Otto Soglow: On Strike at the Deli

Original Depression Era New Yorker art dating from 1937 by cartoonist Otto Soglow was sold last month on eBay. The sequential drawing takes us into the nitty gritty of a labor dispute at a delicatessen belonging to one E. Swartz. Will the protest be resolved?

Otto Soglow
Original art
The New Yorker, October 9, 1937, p. 27

Soglow has reoworked the last panel a little. There is some white-out in the area of the picketer's forward leg and some glue staining at the bottom of the hanging placard.

Verso

Otto Soglow
eBay listing ended July 23, 2024

https://www.ebay.com/itm/176486041197?_skw=signed+Yorker&itmmeta=01JA75GRHZ41G1ZVP8WQDWXXJC&hash=item291763466d:g:pBoAAOSwgWRmjrhF&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKnl3XP2vwNBdXK9mSCl48A9hYw29Qlqn6EXU2A1VSRfMEnzvcGhb%2F0RFJTi7GyecDSJOi39%2FC--MrlK%2BYo%2F4r6FuidDi%

2BC3nvj5%2F0GD2ipVeaGfw0N0YlpKt7Us1CQF%2F3384j1s5C3PAXQ%2Bm%2FFwHcWq6GHr9CxzFzpzlMGDeezLu2In0SbHVu5h0AZNgv40EWtNkigrnar33CmkdyoIkBj%2FmT7Hg9N%2FTwfAwJfDb4hFa8PMJj8ziO0e15GC%2FSfpctHqXHaNO%2BJsX4phqy%2FSZ81SZVDBQpw0DOSY0798gT2xjQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4qJw-XRZA

Otto Soglow
eBay item description

[End of eBay listing]

In Soglow's final panel, the bottom of the sign that is worn reads Today's Big Special, which repeats the first words on the sign that is carried. The New Yorker's editors evidently had Soglow restore the bottom of that sign to read Local Union, as in the first panel, with a patch that is now lost. Some residual glue must have caused discoloration to that part of the paper.

Otto Soglow
The New Yorker, October 9, 1937, p. 27

Otto Soglow
Original art
The New Yorker, October 9, 1937, p. 27

With cartoons by George Price and Otto Soglow

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1937-10-09/flipbook/026/

* * *

On the other side of the page, cartoonist George Price uses shading and a more relaxed and freewheeling line to produce a very different sort of cartoon image. Here he shows a physician perched upon a laboratory table during an office visit, perhaps not such an unconventional seating choice when there is no examining table. Price, though, is making fun of a cigarette promotion which must have been very familiar at the time to the magazine's readers. Line thickness and empty white space assures that we don't miss the essential speech balloon.

"It suddenly appeared                                         

when I started working on that Old Gold contest."

George Price

The New Yorker, October 9, 1937, p. 26

The thing is, I haven't been able to find a print example of the Old Gold cigarette contest referenced in the Price cartoon. Still, I think I know a caption contest when I see one.

Note:  With the help of enterprising collectors, I would love to dedicate future posts on this blog to examples of original art by the likes of New Yorker cartoonists Otto Soglow and George Price. I would also like to add information about that elusive Old Gold contest right here.

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Charles Addams: Cobblers on Strike

Charles Addams's New Yorker cartoon from the issue of July 21, 1962 has no caption, but there are still quite a few words to take in. The key word is right in the middle of the factory wall so you won't miss it. 

Charles Addams
Original cartoon art
The New Yorker, July 21, 1962, p. 31

Charles Addams's signature

"For Marten Loewengart
with all best
Chas Addams"

Detail with strikebreakers

J. Whatman drawing board verso

The New Yorker stamp

The original art was sold yesterday in Palm Beach.

Charles Addams
AGOPB (Auction Gallery of Palm Beaches) listing of September 21, 2024

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/186454229_charles-addams-american-1912-1988-original-cartoon-illustration-for-the-new-yorker-magazine

Charles Addams
AGOPB item description

Charles Addams
The New Yorker, July 21, 1962, p. 31

Charles Addams
Original cartoon art
The New Yorker, July 21, 1962, p. 31

With a spot drawing by Victor de Pauw and a cartoon by Charles Addams

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1962-07-21/flipbook/030/

Victor de Pauw
Spot drawing
The New Yorker, July 21, 1962, p. 30

I identified the artist on September 6, 2024.

