William Hamilton: A Young Man's Milestone

An original New Yorker drawing by William Hamilton was sold on eBay in November.

"I'll bet not many men your age are in the Yellow Pages."
William Hamilton
Original art
The New Yorker, February 3, 1973, p. 30

A prominent listing in the Yellow Pages could be purchased by any business with sufficient funds, so it wasn't really any sort of status symbol. Dining in that elegant restaurant, though, was.

William Hamilton's signature

Caption

"I'll bet not many men your age are in the Yellow Pages."
William Hamilton
Original art
The New Yorker, February 3, 1973, p. 30

Detail, left

Detail, right

William Hamilton
eBay listing ended November 22, 2024

https://www.ebay.com/itm/267065490565?_skw=signed+William+Hamilton&itmmeta=01JJG5RQKYQ07C5CVGGNT1G5Q8&hash=item3e2e57fc85:g:lDgAAOSwQaBnN3O0&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKluLcUmglgL%2BIcvMrFJiqwDqCz6kMI3Xx2qL5Po9HkGA7lJLRE9RBkFgO8DtQ7mMwQs8p6XLas2WAYzNLfRWeks5A3W7bEnoYVy%2Bx0ki%2BIJiXC%2BrjQVu41OhbQXdwRMU3Kdn5kvtU3cD8Oa4rGERba1RlvTWSgG6xGXlXcizbVIqky1ytak%2FOjQX%2BXSSlSbSyNjtX0OIwkqXpC0Q%2FgfbIZkSH81rolHfx7kHsXGbVLoEoOSpzDHS99nL0zye3EivdM%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4764oWUZQ

William Hamilton
eBay item description

William Hamilton
eBay bid history
One bid placed early was all it took.

Image added January 29, 2025

"I'll bet not many men your age are in the Yellow Pages."
William Hamilton
The New Yorker, February 3, 1973, p. 30

"I'll bet not many men your age are in the Yellow Pages."
William Hamilton
Original art
The New Yorker, February 3, 1973, p. 30

With drawings by William Hamilton and William Steig

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1973-02-03/flipbook/030/

The Yellow Pages TV Ad

William Steig's drawing shows a couple at a masked ball. Are they hiding something? Steig's gentle touch contrasts on the page with Hamilton's bold impression. 

William Steig
The New Yorker, February 3, 1973, p. 31

04861

Claude Smith: An Immersive Competition

A six-panel color cartoon by Claude Smith appeared in the February 1958 issue of Playboy. The original art was sold at auction in Brooklyn over the weekend by Antique Arena, Inc. The panels are numbered top to bottom, left to right, and the wordless cartoon must have been printed across two facing magazine pages:

This multi-panel cartoon shows a wealthy, middle-aged man sitting at his swimming pool while hosting a couple of attractive female companions. Over the wall, he observes his neighbor's well-attended pool party and feels compelled to outdo him. It's an example of keeping up with the Joneses while following the supposed Playboy lifestyle. The young women in bathing suits, then, are commodities the men use to compete against each other. 
There's an assumption in a great many cartoons of this type that money buys sexual success. It's a belief of which many a young and impoverished man is easily convinced. It might even be true.

Claude Smith
Antique Arena, Inc., listing of June 15, 2024

https://antiquearena.com/lot/70281

Note:  Sure I'd love to see your original cartoon art by Claude Smith, who signs his art Claude. Thanks for asking. And thanks for the invitation to your pool.

04671

Gilbert Bundy and E. Simms Campbell Back to Back in Esquire, April 1937

Esquire's April 1937 issue offers a cheeky color cartoon by Gilbert Bundy. Does Mr. Hartman have any idea what he's being offered? It would appear so.

"Why don't you come over here, Mr. Hartman—then I won't have to bother about getting dressed[?]"
Gilbert BundyEsquire, April 1937, page 70

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1937-ESQUIRE-MAGAZINE-Comic-Page-Why-don-t-you-come-over-here-Mr-Hartman/163028012254?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40971%26meid%3D4c83fbe57c6b40359ec52244ca8d2af2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D7%26sd%3D163028012270%26itm%3D163028012254&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

That cartoon was immediately preceded by a color cartoon from E. Simms Campbell on the opposite side of the page. Campbell is very skilled at alluding to what his characters directly can observe but which we, the readers, can only imagine. On that score, this cartoon of a father tallying his daughter's assets might just be one of his best: 

"M–m–m—so it isn't daughter's money he's after at all[.]"
E. Simms Campbell
Esquire, April 1937, page 69

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1937-ESQUIRE-MAGAZINE-Comic-Page-Why-don-t-you-come-over-here-Mr-Hartman/163028012254?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40971%26meid%3D4c83fbe57c6b40359ec52244ca8d2af2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D7%26sd%3D163028012270%26itm%3D163028012254&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Note:  It's the hottest La Niña year yet. As a public service to readers during this hot summer, Attempted Bloggery is relaxing its usual dress code to allow clothing-optional blog viewing. The usual formalwear requirement is waived for the duration.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Gilbert Bundy

E. Simms Campbell

Esquire

My Views of Arizona

Attempted Bloggery's Overdressed Index

02647