Signed Ink Drawing by Mccutcheon John (10 results)
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Signed ink drawing, 14¼" X 18½", n.p., n.y. Very good. Slightest bit of edgewear. A cryptic untitled cartoon consisting of five panels: two across the top, one across the middle and two across the bottom. The upper left of the top two panels shows…traces of a title underneath, pencilled in McCutcheon's hand but erased for some unknown reason, that reads: "The Invention as applied to the Automobile." This drawing shows a crazy-looking automobile (apparently coal-powered, for it bears two large smokestacks) bearing a fashionable couple zipping along, one of them marveling, "A marvelous invention! It cheers the heart, sweetens the breath and prevents bagging at the knees." To the right of this the next panel depicts a biplane aloft (also apparently coal-powered, showing one large smokestack) cruising above the earth, a voice from within asking, "Hey, down there, is this the right road to Singapore?" From the earth far below appears a voice bubble containing Chinese characters. (A pencilled caption in McCutcheon's hand below this has likewise been erased, a couple words decipherable but not enough to make sense of it.) The large, wide middle panel shows a gargantuan metal ship -- a sailing ship and steamboat appear small as ants in the foreground -- chugging along (also apparently coal-powered, with several humongous smokestacks). The lower left panel depicts a strange propeller-driven rocket of some sort (again apparently coal-powered, showing a smokestack) -- possibly a missile? -- zipping from west to east far above the earth; a pair of tiny figures on North America seem to cheer it along, and its destination in Europe is a tiny city outcropping labeled "Potsd--." Finally at lower right, the last panel shows two tiny figures in what might be a junkyard. In the foreground is a pile labeled "Coal 5 Cents a Ton," but filling the background left to right are three massive oil storage containers marked "Standard Oil Co." with a sign poking out reading "For Sale Cheap to Right Party," next to this a building with smokestacks and a sign reading "Power Plant for Sale," next to this a huge structure and a sign reading "Gas Plant for Sale or Rent Will Subdivide to Suit Tenant" and lastly several enormous metal tubes and a sign reading "Bargains in Old Boilers." Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual. Presumably McCutcheon is commenting on depressed prices of various fuel sources at this time and the continued availability of coal.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Signed ink drawing, 14¼" X 16", n.p., n.y. [probably 1918]. Very good. Slightest bit of edgewear. Fun and handsome two-panel cartoon titled "Reciprocity" along the bottom in McCutcheon's hand, with two subtitles. The top panel is titled "They've be…en giving you a lot to cheer about." (It was first titled "They are giving you something to cheer about now," but McCutcheon altered some of the language in pencil.) This depicts a group of prancing, cheering men, hats flung up in the air, and behind them a bulletin board with the announcement "War Bulletin / Allies / Investing / St. Quentin." (The Germans had attacked this French city in March 1918, just before large numbers of American troops reached the front.) The lower panel is titled "Next week it will be your turn to give them something to cheer about." (As wi the previous caption, McCutcheon altered the original -- which read "You must give them something to cheer about next week" -- in pencil.) Here another group of men -- this time all soldiers -- prace and cheer, with various helmets tossed up in the air. Behind them to the left a bulletin board reads "Important! / Americans / Investing in / Liberty Bonds," while to the right appear blackened ruins. Signed simply "McCutcheon," as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Signed ink drawing, 14¼" X 17", n.p., n.y. Very good. Slightest bit of edgewear and mild soiling. Labeled "Look out for a flood of currency bills when Congress convenes" by McCutcheon along the lower margin, this single-panel cartoon depicts a hord…e of twenty older gents -- smoky back room politicos, no doubt -- hurrying from the right middle ground into the left foreground, where a large finger-pointing shaped sign staked into the ground reads "To the Congress." Next to this sign stands a huddling child wrapped up from the cold and a seated dog, observing the parade. The full-length figure in the lead likely represents a Western state representative, wearing cowboy hat and bolo tie, chomping a cigar and clutching a carpetbag in one hand and a rolled-up scroll (labeled "Bill for Solution of the Currency") in the other. All of the other figures clutch similar rolls, one identified as "Bill for Elastic Currency" and the others "Currency Bill." The other gents are obviously supposed to represent various types of politicians -- old-school types in top hats and formal dress, Theodore Roosevelt types in more modern attire, Buffalo Bill-type goateed old-timers, etc. A fascinating and amusing commentary on the many currency reform measures that peppered Congressional debate in the early years of the 20th century. