Peter Arno's Side-Show for October 1936

Peter Arno's "Side-Show" feature for the College Humor issue of October 1936 covered the usual two pages with three cartoons. The initial full-page cartoon shows a menacing face in the window.

"Your husband, Eleanor—what sort of looking man is he?"
Peter Arno
College Humor, October 1936, p. 10

The pair of cartoons on the facing page concern a special delivery and a commuting suggestion.

"It's for you, dear."
* * *
"Here!—You folks ought to know each other."
Peter Arno
College Humor, October 1936, p. 11

The original art for each of these College Humor cartoons, in one form or another, has been seen on the blog here. I have corrected the captions from the Nicholls Gallery notes to what was actually printed.

"Your husband, Eleanor—what sort of looking man is he?"

"It's for you, dear."

"Here!—You folks ought to know each other."
Peter Arno
Original art at auction

Note:  Sometimes a photo from a contact sheet or an old auction listing just isn't enough. I'm still hoping to hear from people with original College Humor art by Peter Arno. You know where to find me.

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Constantin Alajálov: The Ladies in Their Fancy Hats

A minor illustration, or so one might judge it, by the major illustrator Constantin Alajálov of The New Yorker and The The Saturday Evening Post shows no fewer than eleven ladies wearing fancy hats at a meeting of their club. The oddly-contoured cutout may or may not have been published. It was sold on eBay in 2016, tape and all, for a best offer south of $79.

Constantin Alajálov

Constantin Alajálov

Constantin Alajálov's signature

Verso of the sheet on which the drawing is mounted

Constantin Alajálov
eBay listing ended November 5, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1920-039-s-1930-039-s-Illustration-CONSTANTIN-ALAJALOV-1900-1987-New-Yorker-Artist-/322314153158?hash=item4b0b6bacc6%3Ag%3A74QAAOSwHMJYC9W3&nma=true&si=YQGb25QThn5Fxe78BW8tTy6VzZY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Constantin Alajálov
eBay listing

Note:  Constantin Alajálov was quite prolific and not all of his work corresponds to known published pieces. Anyone who may have seen these particular hats (and the ladies who wear them) in print is encouraged to let us know where and when.

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Constantin Alajálov for Timely Clothes

Illustrator Constantin Alajálov's advertising art for Timely Clothes appeared in The New Yorker in 1937. Say what you will, this is the way to sell a suit.

" . . . and you'll meet a dark-haired lady who will
fall in love with that TIMELY Suit you're wearing."
Constantin Alajálov
The New Yorker, September 25, 1937, p. 50

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1937-09-25/flipbook/050/

Note:  As far as I know, this is Constantin Alajálov's only illustration for Timely Clothes, but then I don't have a crystal ball or whatever the equivalent is for seeing into the past. If there should be more examples out there, informed readers should let me know please. I'm also reachable by séance.

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Sidney Harris: Hungry Hungry Hippos

In the August 8 Illustration Art sale at Heritage Auctions, two original cartoons by Sidney Harris were sold. The first had been published in Playboy and was posted here yesterday; today's is from The New Yorker and features two hippopotamuses seated at a restaurant reading their menus. Hippos, by the way, are herbivores, which is probably a good thing.

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
Original art
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
Original art
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

Verso

Sidney Harris
Heritage Auctions listing accessed July 13, 2024

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/sidney-harris-american-b-1933-you-folks-ready-the-new-yorker-magazine-interior-march-27-199/a/8174-71228.s?ic16=ViewItem-Auction-Open-JumpLot-PreviousLot-050318

The presale estimate was $700 to $1,000, the same as the Playboy beer cartoon in the previous lot.

Sidney Harris
Heritage Auctions item description

Sold! Alas, my $2 bid was not successful.

But to my surprise, the Harris Playboy cartoon seen here in yesterday's post sold for considerably more than his New Yorker cartoon.

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

"You folks ready to order?"
Sidney Harris
Original art
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 64

With cartoons by Sidney Harris and Frank Cotham

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1995-03-27/flipbook/064/

Note:  Sure I'd like to check out your original Sidney Harris cartoon art. I thought you'd never ask.

