Sight Unseen: Edward Koren's What About Me?

Vagabond Books of Pasadena didn't have all that much to say about their unique copy of Edward Koren's What About Me? It's described as "a near fine first in wraps signed with drawing." What drawing, you ask? The listing on AbeBooks shows only a photograph of the book's cover, time-stamped in early 2012 and oddly labeled as a stock image. The image is not in any way helpful, but the book was listed reasonably at $35 with a slightly less reasonable $8 shipping charge. In other words, it seemed to me a worthwhile gamble to purchase this book sight unseen. My usual follow up is to report to the blog's readership the results of my reckless behavior. Naturally, I took the plunge.

Edward Koren
AbeBooks listing accessed August 29, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=610096250&searchurl=an%3Dedward%2Bkoren%26sgnd%3Don%26sortby%3D17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title12

Edward Koren
AbeBooks item description

So, was this a sound purchase? Evidently it was—for somebody else. On August 31, 2022, I was notified by AbeBooks that the order was canceled by the bookseller. I would not after all get to assess the original Koren drawing.

Nothing to see here folks, sorry. But I do wonder what could have happened. Do booksellers really lose track of their inventories and continue to list sold items? I've seen it before, supposedly. 

Note:  I know it's a long shot, but I would still like to hear from the purchaser of this book and to see that original drawing. If you don't have it, that's okay; I'm also eager to see other Koren drawings in other Koren books.

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Edward Koren: A Drawing "For Charlie"

Admittedly there's not very much to see in an old thumbnail image of an original sketch by Edward Koren drawn on the title page of a copy of What About Me?: Cartoons from the New Yorker (1989). The book was inscribed "For Charlie/with best regards/Ed Koren" to an owner of Monroe Street Books of Vermont and sold by the recipient years ago, but the store mistakenly kept it listed online long after the sale, and that's where reader and Attempted Bloggery contributor David from Manhattan found it, saved the image, and attempted to buy the book for a very reasonable $40.

He received instead a different signed copy of the book without any drawing. So it's not a perfect world and indeed this is not a perfect blog. In fact, of the many Koren images to be found here, this is surely the least satisfying. And yet...

The minuscule image is tantalizing. It's clearly a delightful cartoon, even if it isn't one that is destined to change the world. It's a timely reminder of how many enchanting images of this sort remain hidden away in private collections. So something positive could still come of all this. Perhaps the current owner of the book will see this post and make a new high-quality scan to forward to us. That would be ideal. Or...

Perhaps the owners of other Koren drawings in other Koren books will feel inspired to scan them for us to enjoy. That would count as a win as well. Or...

Maybe those in possession of souvenir sketches, roughs, and published work by any number of other New Yorker artists will feel inspired to scan or photograph these works and submit them to the blog. There are a variety of ways this disappointing hint of an amusing drawing could prompt more wonderful submissions.

Even if it doesn't, this is a good example of how challenging it can be to collect and publicize images that were really never meant to see the light of day. But if images intended to be enjoyed privately can somehow become images appreciated publicly, aren't we all a little better off?

Please nod your head yes.

Note:  I really don't think David from Manhattan intended to share this teeny tiny image with anyone but me, but I'm grateful to him for the opportunity to disappoint others as well. This is David's thirty-fourth contribution to the blog, but several contributions have included multiple books, so the absolute number underestimates his true impact here.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Edward Koren

Signed Books with Original Drawings

David from Manhattan

Attempted Bloggery's Hidden Index

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Edward Koren: Four Books with Original Sketches

Reader and longtime contributor David from Manhattan returns to this blog with new images of four books personalized by New Yorker cartoonist Edward Koren. These books date from 1980 to 1995 and each contains an original sketch. We've seen other copies of each of these books before, and these were also embellished by Mr. Koren, but the original sketches make each of these four books freshly wonderful in its own way. 

Edward Koren
Drawing of a figure holding a sign, inscribed "For Leo~/With all my best wishes—From your East Coast, North Country country cousin/Ed Koren"
in a copy of What About Me?  Cartoons from the New Yorker (1989)

Scan by David from Manhattan

Edward Koren
Drawing of three women inscribed "To Pamela/with best regards—/Edward Koren"
in  a copy of Quality Time:  Parenting, Progeny, and Pets (1995)

Scan by David from Manhattan

Edward Koren
Ballot drawing
Inscribed "☐ Yes
              ☐ No
                   ☐ Maybe
My Best
Ed Koren"
in a copy of The Art of the New Yorker 1925-1995 by Lee Lorenz

Photo by David from Manhattan

Edward Koren
Drawing of a skier with ski lift and mountain
Inscribed "Laura/with every good thing/Ed Koren
Nov 19 80"
in a copy of "Well, There's Your Problem." (1980)

Photograph by David from Manhattan

Note:  Once again I offer my thanks to David from Manhattan for contributing these unique images. This is David's thirty-third contribution to the blog.

Edward Koren generously provides fans with original sketches in his books and Attempted Bloggery has collected quite a few of these here in the archives. Lucky readers with original Koren art in their libraries are invited to contribute scans or photographs of said art. You may choose to go public or to remain anonymous. Remember, no pseudonym is too outlandish.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Edward Koren

Signed Books with Original Drawings

Skiing

David from Manhattan

Attempted Bloggery's Black Diamond Index

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Edward Koren's Sign of the Times

Some serious signage appears in a drawing by Edward Koren on the title page of a book that collects his work for the New Yorker. It comes from the library of the late Dr. David Pearce, a friend of Mr. Koren's according to the inscription.

Edward Koren, drawing of a figure with a sign, inscribed "For David/Your friend/Ed Koren"
in a copy of What About Me?:  Cartoons from the New Yorker (1989)

Edward Koren, What About Me?:  Cartoons from the New Yorker (1989)

Note:  And what about me? What about a blogger who knows there are thousands and thousands of books out there with original drawings by Edward Koren and other  gifted New Yorker artists that simply will never be seen and enjoyed by the public?  How about if people were to send scans or photos of say even  a fraction of these drawings to this blogger? What then, I ask?

Quick links:

Edward Koren as seen on Attempted Bloggery

Books with original drawings

George Booth posts

Peter Arno posts

Attempted Bloggery's index

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