Howard Pyle, Fairy Tale, Sleeping Giant and a Boy Sounding a Horn, ink on paper with traces of gouache, signed with P monogram and titled at lower left corner. Hess Fine Auctions image.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – On Thursday, Oct. 18, Hess Fine Auctions will conduct an unreserved, online-only auction, exclusively through LiveAuctioneers.com, that consists of a major, single-owner collection of original cartoon art.
The historic political, editorial and comic strip pen-and-ink newspaper illustrations to be auctioned are from the prestigious Charles L. Howard collection, which was formed prior to World War II. The collection and its upcoming auction were featured in the Antiques column of the Oct. 5 New York Times.
Artists represented in the collection include: Howard Pyle, Thomas Nast, Harrison Fisher, Rose O’Neill, E. C. Segar, Herblock, Charles Dana Gibson, Boardman Robinson, Louis M. Glackens, Winsor McKay, Bernhard Gillam, George Swan, Gaar Williams, Reginald Bathhurst Birch, Robert de la Palme, Jimmy Swinnerton, Thomas Starling Sullivant, Gene Carr, Samuel D. Ehrhart, Lichty, ZIM and 200 more.
Many of the artworks in the collection appeared in Harper’s, Puck, Life, Judge and other important publications of a century ago. Additionally, the auction includes a number of prewar comic strips, including Popeye, High Pressure Pete and Lady Bountiful. Some are illustrative commentaries on sport-related topics, such as New York Yankees baseball and a Joe Louis boxing scandal.
The Charles L. Howard collection of early comic art and original political illustration comprises nearly 800 original pre-World War II illustrations by 500+ listed illustrators to be offered in several auctions. The Oct. 18 sessions are:
Session 1 – Lots 1-124 – important original illustration art from the Charles L. Howard collection
Session 2 – Lots 125-225 – original railroad art from the Charles L. Howard collection
All lots have low starting bids and no reserves.
Charles L. Howard, Esq., was a leading railroad industry figure between the World Wars I and II. He served as a chief officer for the Santa Fe Railroad and counsel to the American and Western Railway Associations. Much of his collection was exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1939 and at other venues prior to 1947. The collection is encyclopedic in scope, with extensive New York, Ohio, Illinois and California subjects.
The sale catalog is being updated on a daily basis as additional items are unpacked at the home of Charles Howard’s grandson. None of the artworks has seen the light of day in 60 to 65 years.
For additional information on any item in the sale, contact Katrina M. Hess or Richard Van by calling 727-896-0622 or e-mailing sales@hessfineauctions.com.
View the fully illustrated catalog and sign up to bid absentee or live via the Internet in this online-only sale by visiting www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
Howard Pyle, Fairy Tale, Sleeping Giant and a Boy Sounding a Horn, ink on paper with traces of gouache, signed with P monogram and titled at lower left corner. Hess Fine Auctions image. Louis Dalrymple, ‘The Good Ship Tammany,’ signed, ink on heavy paper, exhibited Art Institute of Chicago. Hess Fine Auctions image. E. C. Segar, 1931 Popeye 4-panel comic strip, signed with addition of trademark cigar doodle, exhibited. Hess Fine Auctions image. William H. Walker, ink on heavy paper, signed lower right, Howard Collection label identifies work as having been illustrated in Life magazine. Hess Fine Auctions image. Thomas Nast, ink on illustration paperboard, signed and inscribed ‘Harper’s Weekly’ and dated 1884 lower right in pencil. Titled lower center: ‘Blaine, Butler and the Workingman.’ 1908 Anderson Auction Company provenance verso, exhibited Art Institute of Chicago. Hess Fine Auctions image. Thomas Wust, ink on heavy paper, signed lower left. Exhibited Art Institute of Chicago. Hess Fine Auctions image. Louis M. Glackens, Puck magazine art, Oct. 16, 1911, ink on heavy paper, depicts Taft and G.O.P., signed lower right, stamp verso, Hess Fine Auctions image.
