Goreyana

Gorey Glasses

2012-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

In 1988, The Metropolitan Opera created and sold a set of four glasses showing classic opera scenes drawn by Edward Gorey. These generously sized "Double Old Fashion" glasses are frosted and have a nice heft to them. The images are quite wonderful and are full of fantastic details. It is a pity that Mr. Gorey never designed costumes for the Met. The glasses were sold as a set and include:

The Drinking Song

The Vengeance Aria

The Recognition Scene

The Mad Scene

Edward Gorey Mugs

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Edward Gorey created several different coffee cup/mug designs. These mugs were sold through catalogs, at theater gift shops, and through The Gotham Book Mart. They can often be found on the secondary market today.

One of the earliest mug designs was made for The Metropolitan Opera and sold through its gift shop. I have seen it made with a band of gold around the upper lip, and plain. I have a plain mug floating around the house somewhere, and will post a photo when I run across it.

The most unusual mugs were the two created for the Signals catalog to advertise Mystery!, the weekly series of classic and modern murder stories. The two designs were made with printing that partially disappeared when the mug was filled with hot liquid, revealing new plot twists. While nice in theory, the mugs never really worked that well, and with repeated use the disappearing ink goes mid-tone grey. I am showing one of these mugs - once again I need to find the second example, but here is one!

There was a second pair of Mystery! mug designs sold through Signals that did not have the disappearing ink.

Mr. Gorey created mugs for theatrical endeavors. The two mugs shown on the right were made for the Cape Playhouse.

A Mug was made for the off-Broadway production of Amphigorey which shows the drop curtain design. Surprisingly, there are no Dracula mugs.

A mug was created for the Funeral Consumers Alliance that featured an image from The Osbick Bird.

The delightful image of Figbash appears on three different mugs. The central mug with the maze is a particular favorite of mine - it reminds me of a giant brain. The Figbash mugs also bring up the question: Is Figbash a single creature, or are there more than one?
The Edward Gorey House has revived the tradition of mugs by Edward Gorey by creating a new line of coffee mugs which are for sale through their gift shop and on line.

N is for Newsletter

2012-01-06T06:35:00.000-08:00

One of the more difficult to obtain Edward Gorey collectibles is N is for Newsletter, a privately published newsletter "about alphabet books and alphabet memorabilia for collectors and dealers". Published in New York from June 1993 through December 1993 (issued April 1994), this short lived newsletter contains three original alphabets by Edward Gorey which have not been published anywhere else. The first issue has an interview with Mr. Gorey by co-publisher Gretchen Adkins on the front page. Including the interview, Mr. Gorey appears in four of the six issues.

When contacted by Ms. Adkins, Mr. Gorey was very gracious and generous, offering several previously unpublished (and unillustrated) alphabets for publication: The Yellow Thingummy(in issue #4), The Uncaught Window: A scrambled alphabet in a single sentence (in issue #5) and The Arsenical Bun (in issue #6). Illustrating the alphabet, The Arsenical Bun in the final issue are three tiny skeletons by Mr. Gorey. The newsletter has advertising from several well known book dealers, but was not widely circulated.

Graham Gallery Artwork

2011-12-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

In my quest to see and present as many images as possible from Edward Gorey's two Graham Gallery Exhibitions, two more pieces surfaced during the past year. One image is from the 1974 show, while the second was shown at the gallery in 1975 as part of a group exhibition. I am continually impressed by every piece created for these exhibitions, and must admit to getting weak at the knees when I have the good fortune to view them in person.

The 1974 exhibition had 46 pieces of original artwork created by Mr. Gorey specifically for the show (see my posting from June 30, 2009 for the complete list). So far, I have now seen ten of the pieces in person or in print. After a Staffordshire sugarbowl was #14 on the list and is drawn in what appears to be dried blood, but is really just deep red ink. This masterful genre drawing presents a delightful scene with an abundance of birds and animals.

Les Roses bleuatres l'ouldiette dans ea cuisine was included in the 1975 Graham Gallery show. I have yet to find a checklist of the pieces that were displayed. This stunning piece is reproduced in Looking for Edward Gorey (see my post from December 20, 2011), but was not on display in the exhibition at the University of Hawaii. The cutaway scene includes just about everything anyone could ever hope to see in a piece by Edward Gorey.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Goreyana!

Pepper has asked Santa to bring more Gorey Kitty Dolls for her to play with!