Note:  In his 1964 wedding announcement, the Times described the drawing's recipient, Marten Loewengart, as a tanning company officer. So it may really have been the shoe subject matter that interested him in this cartoon.

I am eager to fill this blog with images of original art by Charles Addams. Please let me know what you have. After all, Halloween is coming.

Victor de Pauw's superb spot work has been noted here previously. I would be happy to hear from anyone with additional relevant material on this artist.

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E. Simms Campbell and Dorothy McKay: Eight Cartoons from Esquire

A group of five color cartoons by E. Simms Campbell torn from copies of Esquire in the 1930s are listed together on eBay. As luck would have it, on the back of three of these are cartoons by Dorothy McKay. Let's have a look at how these two distinctive cartoonists helped to define Esquire's brand of humor in the 30s.

First off, for 1939, this E. Simms Campbell "Harem Girls" swipe at Hitler seems disappointingly tame:

E. Simms Campbell
"It's Adolph Hitler. He wants to know if he can borrow some dancers[.]"
Esquire, July 1939, page 42

This gag cartoon from 1939 retains some political relevance today:

E. Simms Campbell
"He won't pay for the oil. He said it was stolen from him anyhow!"
Esquire, August 1939, page 35

In a Father's Day gag, Dorothy McKay's sly saleswoman (on the flip side of the Hitler cartoon) wants to know a little too much about the children's young father. The size of the family says it all.

Dorothy McKay
"Well, now, let's see—what does your daddy do in his spare time?"
Esquire, July 1939, page 41

The "Harem Girls" are back again, this time in a labor dispute that leaves the sultan flummoxed. This gag would have mirrored some of the widespread social upheaval during the Great Depression. As a practical matter, though, are the women in the harem really employees?

E. Simms Campbell
[Harem Girls on Strike]
Esquire, August 1934, page 39

On the other side of the page, Dorothy McKay illustrates one of the hazards faced by susceptible swim instructors. Her female bather appears less glamorous than Mr. Campbell's typical women.

Dorothy McKay
"He was teaching me to swim[.]"
Esquire, August 1934, page 40

Swim instructors aren't the only ones with a weakness for attractive women, it seems. Here Mr. McGregor works closely on his student's form:

E. Simms Campbell
"—but when do I hit the ball[,] Mr. McGregor?"
Esquire, July 1937, page 72

On the opposite side of the page, Dorothy McKay's priest attempts to return a foul-mouthed parrot to the pet shop. Just look at his body language!

Dorothy McKay
"That's the reason I sold him to you, Reverend—I thought you'd reform him[.]"
Esquire, July 1937, page 71

The final cartoon in the set pretends to leave everything to our imagination but we all know exactly what's going on, don't we? This seems a good time to ask a basic question about gag cartoons: Why have them in color? If the color doesn't add to the joke, does it add to the atmosphere enough to justify its use? Does color need to be justified at all? To help you decide, here's a cartoon with almost nothing but atmosphere:

E. Simms Campbell
"Don't look now of course, George—but the moon is simply marvelous tonight!""
Esquire, September 1939, page 71

E. Simms Campbell
eBay Listing Ended January 25, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1930s-Esquire-Magazine-Full-Page-Cartoons-E-Simms-Campbell-5-pgs-ESQ5-/323003424076?hash=item4b34811d4c%3Ag%3AZpkAAOSwcgNZCl8q&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

E. Simms Campbell
eBay Item Description

Note:  Perhaps you've noticed. Attempted Bloggery is looking at the work of cartoonist E. Simms Campbell (1906-1971). I seek scans or photographs from readers of original Campbell art or rare published works not already available on the internet. Sure, I'll take work by Dorothy McKay as well. I'm not so particular.

Do we need more color cartoons today? Certainly color cartoons can be lovely to look at, but why are the world's best cartoons in black and white? Or are they? Your opinions are welcome in the comments section. Simply scroll down and you'll find it. I promise.

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

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives

E. Simms Campbell

Dorothy McKay

Playboy

Attempted Bloggery's Colorful Index

Attempted Bloggery supports net neutrality.

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