Ralph Steadman, the ever-inventive illustrator, personalized a copy of No Room to Swing a Cat (1989) to his editor Audrey Adams. He turned her first name into a drawing of what is, very likely, a cat. The signature is dated the 15th of May, in the year, again very likely, 1989, when the hardback edition was first released.
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| Ralph Steadman AbeBooks listing accessed February 20, 2025 |
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| Ralph Steadman AbeBooks item description |
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Meier and Sons Rare Books of New Canaan is offering a scarce original souvenir drawing from a copy of Ralph Steadman's No Room to Swing a Cat (1989, 1991).
Steadman made the drawing of a cat and signed it in 2006. It covers two pages, which were removed from the book together. 
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Ralph Steadman AbeBooks listing accessed April 19, 2025 |
AbeBooks item description |
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And one more:
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| https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1st-ed-1991-signed-sketch-ralph-498030680 |
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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.
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| Arthur Rackham AbeBooks listing accessed April 14, 2025 |
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| Arthur Rackham AbeBooks item description |
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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.
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| "Just in from Washington—retribution." |
May 3, 2025 Update: I voted for the caption from New York.
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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.
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| "To A. Atlas Leve from O. Soglow" |
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| Otto Soglow Argosy Book Store listing accessed April 8, 2025 |
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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:
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"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 |
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"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 |
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"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 |
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"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 |
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| William Hamilton eBay listing ended January 31, 2025 |
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| William Hamilton eBay item description |
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| [End of eBay listing] |
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"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 |
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"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 |
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| With cartoons by Smilby and William Hamilton |
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.
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| "I should let you know I'm blind." |
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| "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
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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.
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| Jean-Jacques Sempé AbeBooks listing accessed April 6, 2025 |
04913
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.
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| "CNBC is entertaining." "I can't see through the Community Chest." "No one needs more than $200." |
April 13, 2025 Update: The Winner
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