Showing posts with label original book cover illustration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label original book cover illustration. Show all posts

Monday, July 6, 2026

Barbara Shermund: No Time for Crime by Charlotte Murray Russell

No Time for Crime by Charlotte Murray Russell is the eighth book in the Jane Amanda Edwards mystery series. It seems we have some catching up to do. This wartime novel was published in 1945. Original art by illustrator Barbara Shermund was evidently intended for and presumably used as the book jacket. It was sold recently on eBay. The story looks . . . eventful.






Barbara Shermund's signature

Barbara Shermund
eBay listing ended May 9, 2026

Barbara Shermund
eBay item description





Note:  After scarcely more than eighty years, you'd think it was a simple enough thing to find an image of the dust jacket, right? Despite my self-proclaimed Googling skills, I've come up with nothing so far. Perhaps someone else can do better. 

The book is reviewed not unfavorably in the New York Times here.



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Thursday, November 6, 2025

Frank Frazetta: A Princess of Mars

John Carter of Mars is a character in a series of eleven books by Edgar Rice Burroughs who also was the creator of Tarzan. A Princess of Mars (1917) is the first book in the series. A 1970 edition had a celebrated cover illustrated by Frank Frazetta.


At Heritage Auctions, this original book cover art was sold on Tuesday. Nine days prior to the sale, there were as yet no online bids for the iconic work. Given that bidding opened at an imposing $750,000, that fact perhaps isn't so surprising but there was little doubt that serious bidders would eventually make themselves known. The house's estimate was $1.5 million and up.


Personally, I'm not a fan of the copyright symbol appearing on art, but what can you do?


Frank Frazetta
Heritage Auctions listing accessed October 25, 2025, nine days before the auction

Frank Frazetta
Heritage Auctions item description

The painting was sold in the November 4 Signature Illustration Art sale. With the buyer's premium included, it still came in under the estimate, but it's a healthy outcome.





The 1970 book:
https://www.comicconnect.com/item/946301?tzf=1




November 16, 2025 Update:  A news item reports that this work joins the collection of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art scheduled to open in September 2026.







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Sunday, April 21, 2024

Original Book Cover Art: Don Martin Carries On

The original 1973 book cover art for Don Martin Carries On was sold on April 17 at Heritage Auctions. The illustration speaks for itself.


Don Martin
Heritage Auctions listing ended April 17, 2024

Apparently, memories of Mad magazine inspired Heritage's copy writer to produce some truly awful prose:
Don Martin
Heritage Auctions item description
"This lampshaded lunatic is attempting to Lambada, but instead starts 'Poppin' and Lockin'.'" What?


 



I also have a few eBay images of the paperback for the scholars among you:







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Thursday, June 25, 2020

Blog Post No. 3300: "Give Up?" by Whitney Darrow, Jr.

"Give Up?" is surely one of the signature New Yorker cartoons of Whitney Darrow, Jr. The gag with its perfect two-word caption was published in 1961 and served further as the title of Darrow's 1966 cartoon collection. The impressive 1961 original art, framed and matted, was offered on eBay in March with a Buy It Now price of $1,500 which it readily achieved.
"Give Up?"
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Original art
The New Yorker, November 18, 1961, page 59

"Give Up?"
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Original art
The New Yorker, November 18, 1961, page 59

"Give Up?"
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Original art
The New Yorker, November 18, 1961, page 59

Detail

Detail with signature and caption on matte




Signature of Whitney Darrow, Jr.



Whitney Darrow, Jr.
eBay Listing Ended March 14, 2020

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
eBay Item Description
[End of eBay Listing]





"Give Up?"
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Original art
The New Yorker, November 18, 1961, page 59

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1961-11-18/flipbook/058/

As the eBay seller duly notes, "Give Up?" became the title cartoon for Darrow's 1966 collection. The more linear original book cover art sold at Swann Galleries in 2017 with a hammer price of $1,800, or $2250 with the buyer's premium. It too is a beauty:
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Framed original book cover art for Give Up? (1966)

Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Framed original book cover art for Give Up? (1966)


Whitney Darrow, Jr.

Red and green were added to the cover design in the printing process. Presumably the harlequin pattern was Darrow's and not an art director's.
Give Up? (1966)
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Front cover


Give Up? (1966)
Whitney Darrow, Jr.
Back cover self-portrait




June 26, 2020 Update:  The successful eBay bidder has posted his new prize on his website here. And on Facebook yesterday here.


Note:  Attempted Bloggery seeks scans and photos of original art by Whitney Darrow, Jr.

The Attempted Bloggery Centennial Posts 💯
Blog Post No. 100
Blog Post No. 200:  A Shaggy Dog Story
Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Whitney Darrow, Jr.

 Birds

 Original New Yorker Cartoon Art

 Original Book Cover Art

Attempted Bloggery's Index For the Birds
   
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