A Signed Copy of Two Cats In America by Mischa Damjan andRalph Steadman

Scott Burns writes with scans of a very special book from his own collection. Two Cats In America (1970) is written by Mischa Damjan and illustrated by Ralph Steadman, who added a drawing to this copy.

All copies of the book have the printed dedication to Steadman's wife Ann, but this one has something more, that I don't quite understand. And there's a drawing of a patriotic, American cat. 

Note:  My thanks to Scott Burns for sending these wonderful images which arrived, as usual, completely unexpected. This is his twentieth contribution to the blog. Scott maintains the world's most comprehensive bibliography of the work of Ralph Steadman which readers who love cats and otherwise can access here. He is also the enterprising proprietor of Armadillo & Dicker books, a.k.a. Burns Bizarre, a.k.a. Books on Main. He's not one to simply pick a name and settle on it.

05031

Saul Steinberg: Gallery Flyer from 1952

Contributor Scott Burns has turned up a variant on the Saul Steinberg lettersheet we saw here last week issued for the 1952 art exhibition "Drawings" upon which gallerists Sidney Janis and Betty Parsons collaborated. This flyer, unlike the lettersheet, does not have two blank sides on the inside. Rather, the four drawings from the outside of the lettersheet are folded into the inside of the flyer, and the outside of the flyer is a wraparound drawing of Venice's Piazza San Marco with the printed announcement of the show.

A Wikipedia photo dated 2021 is shown for reference. Steinberg's vantage point was evidently higher up in the colonnade.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_San_Marco#/media/File:P
iazza_San_Marco_(Venice)_at_night-msu-2021-6449-.jpg

Note:  I am grateful to Scott Burns who seems to know what I want to see even before I do. This is his nineteenth contribution to Attempted Bloggery.

If you too have something I want to see by Saul Steinberg, feel free to send a few images without my having to ask.

04805

Giving Thanks 2023

Thank You, no. 63/200
Roz Chast

Roz Chast's signature and the limitation

Throughout these dozen years or so of attempted blogging, I have benefited from the support of a bevy of generous contributors, advisors, and occasional nitpickers. I owe a great debt to each of the individuals listed below for offering much-appreciated help and inspiration to me over these past twelve months. To any others I may have neglected to include this go round, please accept my thanks despite my inexcusable laxity. 

Tom Bloom

Scott Burns

Vincent Coca

David from Manhattan

Linda H. Davis

Claude Haber

Joel Jacobus

Stephen Kroninger

Beth Lawler

Michael Maslin

Paul Nesja

Ben Roth

Steve Stoliar

Uki

Roz Chast
eBay listing accessed November 23, 2023
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155283797672?_trksid=p1.c101732.m5053&_trkparms=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F155283797672%3F_trkparms%3Damclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20230719113457%26meid%3Dd745b3e5febc4a91a25724ec1a71cbd8%26pid%3D101732%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26b%3D1%26sd%3D166400801

410%26itm%3D155283797672%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D1%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebWithV11WebTrimmedV3VisualRankerWithKnnV3AndUltBRecall&_trksid=p1.c101732.m5053&mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m5053.l9429&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=1c98a06b5d6742969972ed34cc093a10&bu=43186000575&ut=RU&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20231028013642&segname=11021

Roz Chast
eBay item description

Note:  The limited edition Thank You print by Roz Chast is new to me. Is it recent? I'm curious as to which Bloomsbury Press title this print is associated with.

04511

Peter Arno: Can War Marriages Be Made to Work?

The EM 30 GI Roundtable published in November of 1944 asks Can War Marriages Be Made to Work? The pamphlet's cover is illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Peter Arno, who would seem to believe that they can. The interior illustrations unfortunatley are not by Arno. The pamphlet is now credited to Clifford Kirkpatrick, Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota. An outstanding scan of the cover is provided by Scott Burns.

Note:  My thanks to Scott Burns for this wonderful image which is completely new to me. This is his eighteenth contribution to the blog. Scott happens to be the compiler of a comprehensive guide to Ralph Steadman's work which you can access here. He is also the responsible party behind Armadillo & Dicker books, a.k.a. Burns Bizarre, a.k.a. Books on Main. Who can keep track of all the names?

So, you ask, can war marriages be made to work? I would hope so. You can read the full text of the pamphlet here.

04426

Best Copy: Ralph Steadman's Animal Farm by George Orwell

Ralph Steadman, who can illustrate damn near anything, created a pictorial edition of George Orwell's Animal Farm in 1995 to celebrate the book's fiftieth anniversary. In June, Peter Harrington of London offered a signed and dated copy of the reissued classic with an original sketch of an Orwellian oinker. It is not signed to anyone in particular. The volume has subsequently been sold for somewhere in the neighborhood of 980 GBP.

