Three examples of original cartoon art by Al Ross came up for auction at Heritage on February 18. The cartoon settings are a full lunch counter, a full library, and a full hammock.
.jpeg)
The opening bid of $1 had been placed by February 16 when I first visited the sale. Perhaps there might have been more activity if Heritage had not confused the New Yorker cartoonist with illustrator Al Rossi. Or perhaps not.
 |
| Al Ross Heritage Auctions listing accessed February 16, 2028, one or two days before the sale |
 |
| Al Ross Heritage Auctions result of February 18, 2026 |
 |
| Al Ross Heritage Auctions item description |
The lunch counter drawing is the earliest of this trio. It was published in 1000 Jokes in May of 1954, if the notation is accurate. Today, it goes without saying, this type of gag would be shunned for its body shaming. Nevertheless, Ross has given his older women expressions which are priceless.
 |
| "Right here, Eddie, they won't dare have any dessert!" Al Ross 1000 Jokes, May 1954 [?] |
 |
| Al Ross The New Yorker, June 27, 1988, p. 70 |
 |
| Al Ross Original art The New Yorker, June 27, 1988, p. 70 |
 |
| With a cartoon by Al Ross |
Finally, the library drawing was published, I am told, in Books, Books, Books: A Hilarious Collection of Literary Cartoons. The 1988 collection was edited by Sam Gross and Jim Charlton.
 |
| "You know who's beginning to annoy me? Homer!" Al Ross Original book art Books, Books, Books: A Hilarious Collection of Literary Cartoons, edited by S. Gross and Jim Charlton, Harper & Row, 1988 |
05207
