E. Simms Campbell: Surprise!

Lucky for us, it seems as if every time a young woman pops out of a cake, there's a cartoonist on hand to record the proceedings. E. Simms Campbell's cartoon from the April 1961 issue of Playboy pokes fun at the one club member who has good reason to be upset. The men's faces say it all here with their appreciative ogling. Even the men in the foreground whose faces are hidden from us are shown to be giving the performance their rapt and expert attention. The woman's face, on the other hand, is not seen; her personality is not discernible but her improbable proportions are. All we are meant to know about her is that she is giving the men, save one—and presumably the magazine's readers—what they want. 

E. Simms Campbell
"My wife!"
Original art
Playboy, April 1961, page 139

E. Simms Campbell
Christie's Sale 2367, The Year of the Rabbit:  The Playboy Collection, Lot 28
New York, December 8, 2010

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5395450&lid=1

Note:  Surprise! Attempted Bloggery is looking at the work of cartoonist E. Simms Campbell (1906-1971). I seek reader scans or photographs of original Campbell art or rare published works not already available on the internet.

External Links:

E. Simms Campbell's Wikipedia Entry

E. Simms Campbell on Ink Spill

E. Simms Campbell in Christopher Wheeler's Cartoon(ist) Gallery 

E. Simms Campbell in Print: Insider Histories: Black Cartoonist E. Simms Campbell. Robert C. Harvey intervied by Michael Dooley. March 3, 2015

E. Simms Campbell on We Too Were Children, Mr. Barrie. October 6, 2012

E. Simms Campbell at American Art Archives

E. Simms Campbell on Eli Stein Cartoons.com:  "We All Have to Start Somewhere" Department. Case in Point No. 15. September 6, 2011

E. Simms Campbell in Potrzebie. October 10, 2007

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E. Simms Campbell

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Jean-Jacques Sempé's Cellist: More from a Blogger's Birthday Wish List

Each year on this date I traditionally feature some unattainable work of illustration art that I fancifully declare to be on my birthday wish list. Usually it's an illustration of a woman jumping out of a cake, a drawing by Ronald Searle, or—on one fine occasion—both. This year I'm abandoning the scantily-clad young ladies bursting forth from sugary birthday confections and instead indulging my more introspective side. My new wish list item is a delightful little drawing of a cellist by the sublime Jean-Jacques Sempé. In contrast to previous wish list selections, this item is currently available for purchase on eBay to anyone willing to overpay for the privilege of getting me a really neat present.

eBay Listing Copied February 17, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jean-Jacques-SEMPE-Artist-Violincelliste-original-drawing-/121644937957?hash=item1c529a72e5:g:9NAAAOSwPhdVS7YB

eBay Item Description

Jean-Jacques Sempé

Note:  My previous wish list selections are still available for viewing, but good luck trying to find the originals.

The archives also have more work by the very gifted Jean-Jacques Sempé, a cartoonist with a most poetic sensibility.

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Wine, Women, and Song: More from a Blogger's Birthday Wish List

If you've been hanging out here for a while, you know what I like to get on my birthday, right? Well, once again I've surprised myself with an image of a bountiful woman jumping out of a cake. I know, it isn't a real cake and for that matter it isn't a real woman, but a man can dream. I'm much more comfortable in the world of cartoon imagery anyway.

I can't imagine this sort of thing was ever commonplace entertainment, but this gag was so ubiquitous, perhaps it wasn't all that rare. Maybe it still goes on; I really wouldn't know. The film "Under Siege" (1992) suggested it does, and much of what I know about the world today comes from Steven Seagal movies. While I never in my travels expect to see a real live woman jump out of a cake, I'm still quite happy to have encountered this little surprise so often on my special day if only here on my own blog.

The lively illustration is by Michael ffolkes and it was published on the cover of Punch for the January 20-26, 1971 issue. The cheering men, thankfully, are still older than I am. For that matter, so is Steven Seagal. Thanks, I shouldn't have!

Michael ffolkes,
Punch, January 20-26, 1971

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Punch-Magazine-Jan-26-1971-Wine-Women-Song-/120797249786?pt=Magazines&hash=item1c2013c0fa&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Note:  The late Michael ffolkes merits more attention from your humble blogger. For now, I have only this to share with you, but it's a doozy!

Did I mention that today is my birthday? See everything on this blogger's birthday wish list here.

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Searle Bird: More from a Blogger's Birthday Wish List

I think that if one somehow were able to draw like Ronald Searle there would be little point to doing anything else. Here's another masterpiece of his from my increasingly extensive birthday wish list. I have empathy for the cat who simply can't have everything it wants.

Ronald Searle, The Bird, 1982

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/ronald-william-fordham-searle-the-bird-4754980-details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=4754980&sid=2f5f6904-c6cc-4222-84d8-45d4e994d089

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Peter Arno's Insider: More from a Blogger's Birthday Wish List

Once again I've reached another birthday, and still I haven't ever seen a pretty young woman pop out of a cake. I don't really expect to. I must not be traveling in the right circles.

Cartoonist Peter Arno, on the other hand, would seem to have been in just the right circles, so I'll have to rely on his expertise. (The truth is, in lieu of the entertainment, I'd rather have this original artwork! --Just in case you're going shopping for me and can somehow locate it.)
 

Peter Arno, "She wants a drink of water."
The New Yorker, January 22, 1949, page 22

May 7, 2017 Update:  This New Yorker cartoon was collected in Peter Arno's Sizzling Platter (New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1949).

Peter Arno's Sizzling Platter (New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1949)
Dust jacket

https://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/arno/pasp/a.htm

Peter Arno's Sizzling Platter (New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1949)

Pages 100-101

https://www.fulltable.com/vts/aoi/a/arno/pasp/a.htm

http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/?p=2534

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More from a Blogger's Birthday Wish List

Here's a finely festive cartoon by Richard Taylor. I've never actually seen anyone pop out of a cake, so today's selection of illustrations will just have to do.

"My compliments to the chef."
Richard Taylor, The New Yorker, December 4, 1954

Note:  En garde! My previous post on Richard Taylor is here.

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