William Steig: Coming Home Late

It's late at night in Apartment 3K. Seventy years ago, the readers of Collier's were treated to a wonderful cartoon by a wonderful cartoonist: William Steig.

William Steig
Orignal art
Collier's, May 11, 1956

Evidently rejected by The New Yorker which would have had first crack at it, the drawing presents us with a couple uniquely suited to each other.

William Steig
Framed, orignal art

Collier's, May 11, 1956

The framed original art was listed some two months ago by Honey & Wax Booksellers of Philadelphia and it remains available at the time of this posting. 

William Steig
AbeBooks listing accessed July 21, 2026

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Original-gag-cartoon-Colliers-magazine-Steig/32452863076/bd

William Steig
AbeBooks item description

The published cartoon is in Dick Buchanan's clip files and appeared on the blog Mike Lynch Cartoons. 

William Steig
Collier's, May 11, 1956

https://mikelynchcartoons.blogspot.com/2018/01/from-dick-buchanan-files-william-steig.html

William Steig
Orignal art
Collier's, May 11, 1956

05304

John Ruge: Radio Daze

Before television came on the scene, the living room radio console was a major fixture in home entertainment. Times may have changed, but at least one thing hasn't: people still can't agree on which station to tune in to.

"What say we try one Sunday evening without him?"
John Ruge
Original cartoon art
Collier's

"What say we try one Sunday evening without him?"
John Ruge
Original cartoon art
Collier's

Detail

Detail

John Ruge's signature

Detail

Collier's label

Collier's label

John Ruge
eBay Listing Ended December 16, 2018

https://www.ebay.com/itm/John-Ruge-Listed-Artist-1948-Colliers-Cartoon-Illustration-Drawing-3-/123530592762?hash=item1cc2ff41fa%3Ag%3AMcYAAOSw3T5cCaAy&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

John Ruge
eBay Item Description

John Ruge
eBay Bid History
Three bids double the initial offering price.

Note:  This cartoon was no doubt published in Collier's, but when and on what page? Anyone?

Of the four works of reportedly original art by John Ruge listed and sold by eBay seller mika-1234, the cartoon labeled #1, above, is actually not by John Ruge. Read all about it and its cartoonist here.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

John Ruge

Original Cartoon Art

Collier's

Attempted Bloggery's Sleepless Index

02791

Barney Tobey: George Washington Stopped Here

An old cliche is that every place George Washington ever stayed or ate or slept had a sign commemorating that momentous event. Cartoonist Barney Tobey takes a look at whether such historical markers have much practical significance to the ordinary visitor. His cartoon was published in Collier's circa July 1940 according to a notation on the art and was anthologized the following year in Collier's Collects Its Wits. It was listed at eBay for $129 but it has some obvious condition issues. A potential buyer offered $40 and the seller countered with $49, the sale price. Tobey's handwritten caption appears on the original under the mat along with production markings.

Enjoy Presidents' Day weekend!

"I don't care if Washington did stop here—this steak is tough."
Barney Tobey, original art, Collier's, c. July 1940
Collier's Collects Its Wits, 1941

"I don't care if Washington did stop here—this steak is tough."
Barney Tobey, framed original art, Collier's, c. July 1940
Collier's Collects Its Wits, 1941

Barney Tobey's signature

Detail

Detail

Barney Tobey
eBay Listing Ended February 4, 2017

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BARNEY-TOBEY-ANTIQUE-AMERICAN-CARTOONIST-ORIGINAL-ILLUSTRATION-ART-DRAWING-/172427536433?hash=item28257b6831%3Ag%3AWKIAAOSwo4pYNlIi&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

eBay Item Description

"I don't care if Washington did stop here—this steak is tough."
Barney Tobey, original art, Collier's, c. July 1940
Collier's Collects Its Wits, 1941

January 19, 2021 Update:  The current owner of this piece has shown it in a recent wall rearrangement here.

Note:  New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson (1929-2017) has passed away. Old Attempted Bloggery posts that mention him may be seen here.


Quick Links to Attempted Bloggery's Archives
Barney Tobey
George Washington
Original Collier's Cartoon Art

Presidents' Day

James Stevenson (1929-2017)

02104

Barney Tobey's Eye Exam

A work of original cartoon art by Barney Tobey showing a monastic version of the  eye exam comes, appropriately, from the estate of an ophthalmologist. It looks very much like a New Yorker gag and may have been intended as one, but on the verso it bears a Collier's label from 1947. Certainly the subtle tones of the ink and wash would have been reproduced more truly in the New Yorker. Despite all the publication evidence to the contrary, the eBay seller of this piece listed it as a New Yorker drawing. The cartoon as it appeared in Collier's is reproduced here to put any remaining doubt to rest.  After all, what you see is what you get.

"Now the next line, Abelard—"
Barney Tobey, original art
Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

"Now the next line, Abelard—"
Barney Tobey, original art
Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

"Now the next line, Abelard—"
Barney Tobey, original art
Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

Barney Tobey's signature and caption

Collier's label

Collier's label

Collier's label

Collier's label

"Now the next line, Abelard—"
Barney Tobey, original art
Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

Detail

eBay Item Ended June 1, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-BERNARD-B-TOBEY-1947-EDITORIAL-ART-FROM-THE-NEW-YORKER-MAGIZINE-/331565536752?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d32d895f0&nma=true&si=Zv4PhLp6HocGRC23iqci2JeQ2LI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

eBay Item Description

eBay Bid History
Three bidders submit seven bids, with two of them in the last six seconds

"Now the next line, Abelard—"

Barney Tobey, original art

Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

"Now the next line, Abelard—"
Barney Tobey, Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

http://www.unz.org/Pub/Colliers-1947nov22-00036

"Now the next line, Abelard—"
Barney Tobey, Collier's, November 22, 1947, page 45

http://www.unz.org/Pub/Colliers-1947nov22-00036

Note:  Put on your spectacles and enjoy further reading from the blog archives:

Barney Tobey

Collier's

Original cartoon art

Original New Yorker cartoon art

01770