Looking for Edward Gorey

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Looking for Edward Gorey, published by the University of Hawaii Art Gallery, 2011, is a companion volume to the September 26 - December 10 exhibition at the gallery. This privately printed book is only available from the University, so to obtain a copy you must contact the gallery, then send off your payment (credit cards are not accepted). This will no doubt become one of the rarer volumes dedicated to Mr. Gorey as time goes by.

The University of Hawaii is the repository of one of the larger collections of Edward Gorey material. The items were donated to the university by John A. Carollo, who continues to enrich his namesake collection. The 2010 exhibition was the second showing of this stellar grouping, and this exhibition was augmented with many items from the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust. The resulting exhibition had a depth of material rarely seen on display.

Looking for Edward Gorey is profusely illustrated with photographs from the exhibition. There are many images showing the gallery installation as well as highlights from the show. At 163 pages, this over sized paperback book consists of an essay about Mr. Gorey and his works by Dr. Joseph Stanton. General topics, major themes and individual books are discussed at length. My main disappointment with the volume is that there is no checklist of the items displayed in the show or in the collection of the University. To better appreciate which items were on display, one must minutely examine the installation photographs and try to make out the displays.

Tuning Fork Auction

2011-12-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

The suite of original artwork for the The Tuning Fork by Edward Gorey was withdrawn from the December 13th auction at Sotheby's.

More Tuning Fork

2011-12-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

The plot, or soup, thickens around Edward Gorey's original artwork for The Tuning Fork, which is being offered at Sotheby's Auction House next week.

According to Edward Bradford, the official Edward Gorey bibliographer and author of F is for Fantods; Edward Gorey's Fantod Press: A Bibliographical Checklist, the art being offered was most likely the version of The Tuning Fork published in Status Magazine in November 1968 (two other complete books by Edward Gorey also appeared in the magazine in March 1969 & July 1969) under the title - Theoda; A Gothic Tale of the Generation Gap, Alienation and Despair Driving Parents and Children into Monstrous Behavior which Solves Nothing. This is, quite possibly, the most convoluted title to any tale penned by Mr. Gorey.

So the question remains - Why redraw the book? The most reasonable explanation offered by Mr. Bradford is that the original artwork simply was not returned to Mr. Gorey by the magazine, and when EG thought of including this story in Amphigorey Also, the art could not be found. The only option would be to redraw the entire book. This also explains why there were no changes to the story and the illustrations match the originals so well - Mr. Gorey had no choice but to copy his own work from the printed magazine pictures.

It is not as unusual as it sounds for an artist not to get art back from a publisher, especially in the 1960's. It usually fell to the artist or their agent to keep track of such things, and if a significant amount of time had elapsed before anyone thought to get the work back, it could easily be lost.

The Tuning Fork at Auction

2011-11-30T06:47:00.001-08:00

On December 13, Sotheby's will be auctioning a suite of original pen and ink drawings by Edward Gorey from The Tuning Fork. Curiously, this suite of drawings is not the final published artwork that appears in Amphigorey Also (published in 1983), or in the first edition of this title (published by the Fantod Press in 1990). The drawings being auctioned are not sketches, but rather are completely finished drawings. After checking with Sotheby's, it was confirmed that this suite of 14 drawings plus title page and page of lettering is unpublished. The photo below was provided by Sotheby's Auction House, New York.
The illustrations being auctioned are dated on the reverse, and were made between 10 August 1966 and 19 October 1966, long before the first publication of this work in 1983. On his "A" collection books, Mr. Gorey always dated each individual drawing on the reverse when he started and completed them. He must have intended this to be a final set of artwork, but changed his mind. It would be interesting to know what the dates on the reverse of the final artwork in the Gorey archives are.
Obviously, Mr. Gorey was unhappy with the drawings and decided to redraw the entire book before publication. It is interesting to compare the earlier drawings with the later illustrations. The composition of the art has not changed at all, but the detailing of the published art is more refined. In the photos above and below, the Sotheby's art is on the left and the published art is on the right. The differences, while clear when viewed side by side, are subtle.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!
from Goreyana

The Black Doll

2011-11-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust has come out with a new Edward Gorey stuffed toy - The Black Doll. These wonderful felt dolls come in a fully illustrated box and are limited to 2000 pieces. Dolls can be acquired through the Edward Gorey House online store (www.edwardgoreyhouse.org).

