My Entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #564

Grab a perch and read my entry in the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #564 for April 10, 2017. The drawing is by Joe Dator.

"I can help you send fan mail to J. K. Rowling."

And these are the throwaways. Or, in this case, the flyaways:

"I'm an advisor to Hogwarts."
"Actually, I go to bed early."
"Do you have a sudden hankering for potato chips?"
"I surround myself with the best and the brightest—
including you, Ms. Forrester."
"I'm not a wizard, you know. You do know?"
"May I ask a small favor regarding my vacation?"

April 17, 2017 Update: The Finalists

April 24, 2017 Update:  I voted for the third caption without enthusiasm.


May 1, 2017 Update: Winning Caption

Note:  Last week cartoonist Drew Dernavich made the rounds. My caption circled the drain. Roll up and see Contest #563.

The archives have more Caption Contests by Joe Dator. Who?


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Passover

Owls

Attempted Bloggery's Uncontested Index

02150

Lough Eske Castle

Windmills spanned the countryside on our ride up to Donegal Town in Ireland last month. Just off the N15 was our hotel, Lough Eske Castle. The original castle facade is impressive indeed, while luxurious guest rooms are located in a large modern addition that extends to the back and side. The grounds are generously covered with figurative sculpture in bronze, most notably of a nude in the garden and a fanciful dragon on the front lawn. One of the hotel clerks had some questions regarding Donald Trump for me, an American abroad, which I fielded as best I could.

Windmills

Lough Eske Castle from the garden. The guest rooms are in the modern addition on the right and in other wings.

A female nude

Sculpture at the pool

Owl sculpture

Dragon

Fire-breather

Fountain

Airborne

Reader

Note:  Throwing tomatoes down onto the peasants is not permitted.


Attempted Bloggery's quick links:

Ireland

Castles

Sculpture

Donald Trump

Attempted Bloggery's Noble Index

01945

Wise Tie

This fanciful tie design by Hermès, known apparently as a Twillby tie,  is very appealing and should catch the eyes of night owls everywhere.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

That owl may be what first caught my eye on eBay, but this double-stirrup design is actually the tie's primary pattern.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

Note the two patterns on the back of the tie, again from the eBay listing.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

And now we can understand what's most interesting, intriguing, and perhaps even vexing about the tie. The double-stirrup design covers the wide part of the tie. The enchanting owl design is limited to the thin part of the tie.

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

This means that when this necktie is worn, people will admire the regular geometric pattern, while the delightful owls, save for the odd gust of wind, will remain totally unseen!

Hermès Silk Tie 5131 HA

Hermès Twillby Tie 5131 HA, eBay Item Description

Auction Ending February 3, 2013

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290850743284

Hermès Twillby Tie 5131 HA
eBay Item Description

Auction Ending January 24, 2013

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-MINT-BOX-HERMES-TWILLBY-TIE-BLACK-CHAIN-DANCRE-LINKS-OWLS-STARS-XL-/230912840826?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item35c37a547a

Here's a second example from a different eBay seller of the same type of Twillby tie design:

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

The front of the tie shows a linked pattern.

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Whereas the back of the tie has horses that are on an unseen part of the tie.

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

The wearer knows full well of the tie's whimsy, but the general public does not.

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA eBay Item Listing
January 9, 2013

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Hermès Silk Tie 5096 PA eBay Item Description
January 9, 2013

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-HERMES-Tie-Links-Horse-Dark-Blue-Twillby-5096-PA-/380549010363?pt=US_Mens_Ties&hash=item589a7d13bb&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

February 3, 2013 Update:  The owl tie sold today for $168--to me! This is a prime example of how blogging costs me money. If you should catch me when I'm wearing it, just say the word and I'll share the tie's hidden design with you.

November 21, 2015 Update:  The owl on the back of the Trilby tie also stands on its own! Here is design 7997 EA.

Hermès Silk Tie 7997 EA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-REAL-HERMES-TIE-DARK-RED-W-FUN-BLUE-BARN-OWLS-w-WHITE-MOON-STARS-XL-/231753261101?hash=item35f592202d:g:070AAOSwMmBVlCTe

Hermès Silk Tie 7997 EA

Hermès Silk Tie 7997 EA

Hermès Silk Tie 7997 EA

Hermès Silk Tie 7997 EA

0592

Pooh Visiting in Owl's Parlour

This Winnie-the-Pooh drawing by E. H. Shepard will be sold on September 20 at the Modern Pictures and Sculpture sale at Bonhams in Knightsbridge.  The figure of Pooh, of course, is quite endearing, and it's just possible this color drawing could sell for considerably more than the £6,000 - £8,000 estimate.  It's proved a bit of a hard piece to move though, as Owl is not nearly so charming. Indeed, this is Bonhams fourth attempt since 2007 to find a new home for the drawing.  Over that time, the estimate has dropped from £20,000-30,000 to the comparatively anemic £6,000-8,000. I believe its time has come.

Ernest Howard Shepard (British, 1879-1976)

Pooh visiting in Owl's parlour

                     http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/18928/lot/227/

Lot No: 227

Ernest Howard Shepard (British, 1879-1976)

Pooh visiting in Owl's parlour
pen and ink and coloured pencil
10.5 x 12cm (4 1/8 x 4 3/4in).
Estimate: £6,000 - 8,000, €6,800 - 9,100

September 20, 2011: Unsold. I'm at a loss.

Footnote:
PROVENANCE:
With Chris Beetles, London;
Private collection.

EXHIBITED:
London, Chris Beetles Limited, The Illustrators: The British Art of Illustration 1800-1992 28th November - 23rd December 1992, no. 435

PUBLISHED:
A A Milne, Winnie-The-Pooh (Methuen, 1926).

Ernest Howard Shepard (British, 1879-1976)

Pooh visiting in Owl's parlour

http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/18928/lot/227/

Note:  I last discussed a Pooh drawing here.

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