James Thurber: A Collection of Dogs

It is an unusually focused collection of James Thurber art and memorabilia that was sold on Sunday by Saratoga Estate Auction of, as one might guess, Saratoga, Florida. The fabulous theme is Thurber's dogs—on paper, on dishes, and in book form. 

The plates, the first edition of Thurber's Dogs (1955), and the postage stamps are well-established collectibles—cartoon commodities, if you will. But it is the two drawings, matted and framed, that are the one-of-a-kind finds. As such, they should be the prime determinants of the auction price.

James Thurber's shortened signature

James Thurber's signature

There are, of course, no dogs on the U.S. postage stamps. Now where have we seen that font?

It is, of course, misleading to offer such a collection with an auction estimate of $100 to $200, particularly with the two signed original Thurber drawings. But that's the point: the unrealistically low estimate allows potential buyers to visualize themselves winning the whole caboodle with a casual lowball bid. Who among us hasn't been the willing subject of such psychological manipulation from time to time?

James Thurber
Sarasota Estate Auction listing accessed May 25, 2025, two weeks before the sale

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/6-james-thurbers-collection-pieces-1471-c-6fc45188d5?objectID=197379768&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=9fb379145686519cfcf6cd35a3e627ce

James Thurber
Sarasota Estate Auction item overview

No bids had been placed as of May 25, 2025

Sold!

June 12, 2025 Update:  Today this post was discussed on Michael Maslin's Ink Spill. As a result, Sara Thurber Sauers was able to identify the two drawings as original book illustrations from  James Thurber’s The Beast in Me and Other Animals (1948).

Note:  Men, women, and dogs are the classic subjects that make up Thurber's artistic repertoire. I stand ready to display images of original Thurber art on the very blog you see before you.

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James Thurber: Dogs with Falling Leaves Scarf

"Dogs are now saying 'scarf' when they bark." That advertising copy seems cringeworthy today, but the design of the scarf itself, which includes a James Thurber dog sitting and watching the leaves fall, has kept its charm. The scarf is designed by Richard A. Farrar based on Thurber dog drawings. Farrar, we know, also designed scarves with art by New Yorker regulars Charles Addams, Helen E. Hokinson, Anatol Kovarsky, Mischa Richter, and Otto Soglow. The Thurber dogs silk scarves illustrated in the ad were available in five colors—red, white, black, green, and yellow—and in two sizes, 18" (for $3.00) and 33" (for $7.95). In today's dollars, that's about $29 and $77.

Richard A. Farrar advertisement
The New Yorker, October 31, 1953, page 72

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1953-10-31/flipbook/072/

This, then, would be the fourth Thurber scarf design we know of—let's call it "Dogs with Falling Leaves"—and the second which can be confirmed as a Richard A. Farrar scarf. To review, here are the other three, along with my own unimaginative names for them:

1. "Dogs on the Lawn," Richard A. Farrar

2. "Dogs and Clover," designer unknown

3. "Dogs in the Garden," designer unknown

Note:  Clearly, what the world needs now—besides love, sweet love—is to see more James Thurber scarves. We have no examples as yet of the "Dogs with Falling Leaves" scarf, let alone of the five colors and two sizes in which it was produced. Of the three scarf designs we have already seen, presumedly there are additional variants as well. One can hope that some scarf will soon be found to bear evidence of its brand, perhaps a tag or original box, identifying the maker of the "Dogs and Clover" as well as the "Dogs in the Garden" scarf.

As yet we have no examples to show of the Farrar Helen E. Hokinson scarf. Where are they?

Additional color schemes for the scarves by Charles Addams, Anatol Kovarsky, Mischa Richter, and Otto Soglow would also be helpful. Please check the blog archives for what is already on file. There might even be other scarf designs, perhaps by other New Yorker artists, that we don't yet know of.

The above advertisement is the first we've encountered for a Richard A. Farrar scarf design based on the work of a New Yorker cartoonist. That means there could very well be other such ads out there. If you find one, please send a copy this way.

Sherlock Holmes had his Baker Street Irregulars. I have you. Gang, let's start looking.

And, while you're at it, if you can also find love, sweet love, that's not bad either.

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James Thurber: Clover Scarf

A silk scarf featuring the dogs of James Thurber in various poses and attitudes was sold on eBay in December of 2018. For discussion purposes we can refer to this design as the Clover scarf for its distinctive three-leaf clovers positioned along the borders and scattered across the material, but in all other respects it is nothing less than a celebration of Thurber's dogs. The scarf is printed in white on a black background, but most likely it comes in other color combinations too. A number of Thurber's delightful drawings seem to have been adapted for use on this scarf. The result is quite handsome. Last year the eBay opening bid for this item was a healthy $100, and that's precisely what it sold for.

James Thurber
eBay Listing Ended December 14, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Signed-James-Thurber-Black-Silk-Scarf-with-Hound-Dog-/123532045770?hash=item1cc3156dca%3Ag%3AlFUAAOSwKtlcCrgN&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

James Thurber
eBay Item Description

James Thurber
eBay Bid History
One bid does the trick.

Note:  This scarf design appears to be from the same house behind the vintage James Thurber scarf that appeared in yesterday's post. As before, I'm eager to hear from anyone with information about it. Are its origins with the Thurber House in Columbus? Is the designer known to anyone? When was it manufactured? What was the original price? In what various color combinations did it come? How many distinct Thurber scarves were in the series? To round out our knowledge of these items, relevant photographs of other Thurber scarves would be greatly appreciated.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

James Thurber

Dogs

Scarves

Attempted Bloggery's Faithful Index

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James Thurber: Lawn Scarf

The design of a scarf featuring various charming figures by James Thurber—men, women, dogs...and rabbits—takes drawings apparently created for other purposes and arranges them in a plain geometric pattern. They are unified on a stylized lawn with a simple border of grass and flowers, additional flowers being spread across the field of the scarf. The date and the designer are unclear. The scarf is printed in black on chartreuse but there is another version in black on white, and it very likely exists in other colors as well.

James Thurber
eBay Listing as Archived on Worthpoint
Retrieved February 17, 2019

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/james-thurber-scarf-signed-dogs-fab-75581631

Detail of scarf in the black on white version

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/428475352020290500/?lp=true

January 10, 2020 Update:  Another scarf sold on eBay bears the tag of Richard A. Farrar, confirming the designer.

With a tag of designer Richard A. Farrar

James Thurber Scarf
eBay listing ended October 18, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Signed-JAMES-THURBER-yellow-silk-scarf-w-black-famous-dog-cartoon-print/154132001277?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

James Thurber Scarf
eBay item description

James Thurber Scarf
eBay bid history
Purchased for a best offer of $28.

Best offer of $28 accepted

Note:  I'm eager to hear from anyone with further information about this scarf design containing images by James Thurber. When was it released? What did it originally cost? Worthpoint subscribers: when was it sold on eBay and for how much? Just how many color combinations are there?


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

James Thurber

Dogs

Scarves

Attempted Bloggery's Playful Index

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