Whitney Darrow, Jr.: Farewell to Helen & George

In the spring of 1955, a couple, Helen and George, relocated from Connecticut to Vermont. Their friends, Middy and Whitney Darrow, Jr., sent them off with a personalized farewell card. Whitney Darrow, of course, was a celebrated New Yorker cartoonist; if you don't know, someone has helpfully written it on the back. Darrow's pencil drawing depicts a circus act in which a young girl is lighting the fuse to launch a human cannonball (George?) while a woman (Helen?) in a two-piece costume anticipates the blast and holds her ears.

The artwork is available from Between the Covers Rare Books, Inc.:

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
AbeBooks listing accessed June14, 2025

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Going-Away-Card-Original-Drawing-Whitney/32224287366/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook_high

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George Booth Greeting Cards by the Dozen

Twelve unused, vintage greeting cards by New Yorker cartoonist George Booth were sold on eBay in May. As a group, they celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, love, friendship, and getting older. Just take a look, Dearie...

George Booth Greeting Cards
eBay Listing Ended May 28, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-12-George-Booth-UNUSED-Vintage-Greeting-Cards-Birthday-Anniversary-etc-/233595289176?hash=item36635d3e58%3Ag%3AtQUAAOSwPKZexxCu&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

George Booth Greeting Cards
eBay Item Description Item Description

Earlier in May, the same eBay seller sold a different lot of ten greeting cards, many the same but four of which are not present in the above lot of twelve.

George Booth Greeting Cards
eBay Listing Ended May 9, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-10-George-Booth-UNUSED-Vintage-Greeting-Cards-Birthday-Anniversary-etc-/233553073294?hash=item3660d9148e%3Ag%3AzkwAAOSwuhZejg%7EV&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

George Booth Greeting Cards
eBay Item Description

Okay, because you've been such a good audience I'll show you one more greeting card also sold in May on eBay, but from a different seller. 

George Booth Greeting Card
eBay Listing Ended May 22, 2020

https://www.ebay.com/itm/vtg-80-039-s-Drawing-Board-George-Booth-get-well-greeting-card-free-ship-20-min-/313082908782?hash=item48e532106e%3Ag%3A6dkAAOSw5R5dUx9W&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

George Booth Greeting Card
eBay Item Description

Note:  Attempted Bloggery would like to publish more of the unsung work of George Booth. I can't put it any plainer than that.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

George Booth

Greeting Cards

Attempted Bloggery's Old Fashioned Index

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George Booth: Having a Few Friends Over...

Artist George Booth illustrates five party animals for this vintage 1980s set of invitations. Come and join in the fun!

George Booth, We're having a few friends over...

George Booth, We're having a few friends over...

Detail

...and you would fit right in!

Etsy Item Description

https://www.etsy.com/listing/289264981/vintage-invitations-george-booth-cartoon?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=George%20Booth&ref=sr_gallery_2

Etsy Item Description

Note:  Party on! George Booth, who turned 90 yesterday, has had a number of posts on this blog devoted to his art. You can read any or all of them here. This series of blog posts about Mr. Booth is winding down for now, but but I always welcome photos or scans of original Booth art, published rarities (such as these invitations), correspondence, knickknacks, gewgaws, and other various and sundry Boothiana. I'll just wait here patiently...

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Charles Addams for Hallmark

Greetings from...Lurch? A Hallmark card featuring the Addams Family's butler was designed by Charles Addams probably around the time of the TV show. A rare example of this card is currently offered on eBay. It retailed for 25 cents in the 1960's, but today it can be yours for $39.95, or most likely less if you make the right offer.

Charles Addams, Lurch behind the door
Hallmark Contemporary card front cover

Charles Addams, Lurch behind the door
Hallmark Contemporary card interior

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ADDAMS-FAMILY-Charles-Addams-1960s-HALLMARK-GREETING-CARD-w-LURCH-Rare-/261285694962?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd5d74df2

November 17, 2013 Update:  Sold!

October 8, 2016 Update:  Morticia!

Charles Addams, Morticia at her writing desk, Hallmark Contemporary card front cover

Birthday greetings from Morticia

eBay Listing Ended August 8, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-Addams-Family-Charles-Addams-Hallmark-Birthday-Greeting-Card-Morticia-1960s-/112087314270?hash=item1a18ecaf5e%3Ag%3ALr0AAOSwL7VWsoMK&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

eBay Item Description

October 31, 2021 Update:  Watermarked photos from an eBay listing include the Hallmark cards of Gomez and Grandmama, as well as the Lurch card we've already seen.

Charles Addams
eBay listing ended October 5, 2021

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284469205179?hash=item423baf98bb%3Ag%3A3DkAAOSw5shgZoKg&nma=true&si=64J6TuENCQvl%252FEQuIbsoMEcDQlw%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Charles Addams
eBay item description

November 10, 2021 Update:  Sold!

Charles Addams
eBay bid history
One bid five days before the auction closed

That's gone now, but here's a new eBay listing with better images of the Gomez card:

Charles Addams
eBay listing accessed November 10, 2021

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403284884325?hash=item5de5a6fb65:g:gDUAAOSw7tthibti

Charles Addams
eBay item description

Note:  If you should know of other vintage Hallmark Contemporary cards with an Addams Family theme, or have better photos of these, please consider sharing them here.

More Attempted Bloggery posts about Charles Addams are here.

Seasonal Halloween-themed posts may be found here.

The website for the Tee & Charles Addams Foundation is here.

The exhibition "Chas Addams: Family and Friends" is on view at Southampton Center through November 3. Read about it here.

Exhibition and other news about Charles Addams is covered on Ink Spill here.

Charles Addams has been featured on The Pictorial Arts blog here.

Are you following the World Series? Baseball blog posts are here.

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