Ralph Steadman

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/Animal-Farm-Fairy-Story-STEADMAN-Ralph/31525122365/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=readmore_high

Note:  To be clear, there's nothing remotely scientific about my new term Best Copy; it's completely subjective. This is indeed the best copy of Animal Farm I've come across, but I'm hardly familiar with what else might be out there. If readers wish to submit copies of Ralph Steadman's Animal Farm that are as good as or better than the one here, I'll entertain posting them.

August 10, 2023 Update:  Right out of the gate, contributor Scott Burns produces an even more superior pig. I mean, all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.

Image courtesy Scott Burns

04406

Giving Thanks 2022

It's Thanksgiving already? Time to find a turkey...

George Booth
The New Yorker, November 26, 1973

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1973-11-26/flipbook/CV1/

Throughout these eleven years of blogging, I have benefited from the support of a number of generous contributors. Some send me submissions, some send me alerts, and some send me corrections. Some function more as behind-the-scenes advisors. Whatever the case, I owe a great debt to each of the individuals listed here for offering much-appreciated assistance to me over these past twelve months. Friends, I thank you all:

Amid Amidi

Tom Bloom

Scott Burns

joecab

Roz Chast

David from Manhattan

Joe Dator

Linda H. Davis

Bob Eckstein

Karen Green

Joel Jacobus

Stephen Kroninger

Michael Maslin

H. Kevin Miserocchi

Jeff Nelson

J. J. Sedelmaier

Steve Stoliar

Jessica Ziegler

04148

James Thurber: The Male Animal in Liberated Paris

Paris was liberated in August of 1944 by the French Forces of the Interior. The Allies entered the city on August 24th and 25th. Paris soon became a center for Allied soldiers on leave and they wanted to be entertained. Scott Burns has unearthed a program from a production of "The Male Animal" by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent that was performed in liberated Paris by the Special Service (Seine Section) of the U.S. Army in cooperation with the American Red Cross.

The hit play originally opened on Broadway in 1940 and was adapted into a movie that was released in 1942. Scott's Madeleine Theater program is no doubt a rarity. The production probably dates from the first half of 1945. The program takes pains to point out that the personnel involved rehearsed and performed it in their spare time—there are no Army or Red Cross shirkers here.  The program has no artwork, Thurber's or otherwise. Nugent's first name is misspelled, as is the first name of character Michael Barnes. Yet the circumflex accent on Rue de Surène looks perfect. You have to give the Army some credit.

This stage production is mentioned in American Crimes and the Liberation of Paris: Robbery, Rape and Murder by Renegade GIs, 1944-1947 (McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2016) by Kenneth D. Alford. Alford states there were both British and American players in the production, but this is not evident from the program.

https://www.google.com/books/edition/American_Crimes_and_the_Liberation_of_Pa/tacHCwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22The+Male+Animal%22+Madeleine+Theatre,+Paris+1945&pg=PA55&printsec=frontcover

"The Male Animal" trailer (1942)

Note:  My thanks to Scott Burns for providing us with images of this scarce program. This is his sixteenth contribution to Attempted Bloggery. Scott, by the way, has compiled the most comprehensive Ralph Steadman bibliography anywhere and you can see it here.

The Wikipedia page—it's just a stub—on the Théâtre de la Madeleine may be found here.

04070

Promoting Peter Arno's Circus: Audacity Vs. Dirt

Two contemporary advertisements for Peter Arno's Circus, his 1931 cartoon collection, show distinctly different approaches to the art of book promotion. The first was spotted by Scott Burns in the New York Times Book Review of January 11, 1931. Under the banner "Audacity vs. Dirt," it revels in Arno's reputation for racy humor, and in the consummate skill which he brings to his art—not like, you know, some of those crude hack artists out there. Well, see the language for yourself:

Advertisement for Peter Arno's Circus
The New York Times Book Review, January 11, 1931

Photo by Scott Burns

In contrast, here is how the book was promoted on Arno's home territory in The New Yorker:

Advertisement for Peter Arno's Circus
The New Yorker, December 14, 1931, page 91

Unsigned spot drawing, news breaks, and various advertising

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1931-12-12/flipbook/090/

Peter Arno's Circus, 1931

Image added March 18, 2022

https://www.biblio.com/book/peter-arnos-circus-arno-peter/d/1160648062?aid=frg&gclid=Cj0KCQjw29CRBhCUARIsAOboZbKDV-fR6h5tvjRrwYCRI_1YVKjy2quVXb63xkq4HnTokhU1Se5nmdsaAvqKEALw_wcB

Note:  Scott Burns has come through once again, earning my gratitude here for the fifteenth time. Among his many accomplishments, Scott maintains a comprehensive Ralph Steadman bibliography here. I wouldn't steer you wrong.