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Signed ink drawing, 14¼" X 18½", n.p., n.d. [ca. World War One]. Very good. Slightest bit of edgewear and mild soiling. Labeled "They've Changed Their Tune" by McCutcheon along the lower margin, this two-panel cartoon concerns the volatile German m…ilitary situation. The upper panel, labeled "Before the War," depicts a suited man (labeled "German Socialists") at left, presumably a politician addressing the legislature, raising his arm and proclaiming, "These war preparations must end!" Three military figures stand at right in the foreground, clutching their fists and glaring angrily at the speaker. The leftmost of them (labeled "Prussian Autocracy") grumbles, "He's becoming a menace to us!" Next to him stands "Militarism" and "Hohenzollerns." The lower panel, labeled "Now," shows the same "German Socialists" figure front and center foreground, a scroll under his arm labeled "Peace Proposal to Russian Socialists" and a picket sign he clutches reading "This War Must End!" He stares angrily at the same three military figures at the right, who now appear worried and apologetic, holding their hats politely in their hands. "Prussian Autocracy" says to him, "You are our hope" and Militarism" adds "--our salvation." At left stands a crowd of civilians, labeled "German People," who reach out desperately and implore, "We want peace!" Handsomely accomplished and typically provocative, a fine example of McCutcheon's artistic prowess and delight in exposing hypocrisy. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Original signed ink drawing, 14½" X 19", n.p., 1931. Very good. Very minor and bit of soiling. Labeled "Cartoons of the Day" in cursive by McCutcheon on the lower margin, followed by three subtitles, this handsome three-panel piece contains three u…nrelated topics. The top panel, titled "No time to waste," celebrates aviator Wiley Post and navigator Harold Gatty's June 1931 record-breaking eight-day flight around the world. At Left Post's plane, the "Winnie Mae," is about to land, and Post leans out, holding up two fingers and shouting "Lunch for two!" From a building at right (labeled "October Field Moscow") three waiters rush, each carrying a large platter (one labeled "Zakuski," another "Cabbage Soup" and the third "Cucumbers"). Moscow was one of fourteen stops the pair made on their famed flight. The middle panel, titled "The Grave Digger gets a big surprise," must have been occasioned by an unexpected rise in the stock market. Next to a street sign showing "Broad" and "Wall" streets, a wide-eyed bear rushes away from a tombstone, dropping his shovel and exclaiming "Great Scott! He seems to be alive!" The tombstone reads "Mr. Bull / Fatally / Injured / in October / and November / 1929," and a dazed bull is pulling itself up out of the whole. The lower panel, titled "When an Idealist runs up against a Realist," shows a puzzled Uncle Sam scratches his chin and reads a cable: "Cablegram / French Proposals / on Debt Moratorium / U.S. to Sacrifice $250,000,000 / Germany Gets the Benefit / on Only $150,000,000. / France Sacrifices / Nothing." To the right a sweaty little man gazes at a wall thermometer that's clearly rising, pushing up his hat (labeled "ADT") to mop his brow and exclaim "Whew!" Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual. A delightful trio.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Signed ink drawing, 14¼" X 18", n.p., 1929. Very good. Slightest bit of edgewear and mild soiling. Labeled "Putting their Sincerity to the Test" by McCutcheon along the lower margin, this single-panel cartoon depicts President Herbert Hoover full l…ength, front and center and facing right, wonderfully executed as he stands in front of a circular table. With his arms he presents a large scroll laid out on this table, which reads in full: "Proper defense requires military strength relative to that of other nations. We will reduce our strength in proportion to any other. It remains for the others to say how low they will go. It cannot be too low for us. Hoover's Armistic Day address." Hoover is saying, "There! Now let's see if you're really sincere in wanting to give your tax payers some relief from their armament burdens." Behind Hoover, at the left of the drawing, a sketchy figure of a worried-looking Uncle Sam sits astride huge sacks of money, labeled "U.S. Resources." In front of Hoover, at the right of the drawing, stand six attentive listeners: A portly "Britain" in Edwardian getup sports a Union Jack vest, while alongside him a shadowy figure is hunched by the huge sack he hoists, labeled "British Armament Burden on the Tax Payer"; "France" in military uniform scratches his bewhiskered chin, while a similar hunched figure strains under a sack labeled "French Naval Burden on the Tax Payers"; behind these figures stand "Japan" in military uniform (a "Japanese Burden" sack just visible at his side) and "Italy" in military uniform (sack at his side). On November 11, 1929, Hoover had expressed these Armistice Day sentiments in a speech given before the Annual Convention of the Mississippi Valley Association. This drawing, which McCutcheon dates "Nov. 13" at lower left, is a superb and provocative example of McCutcheon's ability to humanize political concepts, to make abstract notions concrete. And artistically, this rendering of Hoover is among his very best. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Original signed ink drawing, 14½" X 18", n.p., n.d. Very good. Slight edgewear and minor soiling. Untitled six-panel cartoon whose theme seems to be the improvement of cities. Each of the three left-side panels contrasts its right-side counterpart.