a Texas banker who died in 2011, must have had some persuasive powers to get Mr. Miller to draw this, then mail it back with an apology for taking so long. The price of $30.45 incl. tax and shipping didn't hurt of course.

I assumed that Miller is like most cartoonists—happy to oblige with a drawing and/or a signature, but no. A search of the BookFinder website yielded not a single signed book by him. Curious. I guess that Texan really was persuasive. 

Agreed. I would only add that a search through the archives of Attempted Bloggery finds Miller's signature only in two copies of The New Yorker Album of Drawings 1925-1975, each signed by a total of five cartoonists. Could that have been the only book signing he attended?

Scan by David from Manhattan

Scan by David from Manhattan

Scan by David from Manhattan

The New Yorker, April 13, 1968

Scan by David from Manhattan

The eBay listing has similar images:

Warren Miller
eBay listing ended August 14, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Warren-Miller-1st-Edition-Signed-Hardbound-Book-with-Sketch-amp-Letter-/143637576805?hash=item2171777c65%3Ag%3AIZUAAOSw%7Eppec5DF&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Warren Miller
eBay item description

[End of eBay listing]

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1968-04-13/flipbook/172/

Note:  Thanks to David from Manhattan for today's contribution, his 40th. I knew him back when.

As they're apparently so uncommon, Attempted Bloggery seeks images of other books signed by Warren Miller. And if there should happen to be an interesting story behind the book, or a drawing in the book, let me know that too.

Quick Linkds to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Warren Miller 

Signed Books with Original Drawings

David from Manhattan

Attempted Bloggery's Unheralded Index

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