While you're at it, why not send some images of Frank Cotham art as well.

"We got him onto an exercise bike, but I'm afraid it was too late."
Frank Cotham
The New Yorker, March 27, 1995, p. 65

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Sidney Harris: The Secret Ingredient

An original Playboy cartoon by Sidney Harris came up for sale at Heritage on August 8.

". . . But our secret ingredient is large quantities of Hilberg Beer."
Sidney Harris
Original art
Playboy, May 1976

". . . But our secret ingredient is large quantities of Hilberg Beer."
Sidney Harris
Original art
Playboy, May 1976

Illustration board

Bidding was at only $1 when I first came upon the auction on July 13. The estimate was $700 to $1,000. It was to prove accurate.

Sidney Harris
Heritage Auctions listing accessed July 13, 2024

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/sidney-harris-american-b-1933-but-our-secret-ingredient-playboy-interior-may-1976ink-and-w/a/8174-71227.s?ic16=ViewItem-Auction-Open-JumpLot-PreviousLot-050318

Sidney Harris
Heritage Auctions item description

Sold!

The Playboy gag cartoon is listed on CartoonStock, but its publishing history is not acknowledged there.

https://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoon?searchID=CS109668

04718

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #908

Who wouldn't like to put a new hat on the classic desert island cartoon? It's The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #908 from the issue of August 12, 2024. My caption is shown below. The drawing is by Frank Cotham.

"Real magicians conjure boats."

These captions got voted off the island:

"I'd be impressed if it weren't just a trick of the wind."
"Now this time when you reappear, you'll be a woman."
"Your act has really improved since the cruise ship."

 

August 19, 2024 Update:  The Finalists

September 1, 2024 Update: I voted for the caption from Victoria.

September 7, 2024 Update:  The Winner

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My Entries in the Moment Cartoon Caption Contest for Summer 2024

Moment magazine's Cartoon Caption Contest for the Summer 2024 double issue brings together the old and the new generations in a backyard swimming pool setting. My fourteen captions—I'm not known for my self control—are shown below. The drawing is by Benjamin Schwartz, a mensch.

"They're from Ancestry.com."
"The shtetl claims you owe back taxes."
"They just made it here from Anatevka."
"Do we have any kopeks?"
"I found your birth parents."
"You're gonna need a bigger float."
"Can they stay until Tashlich?"
"It's finally happened—our past has caught up with us."
"So how do you like their canned slivovitz?"
"You're not impressing them with our suffering."
"They assert a rightful claim to your grandmother's samovar."
"Forget the barbecue. We'll all have boiled chicken."
"They need our help assimilating."
"Why do they keep chanting l'dor vador?"

October 19, 2024 Update:  The Finalists

December 7, 2024 Update:  The Winner

04716

Constantin Alajálov: Portrait of Mrs. Hugh Chisholm, Jr.

Constantin Alajálov (1900-1987) is best remembered for his illustrations which appeared on the covers of The New Yorker and The Saturday Evening Post. His 1954 portrait of Mrs. Hugh J. Chisholm, Jr., the former Rosemary Warburton (1920-1974), shows the socialite in profile. The painting, for which the subject apparently sat, looks very much like a commissioned piece yet it seems to have remained in the artist's hands. A label on the back indicates that Alajálov let the painting out on loan and expected its return.

Mrs. Hugh Chisholm, Jr.
Constantin Alajálov

Constantin Alajálov's signature

The art appeared on eBay in 2016. When there were no takers at $2,600, the price was reduced by 21%. I do not know the final disposition of the work.

Constantin Alajálov
eBay listing accessed December 6, 2016

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alajalov-Constantin-Russian-American-1900-1987-Oil-Painting-Portrait-of-Woman-/281423323257?hash=item4186232079:g:UNwAAOSwQItT~Rkp

Constantin Alajálov
eBay item description

Note:  What kind of work do illustrators such as Constantin Alajálov create when they're not working on covers for The Saturday Evening Post and The New Yorker? I'd like to use Attempted Bloggery as a showcase for original art by Alajálov that may not be quite so familiar as his magazine covers. Collectors, please share your art here.

04715