Robert Day and the Princeton Tiger

Princeton University's colors are orange and black and its mascot is, appropriately, the tiger. Awareness of that school mascot is the key piece of information needed to follow Robert Day's Princeton-themed cartoon original sold on eBay four years ago. The eBay seller notes that the artwork was purchased directly from the artist and it was never published in the New Yorker.

"Princeton expelled him, as I understand the story, and he has been getting even ever since."
Robert Day
Original cartoon art

Robert Day's signature

Caption

Verso

Glue residue

Robert Day
eBay Listing Ended May 13, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Robert-Day-Princeton-Cartoon-Original-Print-Art-Signed-New-Yorker-Cartoonist-/171780663514?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27feece8da&nma=true&si=Zv4PhLp6HocGRC23iqci2JeQ2LI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Robert Day
eBay Item Description

Robert Day
eBay Bid History

The winning bid was placed in the final two seconds of the auction, a collegiate strategy if ever there was one.

Robert Day, as it turns out, did actually get one Princeton tiger cartoon into The New Yorker:

"This is he."
Robert Day
The New Yorker, October 22, 1960, page 36

https://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1960-10-22#folio=03

Note:  So, if this elaborate original drawing by Robert Day did not appear in the New Yorker, where might it have been published? Was it published at all? Attempted Bloggery would like to hear from any reader with knowledge of where and when this cartoon may have appeared in print. Come on, show your stripes.

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John Held, Jr.: The Yale-Princeton Football Game

Tomorrow the Princeton-Yale football rivalry begun in 1873 continues at Princeton. For me, the graphic high point of this rivalry came in 1927 when John Held, Jr., illustrated the cover for the program. The 1927 game was played in New Haven; Held was a Connecticut resident who created other illustrations for Yale. The program cover is illustrated with one of Held's woodcut-style prints evocative not of the Jazz Age, but of the 1890s. The look was deliberately old-fashioned, even back then.

John Held, Jr.
Yale-Princeton program cover
November 12, 1927

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/college-football-program-granger.html

A copy of the program in less-than-ideal condition was sold in the spring on eBay:

John Held, Jr.
eBay Listing Ended April 3, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOVEMBER-12-1927-YALE-PRINCETON-FOOTBALL-GAME-PROGRAM-JOHN-HELD-JR-/272607773031?hash=item3f78b08167%3Ag%3AYfMAAOSw32lY2X8c&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

John Held, Jr.
eBay Item Description

eBay Bid History
Eight bids, with the winning bid placed in the final ten minutes

Note:  This just in:  On November 12, 1927 the Yale Bulldogs defeated the Princeton Tigers, 14-6. Over the years Yale has won 73 games to Princeton's 56, with 10 ties dating to the earlier years.

Original art by John Held, Jr., published or unpublished; whether drawn, printed, or painted; is sought-after stuff here on Attempted Bloggery. Please send your scans or photographs this way. I'd also love to post a few published Held images that are new to the internet.

Am I the only one who feels the last 90 years have been disappointing? I thought not.


November 11, 2017 Update:  Yale defeated Princeton today, 35-31. That brings Yale's wins to 74 games, besting Princeton's 56, with 10 ties.


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