Isabel Hartley's Copy of Rip Van Winkle by Arthur Rackham, Signed Copy No. 161/250

The 1905 London edition of Rip Van Winkle was published by William Heinemann. The book cover proudly boasts that Arthur Rackham is the illustrator while not even mentioning author Washington Irving, who first published the story in America in 1819. Copy no. 161 of Rackham's signed, limited edition of 250 belonged to one Isabel Hartley according to her bookplate. This copy acquired an original Rackham ink sketch of the title character dated June 1933. The volume is now available from Different Drummer Books of Niantic for $12,500—plus a modest $8.50 shipping.

Arthur Rackham
AbeBooks listing accessed April 14, 2025

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Rip-Winkle-Irving-Washington-Illustrated-Arthur/32179138764/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=readmore

Arthur Rackham
AbeBooks item description

October 11, 2025 Update:  Price drop!

04918

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #940

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #940 appeared in the issue of April 14, 2025. A meteorologist stands before a weather map while an indoor rain cloud soaks her. She is the on-air speaker. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Mick Stevens.

"Just in from Washington—retribution."

April 26, 2025 Update:  The Finalists

 

May 3, 2025 Update:  I voted for the caption from New York.

May 9, 2025 Update:  The Winner

04917

Otto Soglow: The Little King for A. Atlas Leve

Argosy Book Store has listed a souvenir drawing by Otto Soglow of his beloved character the Little King. It is dedicated to A. Atlas Leve, a coin, stamp, and currency dealer. The piece is framed and glazed, and the paper shows some toning. Argosy dates it to the 1930s. The Little King first appeared in The New Yorker and the popular feature was later syndicated as a comic strip.

"To A. Atlas Leve
from
O. Soglow"

Otto Soglow
Argosy Book Store listing accessed April 8, 2025

https://www.argosybooks.com/pages/books/327242/otto-soglow/original-signed-ink-drawing

 

04916

William Hamilton: Advice to a Revolutionary

An original New Yorker cartoon by William Hamilton was sold on eBay in January, fifty-four years after its publication. A family is seen seated at the dinner table:

"But, darling, many very successful young revolutionaries—our own

Thomas Jefferson among them—dressed for dinner."

William Hamilton

Original art

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 31

Hamilton handles all the details of upper class life exquisitely. 

"But, darling, many very successful young revolutionaries—our own

Thomas Jefferson among them—dressed for dinner."

William Hamilton

Original art

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 31

Verso

Verso detail

"But, darling, many very successful young revolutionaries—our own

Thomas Jefferson among them—dressed for dinner."

William Hamilton

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 31

"But, darling, many very successful young revolutionaries—our own

Thomas Jefferson among them—dressed for dinner."

William Hamilton

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 31

William Hamilton
eBay listing ended January 31, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/267139718384?_skw=William+Hamilton+Yorker&itmmeta=01JR6D9P0V00W247BMWA2DYPT2&hash=item3e32c49cf0:g:LV8AAOSwpYJngCgH&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1do4E6zW155wuJruJVA%2FKrng3cx506%2B1m6ADGfrMTTyfX5dkw%2BBuLayvccVhBTGO0PAIrmL6dOliX9qh2607FkHdg8T6knPB

LfbCd%2BdZwqBdEca0HRA3ULZapixYuTvtiVVX81PNn4lkiZn%2FPINMUYXaSx02TrK9gYyYxneqWamdNRq8x4e6rIMH6xKTDz08KLbKUZd%2BkXaHnD7l43l8wiMmrH1oy8pEY7zuRkn%2BQ6TzXcYrvpgz%2Fm5%2Fs%2B0NNESMdlGaggFXp9JxrqJd56L9AQywc4GXCLmht8QVLTb%2FWjL9A%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8Tgps3BZQ

William Hamilton
eBay item description

[End of eBay listing]

"But, darling, many very successful

young revolutionaries—our own

Thomas Jefferson among them—

dressed for dinner."

William Hamilton

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 31

"But, darling, many very successful

young revolutionaries—our own

Thomas Jefferson among them—

dressed for dinner."

William Hamilton

Original art

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 31

With cartoons by Smilby and William Hamilton

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1971-01-09/flipbook/030/

Smilby, by the way, was the pen name of Francis Wilford-Smith (1927-2009). Tax day falls on April 15, but cartoons about contentious audits are good year round.