As a result of these new findings, I've had to update my far-from-comprehensive 2016 post on Peter Arno book promotions here.

Are there other print ads for this book? Your discoveries can be added to this blog.

Glory be! Who can identify this spot artist?

03909

Ronald Searle: Scrooge Dancing

Today Scott Burns shares with us an original drawing by Ronald Searle. He reports picking it up at "a flea market about 40 years ago for $75." Sweet deal. The artwork measures 13” x 18” and is executed in pen and ink. It depicts a dancing Ebenezer Scrooge and it most likely is an early concept drawing stemming from Searle's work on the titles for the 1970 musical feature "Scrooge." It does not appear to have been drawn on the set or, for that matter, published.

Photo by Scott Burns

Searle's 1970 sketchbook image from the set depicts Albert Finney in the title role dancing. This is a very different Scrooge and it reflects how the character appeared on screen in the production.

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/scrooge/

A dancing Scrooge does appear in two of the title illustrations. This one is clearly right out of the sketchbook.

Director of Photography Oswald Morris

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/scrooge/

Executive producer Alec Guinness himself played the ghost of Jacob Marley in the film.

Executive Producer Alec Guinness

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/scrooge/

Note:  My thanks to Scott Burns! This is his fourteenth contribution to Attempted Bloggery. Without people like Scott, this blog would be nothing but humbug.

03829

Giving Thanks 2021

Turkey Day is upon us once again. This is my special time to give thanks and to offer my help by staying out of the kitchen.

Helen E. Hokinson
The New Yorker, November 27, 1937

I have been writing posts here for more than ten years now, but it's no secret that I am not entirely on my own. In my blogging pursuit I am fortunate to be aided by a dedicated group of knowledgeable readers and contributors with incredible resources and expertise that often seem to perfectly complement what I can provide. I owe so much to each of the individuals listed below for offering their generous help to me over this past year. Friends, I thank you all:

Linda Appleby

Tom Bloom

Daniel Borinsky

Steven D. Brewer

Dick Buchanan

Scott Burns

David from Manhattan

A Friend of the Blog

Joel Jacobus

Stephen Kroninger

David Leopold

Michael Maslin

Jeff Nelson

Joe Petro III

TNBIB

Sally Williams

Note:  Labels that link to posts made possible or more complete by each of these contributors may be found below, with a couple of exceptions. The post on the Lüchow's guest book is itself too full of celebrity names to have room for any contributor labels. Tom Bloom, Joel Jacobus, and David Leopold (the latter apparently through the miracle of Twitter) provided invaluable insights. I have no room below for a label linking to the older post helped along by TNBIB, who provided a valuable update on the topic of Ludwig von Drake cufflinks. Say what you will, no other blog covers these topics.

Last but by no means least, I wish to thank my family, who makes everything worthwhile. 

03811

Scott Burns's Copy of Manhattan Oases by Al Hirschfeld

I wrapped up my Al Hirschfeld posts neatly and tied them with a bow on Sunday well in time for his birthday, which fell yesterday, on Monday. Yet after ten years of writing this blog, I continue to be surprised by the high quality work that comes my way when I least expect it. By now, I should know better and be ready for it. This time it was Scott Burns who sent me his copy of another early Hirschfeld book with yet another magnificent self-portrait. But that's not all. Scott writes:

I’m probably late to the party but here’s another nice self-portrait of Hirschfeld. His first book Manhattan Oases (1932), unfortunately not in the best condition. Also something you don’t see often. A color insert in the May 3, 1943 issue of The Hollywood Reporter promoting the MGM musical “Cabin in the Sky” featuring Lena Horne and Duke Ellington.

You're not late to the party at all, Scott. Hirschfeld's work is worth remembering on his birthday because it's worth remembering every day. I'm pleased to continue the Hirschfeld celebration beyond his birthday with these images.

As a historical note, Prohibition was still in force in 1932 when Hirschfeld published Manhattan Oases, his book on speakeasies. But it was getting old.

It's evident that Hirschfeld's movie work is every bit as vivid and expressive as his theater work:

Al Hirschfeld
"Cabin in the Sky" (1943)

 

Jim Henry's Paradise

"Cabin in the Sky" (1943)

Note:  I am grateful to Scott Burns for sharing scans of his wonderful Hirschfeld book. There's nothing like the posts of the last few days to convince me that I should have devoted some of the 1980s to hunting down Hirschfeld with old books for signing. But I was busy then, as I recall, and that kind of advance planning is really not my way, even today. For the record, I also think the "Cabin in the Sky" art is fantastic and my thanks extend to that as well.