The dolls (and box) are quite a bit larger than I expected them to be - each doll is a full 14" in length. Created in black felt and stuffed with a plush fiberfill, they can be bent to sit on a book shelf or amongst a collection of other Gorey dolls. I am showing the doll next to a first edition copy of The Black Doll to give a sense of scale.

Auction News

2011-11-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, November 10, 2011, Swann Galleries in New York City held an auction of Literature: Art, Press & Illustrated Books that included a nice selection of works by Edward Gorey. While this auction did not create the buzz of Swann's 2010 auction (see my posting from October 17, 2010), the 14 lots of Gorey books included limited edition titles as well as signed first trade editions and ephemera. Bidding was strong for each item offered, and no lot remained unsold.

More Graham Gallery Art

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

In 1974, Edward Gorey had the first of two gallery exhibitions at the Graham Gallery in New York City (see my postings from June 30, July 3 & 6, 2009, and March 9, 2010). A recent catalog from Bromer Booksellers features another piece of art from this exhibition.
Listed in the 1974 exhibition catalog as item #3, Cell, this wonderful image shows a two part tableau with a child being (presumably) carried away by a flying creature. I have had the pleasure of viewing this piece in person, and the detailing and colors are quite remarkable.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween

ƒrom Goreyana!

Florence Parry Heide

2011-10-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

Florence Parry Heide, author of the Treehorn Trilogy, passed away on October 23, 2011, at age 92. Edward Gorey illustrated the Treehorn books. She died in her sleep at her Kenosha, Wisconsin home. Here is her obituary in the New York Times.

The Headless Bust

2011-10-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

The Headless Bust, a Melancholy Meditation on the False Millennium by Edward Gorey was published in 1999 by Hardcourt Brace, New York. This title was published as a hardcover with illustrated boards and a matching dust wrapper. The Headless Bust was Mr. Gorey's final "A" collection book published during his lifetime.

The Headless Bust is a sequel to Mr. Gorey's 1997 publication, The Haunted Tea Cozy. The main characters once again are the Bahhumbug and Edmund Gravel. In this outing, the Whatsit - a flying bug-like creature - takes them on journeys near and far to witness "shame and disgrace".

In addition to the standard printing, The Headless Bust was published as a slipcased, limited edition volume with 750 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies. Each of the limited edition books is hand signed by Edward Gorey. I am showing copies #95/750 and #M/26. I also have an Uncorrected Proof of this title, which was issued by Hardcourt in grey wrappers (see photo at the top of the post). The printing quality on the proof is significantly less well executed than in the final books.

Each limited edition copy of The Headless Bust was issued with a custom made beanbag Bahhumbug doll. These delightful dolls are stuffed with poly beads (no worries about bugs or critters eating a rice filling), have six arms/legs, are printed front and back, and can be posed in many positions. The photo to the left shows one of my dolls sitting on a high book shelf.

While each of the 776 limited edition books was issued with a doll, there was a small number of extras created - I believe there were about 25 or so single dolls produced, which would make sense if the total order for dolls was 800. The extra dolls were sold individually by Gotham Book Mart. It is also interesting to note that some Bahhumbug dolls were printed looking right, while others were reversed and look to the left. Whether this was intentional, or a mistake on the part of the manufacturer, I do not know.

Fine Art Prints, Part 11

2011-10-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

With this posting, we complete the 2002 Gotham Book Mart list of prints created by Edward Gorey. The list ended at #117, plus one extra unnumbered print listed. We still have a number of etchings to cover in a future post, but they were printed after Mr. Gorey's death and are not on this list.

Many of the prints shown on this post are available for purchase from The Edward Gorey House - edwardgoreyhouse.org - although some editions may be sold out. As with Edward Gorey's other prints, the editions completed after his death are available hand numbered with a facsimile signatures.

#106 Figbash Takes A Bow - 40/50 prints were hand signed.
#107 Figbash On Pointe to Right - 40/50 prints were hand signed.
#108 Figbash On Pointe Hands Up - 40/50 prints were hand signed.
#109 Figbash Jump with Hands Up - 50/50 prints were hand signed.
#110 Figbash Pointing Right - 36/50 prints were hand signed.
#111 Figbash Two Hands Right - 35/50 prints were hand signed.
#112 Figbash Leaping, Two Hands Right - 30/50 prints were hand signed.
#113 Figbash Leaping, Two Hands Back- 40/50 prints were hand signed.
#114 Winged Figbash on "Etc." - 40/50 prints were hand signed. I have print #10/50. This is the only instance I know of where Figbash is shown with wings.
#115 Night Creature Carrying Baby Aloft - 50/50 prints were hand signed. I am showing print #40/50. Along with print #41 Au Secours, this is one of Edward Gorey's most successful prints. In both prints, Mr. Gorey embraced the medium of printmaking and created striking images which could only be created through the printmaking process.