Smilby

The New Yorker, January 9, 1971, p. 30

04915

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #939

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #939 appeared in the issue of April 7, 2025. A couple is seated in a restaurant. Medusa is at the next table. The woman speaks; the man does not move. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Jason Adam Katzenstein—you know, JAK.

"I should let you know I'm blind."

These captions didn't last through the first course:

"You looked, didn't you?"
"Don't move—oh, you can't."
"Did the place suddenly get quiet?"
"How's the Mexican stone soup?"

April 18, 2025 Update:  The Finalists

April 26, 2025 Update:  I voted for the caption from Melbourne.

May 3, 2025 Update:  The Winner

04914

Olivier's Copy of Monsieur Lambert by Jean-Jacques Sempé

Author and artist Jean-Jacques Sempé figuratively raises a hand-sketched glass to a book recipient. The volume, Monsieur Lambert (1985), originally belonged to one Olivier and it has a delightful souvenir drawing.

Jean-Jacques Sempé
AbeBooks listing accessed April 6, 2025

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Monsieur-Lambert-dessin-original-d%C3%A9dicac%C3%A9-Jean-Jacques/32172759875/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=readmore

04913

The CartoonStock Cartoon Caption Contest No. 191

In the CartoonStock Caption Contest number 191, we find Mr. Monopoly sitting in his recliner holding the television remote. His wife looks on. Rich Uncle Pennybags is speaking.

 

The rules of the monthly cash prize contest have not changed (and neither has my description of them): Five dollars buys up to three entries. Real cash prizes are $500 for first place and $100 for each of five runners up. As of this writing, I've put $180 into the first thirty-six pay-to-play contests and this thirty-seventh challenge brings my total cash outlay up to $185. Having achieved runner-up status with two previous entries, I've collected $200 from CartoonStock, so I'm still playing with the house's money, thank goodness. In fact, so few contestants enter that the odds may generally be considered favorable even for us less-gifted caption writers. My three entries are shown below. The cartoonist is Kyle Bravo, new to the blog.

"CNBC is entertaining."
"I can't see through the Community Chest."
"No one needs more than $200."

April 13, 2025 Update:  The Winner

The Judges Deliberate

Video added April 6, 2025

04912

My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #938

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #938 appeared in the issue of March 31, 2025. A woman in business attire enters a boardroom full of dogs. The woman speaks. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Liza Donnelly.

"Who told you all to sit?"

These just wouldn't obey:

"Let's adjourn to the park."
"I need a volunteer to fetch the bylaws."

April 13, 2025 Update:  The Finalists

April 18, 2025 Update:  I voted for the caption from Mount Horeb.

April 26, 2025 Update:  The Winner

04911

Edward Koren: Drawings for Henry Sussman

Ever the generous friend, New Yorker cartoonist Edward Koren (1935-2023) was known to treat those he cared about with the occasional souvenir drawing in his unique and furry style. Henry Sussman was one such lucky recipient. Although some twenty-six years older than Koren, they shared at least an interest in jogging. Sussman's framed Koren drawing attesting to this was recently listed on eBay.

Inscribed and signed

Edward Koren
eBay listing ended February 12, 2025

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305924842552?_skw=signed+Yorker&itmmeta=01JQJ8VEVPHTPQRXQTNQEXVWS6&hash=item473a8aa438:g:wqoAAOSwhEtnP5fi&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fIF%2BXtq9yjWUU8M5ik27XlZlGi%2FmnUYoTyBNFN0k8JGYZhZbTuiK6A3eHziaBdlol34INSIzzDZk93M0d9lfFKd%2FpUr0Xh2Jq6uZa6yvBzAhf5IdEqvmzIvDsS9j2WodThMAdRCZgdsR%2FnnbAgXI4a3O9m4BIWd3c54cbVHZIzpPeVeFRgrGjtDf7PcMR83JxOQKDbSdj%2BnyVlV5lezwPxNNtwRKzqyEFlRMn%2BO8e7qd98rwovOJ1KQlPnQ%2F5f6vXb511nmJTi61%2BT8qW71XREg%2BWbwUcHkRt3UPUfzy8VOQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_7t7ci8ZQ

Edward Koren
eBay item description

Also on eBay, but still unsold, are three drawings Koren made for Sussman's seventy-fifth, eightieth, and eighty fifth birthdays. A cartoon detective might surmise that Sussman remained very active, with interests in tennis, bicycling, and motorcycling.

November 30, 2025 Update:  Sold at a reduced price.

04910