Attempted Bloggery: Rationing

Showing posts with label Rationing. Show all posts

Friday, June 15, 2018

In a Time of Scarcity: Helen E. Hokinson New Yorker Cover Art

The paucity of consumer goods that American's faced during the Second World War did not abate the moment the war ended. Helen E. Hokinson's society matron graciously presents a floral bouquet to her local butcher who, it may be hoped, will soon have more cuts of beef to distribute to the community. The makeshift magazine logo painted onto the original art is unusual in that it is not meant to be reproduced on the cover. Instead, Hokinson is making use of the white background to indicate the optimal color for the logo. This original art sold for $6,000 in 2005 at Illustration House.

Helen E. Hokinson
Original art
The New Yorker, June 22, 1946

Helen E. Hokinson
The New Yorker, June 22, 1946

Helen E. Hokinson

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/helen-hokinson-1893-1949-magazine-cover:-matron-p-109-c-5b57f61e1d#

http://www.findartinfo.com/english/list-prices-by-artist/131042/helen-e-hokinson.html

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives

Helen E. Hokinson

Original New Yorker Cover Art

World War II

Attempted Bloggery's Rarely Well-Done Index

02576

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Alan Dunn Rationing Humor

On America's home front during the Second World War, the rationing of canned goods began in early 1943. Each individual received 48 ration points in coupons each month which could then be used to allow the purchase of a limited quantity of canned food. Rationing was deemed necessary to limit the canned goods sold in stores so that food could be shipped to the troops overseas. It also helped to conserve the scarce metal used in cans.

http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/events/rationing3.htm

In March of 1943, The New Yorker published a drawing by cartoonist Alan Dunn concerning the newly-imposed rationing of canned foods. The shopkeeper's assistant Murphy treats the points as cash equivalents—they weren't—and does not appear to understand that the points are meant to limit one's consumption and therefore could not be discounted.

The original artwork to this cartoon was sold on eBay in October.