With his use of shadow and light, Mr. Gorey conveys darkness and despair in Night Creature more convincingly than he could have in his standard cross hatched drawing style. In person, this print has a beautiful, almost three dimensional inky black surface. This image has been used as the cover for a vampire story compilation book.
#116 Sleeping Cat Turned Left - 50/50 prints were hand signed.
#117 Sleeping Cat Turned Right - 50/50 prints were hand signed. (I have no image for this print. If anyone cares to forward a scan to me, I will post it here)

Figbash English Soup - 300/300 prints were hand signed. This print was primarily available through Storyopolis in California, although Gotham had a few available. The Gotham list also said there were 23 Artist's Proof prints available.

Floating Worlds

2011-09-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

"Dear Peter,
I've spent most of the day drawing sordidly conceived and erratically hung wallpaper..."

-Edward Gorey

Floating Worlds, The Letters of Edward Gorey and Peter F. Neumeyer by Peter F. Neumeyer gives us an inside glimpse into the mind of Edward Gorey, in time capsule form. Published in September 2011 by Pomegranate Books, San Francisco, the book consists of letters between Mr. Neumeyer and Mr. Gorey between September 15, 1968 and October 28, 1969.

Peter F. Neumeyer is the author of (among many other publications) the three Edward Gorey-illustrated Donald books. The letters ostensibly concern themselves with the publication of the Donald books (as well as other unfinished/unpublished collaborations between the two), but this is just a springboard for numerous subjects from both writers. In one of the earliest letters, Mr. Gorey states that he usually does not collaborate at all with authors - he usually just does the art and moves on to the next project. This is not the case with author Neumeyer.

In the process of collaboration, the work and social habits of Mr. Gorey are illuminated far better than have ever been shown before. Mr. Gorey's letters are often written over days (with time and/or date notations), typed on a manual typewriter with hand notations. This was an incredibly busy time for Mr. Gorey who was working on multiple projects of his own and also illustrating books for several authors.

Floating Worlds is profusely illustrated with examples of the hand decorated envelopes and post cards sent to Mr. Neumeyer, which would be reason enough to make this a "must have" book, as would the introduction by Mr. Neumeyer. These are merely window dressing, however, to the main event - the correspondence between the two men.

In today's world of instant communication, it is hard to imagine the anticipation of waiting for a response to something you sent weeks (or more) previously. The only way to recreate this would be to read the letters as dated, but who can wait?!

Fine Art Prints, Part 10

2011-09-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

We continue with Gotham Book Mart's 2002 list of prints created by Edward Gorey - and yes, we are getting close to the end of the list! Most of the prints shown on this post are available for purchase from The Edward Gorey House - edwardgoreyhouse.org - although some editions may be sold out. As with Edward Gorey's other prints, the editions were completed after his death and are available hand numbered with a facsimile signatures.

This grouping of prints are the "Thumb" series. I do not have any of these prints in my collection - I will admit that I find these images rather creepy. My favorites from the group is Thumbhenge and Three Thumbs Exercise.

#97 Thumb: Left Turn - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#98 Thumb: On the Right - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#99 All Thumbs (four) - 30/50 prints were hand signed.
#100 Thumbhenge - 30/50 prints were hand signed.
#101 Two Thumbs: Up & Left - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#102 Three Thumbs Exercise - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#103 Two Thumbs Aloft - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#104 Two Thumbs (Sistine Chapel) - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#105 Three Thumbs Up - 20/50 prints were hand signed.

Inspirations

2011-09-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

It is always fun to recognize something that influenced Edward Gorey and his works. This past week, I received a catalog from a book dealer specializing in children's literature. While perusing the offerings, I was struck by an illustration from an early American title. At a glance, it appears to be an illustration from Edward Gorey's first miniature book, The Eclectic Abecedarium. It was actually from Whittington and His Cat published by S(olomon) King, circa 1829 - 1831.