03665

Mischa Richter's Copy of a George Grosz Monograph

In 1927, Marcel Ray published George Grosz, a monograph about the artist in French from the series Peintres et Sculpteurs. Scott Burns of Armadillo & Dicker Books writes:

I have a copy of a 1927 French monograph on George Grosz—it isn’t particularly rare and I don’t read French, but I couldn’t resist getting Mischa Richter’s copy! I know they both taught at the Art Students League in the 30s but don’t know if their years coincided.

Note:  Scott Burns has compiled Ralph Steadman: A Comprehensive Guide for Collectors located here. This is Scott's twelfth contribution to the blog.

It's hard to imagine an American cartoonist of the 1930s who wasn't influenced in some way by George Grosz. Mischa Richter, a contributor to the left wing New Masses, almost certainly admired Grosz but whether there was a relationship is probably unknowable. Richter purchased the book secondhand, one would think, twelve years after publication when he was about 29. Grosz was some 17 years his senior. Grosz's teaching at the ASL was sporadic so I don't know whether Richter's dates there, if known, would help all that much. I can tell you that M. Kay Flavell's George Grosz: A Biography (1988, Yale) makes no mention of Richter, but this is hardly surprising and doesn't rule out any casual encounters. Nevertheless, I would like to hear from anyone with information regarding any interaction the two artists might have had.

03626

Giving Thanks 2020

Charles E. Martin
The New Yorker, November 26, 1966

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1966-11-26/flipbook/CV1/

I want to use today to thank those generous individuals who have contributed to this blog over the past year. It's been a difficult year for all of us, but this blogging pursuit has been blessed with more support than ever in 2020. Frankly, the number and quality of the submissions has quite often taken my breath away. Friends, I thank each and every one of you:

Tom Bloom

Dick Buchanan

Scott Burns

John Colquhoun

David from Manhattan

Frank Ferrante

A Friend of the Blog

Sarah Getz

Claude Haber

Joel Jacobus

Stephen Kroninger

Joe Petro III

Steve Stoliar

Jerome Wrinkle

Labels linking to posts made possible by each of these contributors may be found below, with the exception of A Friend of the Blog, who causes me to exceed my 200-character limit on labels. A link instead is provided here.

My thanks also to those family members and friends who have helped me out in a great variety of ways, usually anonymously. You know who you are. I also wish to thank my family for putting up with this whole outlandish pursuit of mine.

03454

James Thurber: "The Cat and the Riddle" Musical Program

"The Cat and the Riddle" was performed by the Scarlet Mask Club of Ohio State University on February 4-6, 1924. Billed as "a two act musical mystery" by James G. Thurber '19, the score is credited to eighteen songwriting collaborators, and Thurber was the lyricist in at least one of the numbers. Today it seems an extravagance to publish the sheet music for a three-night production, but it gives us what must be the best record we have of the performance today. Thurber's dialogue has evidently been lost. The musical program, currently listed on eBay, is not surprisingly quite scarce.

James Thurber
"The Cat and the Riddle" Musical Program
eBay listing accessed November 21, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1924-JAMES-THURBER-Cat-and-the-Riddle-OHIO-STATE-UNIVERSITY-SCARLET-MASK-CLUB/362411980402?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225086%26meid%3D199b8f5e23334dd39992034b0bb33462%26pid%3D100227%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D362411980402%26itm%3D362411980402%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2053904&_trksid=p2053904.c100227.m3827

James Thurber
"The Cat and the Riddle" Musical Program
eBay item description

Is $399.99 a fair price for such a program? The market will have to decide that. One wishes one had noted the listing on Everything but the House (EBTH) back in September, where a different copy sold for what was clearly way too little:

James Thurber
"The Cat and the Riddle" Musical Program
Everything but the House listing ended September 18, 2020

https://www.ebth.com/items/11788438-ohio-state-university-the-cat-and-the-riddle-musical-program-1924

"Javaland"
Words by James G. Thurber '19
Music by Robert B. Jennings '26

No copy of this musical program had been located by Edwin T. Bowden when he compiled his Thurber bibliography in 1968:

Bowden, Edwin T. James Thurber:  A Bibliography. Ohio State University Press, 1968, p. 210

Bowden, Edwin T. James Thurber:  A Bibliography. Ohio State University Press, 1968, p. 212

Bowden, Edwin T. James Thurber:  A Bibliography. Ohio State University Press, 1968, p. 228

Note:  Thanks to Scott Burns of Armadillo & Dicker Books for bringing the eBay listing to my attention.

03450