… Top left panel addresses unsanitary conditions by depicting an early "horseless carriage" under repair while a team of horses watches in amusement; top right panel shows a surprised horse reading a notice outside a city limits that reads, "Notice! Horses, sheep cattle and hogs not allowed within the city limits." Middle left panel addresses temperance by depicting a busy street filled with bars and men entering each, while middle right panel shows a street with a gas station, soft drink stand and movie theatre. Bottom left panel addresses proper housing by depicting a freight train chugging along on weedy, ugly tracks, while the bottom right panel shows the same boxcars transformed into cute little homes and their tracks quaint little front yards being tended by proud homeowners. A charming piece of social commentary. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Original signed ink drawing, 14½" X 18½", n.p., 1930. Very good. Slight edgewear and minor soiling. Labeled "The Inquiring Reporter. He asks the question 'Do you think the London Naval Treaty insures parity in American and British naval strength?'"… in cursive by McCutcheon on the lower margin. This text-heavy six-panel piece depicts the inquiring reporter, notepad in hand, listening to six persons (all male, of course), some of them obviously in Chicago surroundings, respond to this question. Upper left panel: dapper gent in old-time golf duds, gold buddies behind him, replies, "No, not so long as the British fleet has the Rodney and the Nelson." Upper right panel: Fellow in small boat on the Chicago River, answers, "Not so long as Britain has a great preponderance of fast merchant ships capable of being quickly converted into 6 inch auxiliary cruisers and commerce destroyers." Middle left panel: Stodgy executive-type seated behind impressive desk and bookcases, offers: "No, but we may in 1938 -- if the U.S. builds up to the limit allowed by the treaty -- and if Britain waits till we catch up." Middle right panel: Pudgy wader in old-time swimsuit on crowded Chicago beach front observes, "We get parity in submarines, destroyers and aircraft carriers -- and possibly in 8 inch cruisers six years from now -- inferiority in capital ships and 6 inch cruisers." Lower left panel: Driver stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic (some things in Chicago never change), opines, "Possibly in American waters eventually but not on our distant trade routes." Lower right panel: Pedestrian clinging to Chicago River street bridge as it rises up shouts to reporter clinging to other side, "Not so long as we are hopelessly inferior in naval bases." Unlike contemporary editorial cartoons, which would never get away with so much text, earlier editorial cartoons such as this prime example often took more than a few seconds to grasp and assumed a firm understanding of detailed political topics of the day. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Original signed ink drawing, 14½" X 17½", n.p., n.d. [ca. 1919]. Very good. Slight edgewear and minor soiling. Labeled "He would Rather Explain than answer" in cursive by McCutcheon on the lower margin, this handsome single panel piece depicts an a…ngry-looking Uncle Sam in profile in the foreground, poking the shorter man in front of him (identified as "Cox") and demanding, "Are you for Article X -- answer me, Yes or No?" The shorter fellow, sweating, responds, "Let me explain." Uncle Sam points with his other hand at two large placards posted on a wall. The placard at left reads: "Elihu Root on Article X. Article X is an alliance to enforce perpetually through the operations of the League the decisions of Mr. Wilson and his associates in the year 1919. Article X is a throwback to the old discredited alliances of the past. Article X speaks a language of power and not the spirit of progress. Article X is an attempt to do what the Holy Alliance sought 100 years ago (with just as noble expressions of purpose) to impose by force the judgment of the rulers of the present generation upon all future generations." The placard at right reads: "Pres. Wilson on Article X. Article X is the heart of the covenant." Former senator and secretary of state Root, at this time president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was well known as a strong supporter of the League of Nations -- BUT with strong reservations, mainly about Article X, which he thought highly impractical. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
- Signed
Seller: Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA, Galena, IL, U.S.A.Main Street Fine Books & Mss, ABAA
Contact seller5-star sellerPulitzer prize-winning editorial cartoonist with the "Chicago Tribune" (1903-45). Original signed ink drawing, 14½" X 18", n.p., 1928. Very good. Slight edgewear and minor soiling. Labeled "Cartoons of the Day" in cursive by McCutcheon on the lower margin, this handsome three-panel piece contains three unrelated topics. The top…panel, titled "Mr. Hoover completes his geographical education," depicts Hoover standing between a bookcase (with volumes labeled "North America," "Europe," "Far East," "Asia" and "Africa") and a table with a lamp on it, reading a large volume titled "South America." The middle panel, titled "A new topic monopolizes dinner table conversation," depicts a tableful of well-dressed ladies and gents encircling a lady discussing stocks; to the far left at this table sits a lone lady labeled "Prohibition" and to the right sits a lone lady labeled "Florida Boom." The lower panel, titled "Government ship inspection (from [illegible] description)," depicts a clerk in the foreground gazing at a large ship named "Vestris," saying "I guess that ship looks all right" and filing out a form. Signed simply "McCutcheon" at lower right, as usual.