The border design and style of art are remarkably similar to Mr. Gorey's illustrations for TEA...actually, they are pretty much exactly the same. The catalog includes a second title by King, The Scripture Alphabet for Children (circa 1830's). Also included in the catalog is a copy of the Adama printing of The Eclectic Abecedarium.

Gorey was widely read and picked up influences from many different sources. It should be no surprise that some of them are recognizable!

The Haunted Tea Cosy

2011-09-05T06:20:00.000-07:00

The Haunted Tea Cosy; A Dispirited and Distasteful Diversion for Christmas by Edward Gorey was published in hardcover with an illustrated dust wrapper in 1997 by Harcourt Brace & Company, New York. The Haunted Tea Cosy is a parody of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol, and introduces the Bahhum Bug, who will also appear in Mr. Gorey's final book. This story was commissioned by the New York Times and appeared in the New York Times Magazine on December 21, 1997. The Haunted Tea Cosy is included in Amphigorey Again.

The first edition of The Haunted Tea Cosy was available from Gotham Book Mart as a signed hardcover, and as a signed, slipcased limited edition with 500 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies. The signed colophon page is tipped into the book. I am showing copies #42/500 and G/26. The announcement card for this title appears below.

The Elegant Enigmas show included two pieces of original artwork from this book, and the art displays the simpler, bolder line quality that much of Mr. Gorey's work from this time period exhibits. It was interesting to be able to compare and contrast the art from this book to pieces created just a few years earlier.

2011 Edward Gorey House Prints

2011-08-29T07:53:00.000-07:00

Each year, the Edward Gorey House produces several limited edition prints. The selection for 2011 includes a favorite Gorey image, and entire book, and a never before seen color image from the archives.

As I have stated in previous postings, I believe these prints represent one of the best buys in Gorey collecting ~ each print is wonderfully executed with attention to detail and superb color representation. The prints are available unsigned and in a signed/numbered limited edition. Each limited edition print is "signed" with an embossed facsimile of Edward Gorey's signature. To purchase prints, go the the Edward Gorey House website.

This year's selection includes:

Les Insectes Cyclistes - image: 6 5/8" x 8 7/8", paper 9 1/2" x 11 1/2" - Unsigned $25.00. Limited edition of 200 numbered ($50.00) and 26 lettered ($85.00) impressions - This iconic image was created for The Broken Spoke and the privately owned original art has been included in the Elegant Enigmas exhibition.

The Eclectic Abecedarium - image: approximately 9" x 15", paper 11" x 17" - Unsigned $35.00. Limited edition of 200 numbered ($75.00) and 26 lettered ($100.00) impressions - This print includes all the art and text from Mr. Gorey's first of two miniature books published by Bromer Booksellers. The colors on the print match the current reprint of this book title available from Pomegranate Books.

Le Higlif - image: 6 1/4 x 9.0 poster 9 1/2 x 11 1/2 - Unsigned $25.00. Limited edition of 200 numbered ($50.00) and 26 lettered ($85.00) impressions. This fantastic piece of original art from the Gorey Archives is previously unpublished, and is currently on display at the Edward Gorey House.

Article

2011-08-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting short article about Edward Gorey.

Fine Art Prints, Part 9

2011-08-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

We continue with Gotham Book Mart's 2002 list of prints created by Edward Gorey. Most of the prints shown on this post are available for purchase from The Edward Gorey House - edwardgoreyhouse.org - although some editions are sold out. Unfortunately, I do not have large scans of many of these prints. To see the images more clearly, please reference the Gorey House web site.

#36 Elephant Ignoring The Giant Skull - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#37 Elephant in Sea Foam - 32/75 prints were hand signed.
#38 (No Publication) - This is the first bump in the numbering system of this list. Look below for the major gap which has been causing confusion since this list was published.

#39 Loch Ness Resident - 34/50 prints were hand signed.
#40 Two Resting Striped Elephants & Two Birds - 20/50 prints were hand signed.
#41 Au Secours - 17/25 prints were hand signed. I have print #8/25 in my collection. This is the second rarest print of the series (see print #11 in a previous post). This colagraph edition was never completed because the stored plate was damaged beyond repair. While each print is signed x/25, only 17 impressions will ever exist.
#42 Still Life with Skull Vase & Elephant - 24/50 prints were hand signed.
#43 Le Chien de Giselle (Ballerinas) - 30/50 prints were hand signed. This image comes from Pacific Book Auctions.
***The gap in the numbering system which now occurs on the GBM list had nothing to do with Edward Gorey. Mr. Gorey created prints and sent them to Gotham Book Mart to be marketed and sold. The numbering gap exists because GBM's in-house accountant was having a difficult time keeping track of all the Gorey related material being sold at the bookstore. She finally started a list to keep track of each item, and while items #44 - #94 are Gorey related, they are not prints.

#95 Bat in Rain - 75/95 prints were hand signed.
#96 Bat - 80/95 prints were hand signed. I have print #8/95 in my collection. This is arguably the most famous of Edward Gorey's etchings, and this image has appeared on t-shirts and other Gorey related merchandise.

Minnesota Fringe Festival

2011-08-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

As it does each August, the Minnesota Fringe Festival is going full tilt around the Twin Cities, providing a diversion to the summer heat. One of the shows this year is a production of Fletcher and Zenobia Save the Circus, based on the story by Edward Gorey. Fringe shows have very short runs, but there is still time to catch this production. Below is the full review by John Townsend that appeared in today's Star Tribune.

Fletcher & Zenobia Save the Circus

Ripe with physical comedy, award-winning Fringe favorites premiere their adaptation of Edward Gorey's "children's" book about an unlikely cat-and-doll duo who must overcome all odds to save a circus from ruin.

The playful Live Action Set brings vivacious physicality to the characters of Edward Gorey's children's book and its illustrations by Victoria Chess. Though the actors pull out all the stops and glory in their quirky clown-like portrayals, the cavernous Mill City Museum venue swallows up much of the dialogue, making it difficult to decipher whether their collaborative script adaptation coheres or not. But playing railroad trains and animals is a sure bet for laughs. Best of all, musicians Chris Hepola, Steven Hobert and Paul Fonfara capture the circus spirit.

Aug 12, Fri. at 7:00 pm
Aug 13, Sat. at 4:00 pm
Aug 13, Sat. at 7:00 pm
Aug 14, Sun. at 2:30 pm
Aug 14, Sun. at 5:30 pm

Mill City Museum
704 S. 2nd St.
Minneapolis, MN
(612) 872-1212
www.fringefestival.org/2011

Memoirs

2011-08-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

To date, there have been three published memoirs about Edward Gorey written by his friends and associates. The first, The Strange Case of Edward Gorey by Alexander Theroux (2000 Fantagraphic Books), appeared in print very shortly after Mr. Gorey's death. The next to appear was Elephant House or, the Home of Edward Gorey by Kevin McDermott (2003 Pomegranate Books). A third memoir has recently become available, Edward Gorey Plays Cape Cod; Puppets, People, Places & Plots by Carol Verburg (2011, BOOM Books).

Of the three volumes, my personal favorite is Elephant House by Kevin McDermott. I have written about this book in a previous post (May 29, 2011), and find the combination of photographs and text to be interesting, informative, and inviting.

The earliest memoir, The Strange Case of Edward Gorey by Alexander Theroux, is liberally illustrated and includes the most personal information about Edward Gorey. Presented as a combination of biography and personal memoir, this is my least favorite of the three books, mainly due to the tone of the writing... more than one person has referred to this book as inaccurate and bitchy!

The most recent published memoir is Carol Verburg's Edward Gorey Plays Cape Cod. While on the whole I like this publication, my main disappointment is its extreme brevity. At what amounts less than 20 written pages (when you remove the illustrations), this piece reads like a fleshed-out outline for a larger work. Ms. Verburg states that she will be publishing the scripts for Mr. Gorey's theatrical works - hopefully, in the upcoming book she will be telling us more about the shows themselves alongside the scripts, and possibly including interviews with others involved in the productions.

Fine Art Prints, Part 8

2011-07-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

We continue with Gotham Book Mart's 2002 list of prints created by Edward Gorey. Most of the prints shown on this post are available for purchase from The Edward Gorey House - edwardgoreyhouse.org - although some editions are sold out.

#26 Free Fall Elephant - 35/95 prints were hand signed.
#27 Elephant and Prostrate Passenger - 35/95 prints were hand signed.
#28 Elephant on Precipice Facing Left with Broken Trunk - 20/95 prints were hand signed.
#29 Elephant in Backstroke - 20/95 prints were hand signed.
#30 Floating Blotted Line Elephant - 45/95 prints were hand signed.
#31 Elephant on Three Legs, Trunk Aloft - 45/95 prints were hand signed.
#32 Pink Elephant in Handstand - 95/95 prints were hand signed. I have #66/95 in my collection. This is one of my favorite Gorey prints...the elephant looks very happy!
#33 Seated Green Elephant - 34/95 prints were hand signed. I have #25/95 in my collection.
#34 Elephant on Two Legs with raised trunk - 20/95 prints were hand signed.
#35 "E" Elephant - 37/95 prints were hand signed.

The Deadly Blotter

2011-07-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

The Deadly Blotter, Thoughtful Alphabet XVII by Edward Gorey was published in 1997 using his Fantod Press imprint. This title was issued in olive green wrappers in an signed limited edition of 750 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z). I am have copies #8/750 and #H/26. This title is included in Amphigorey Again.

At the time of publication, I was thrilled to see a hand illustrated book rather than the clip art-illustrated publications Mr. Gorey had seemed to have gotten so fond of creating. While Mr. Gorey has given up his extensively crosshatched backgrounds, there are flower urns throughout this book with great designs on them. This is the one title where Mr. Gorey forgot to add his signature calling card to one of the drawings.

The announcement card (shown above and to the left) for The Deadly Blotter gives information on which Thoughtful Alphabets have already been published, noting the gaps in the numbering sequence. Presumably, Edward Gorey had written all of these alphabets, but had not gotten around to publishing them.

Lilliput Magazine

2011-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Lilliput was a small format British monthly publication founded in 1937. The magazine featured short stories, humor, and arts related subjects. In the 1950's is was also known for publishing fairly daring pictures of female nudes. It ceased publication in 1960 when it merged with the pornographic magazine Men Only.

Until 1949, every issue had a front cover illustration by Walter Trier, which showed a scene that always included a man, a woman and a small terrier dog. Somewhere around 1949/52, Edward Gorey created a cover design for the magazine. I do not know if this cover art was actually used for the magazine, but the art is spectacular.
I recently acquired the original artwork for this cover. The image appears as a stained glass window and features three men in an old fashioned car who are obviously lost. The line work on this piece is breathtaking, many lines being mere whispers of the pen on paper. Much care has been taken to modulate the colors of the pieces of "glass", exactly as this style of window would be created. The price symbol for One Shilling is shown in the upper right hand corner. The signature in the lower right hand corner is early and fairly unusual, being signed EStJG for Mr. Gorey's full name ~ Edward St. John Gorey.

The Beast Under the Wizard's Bridge

2011-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Beast Under the Wizard's Bridge by Brad Strickland was the final book in the John Bellairs's series with a dust jacket and frontis illustration by Edward Gorey. Published by Dial Books for Young Readers in 2000, this was probably the last illustration project completed by Mr. Gorey before his death in April of that year.

The preliminary art for the "beast" was still on his drawing table when Kevin McDermott photographed Mr. Gorey's home just days after he died. It can be seen in Mr. McDermott's book Elephant House, The Home of Edward Gorey (see my posting from May 29, 2011 for information on this book).
The dust jacket painting and the black and white frontis illustration were included in the 2001 Bromer Booksellers catalog. I really like the frontis art for this title, with the stained glass window in the stairwell.

The Wrath of the Grinning Ghost

2011-06-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Published in 1999 by Dial Books for Young Readers, The Wrath of the Grinning Ghost by Brad Strickland features one of the least stimulating wrap around dust jackets in the John Bellairs series. While completely appropriate for this title, I have never cared for the dust jacket design for this book.

I have the original artwork for the frontis illustration in my collection. The image features a fantastic map with sea monsters and flowers with faces - the flowers are reminiscent of some very early illustration work by Mr. Gorey for books by John Ciardi.

The Final Farewell

2011-06-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Take a moment this evening to raise a glass in honor of Edward Gorey, as the last of his ashes are scattered at 5 p.m. est with family, friends and fans in attendance. Pull out your copy of The Osbick Bird and read it aloud as they will be doing at the ceremony.

The Specter from the Magician's Museum

2011-06-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of Edward Gorey's more striking dust jacket designs for the John Bellairs/Brad Strickland series was created for The Specter from the Magician's Museum. Published in 1998 by Dial Books for Young Readers, the wrap around dust jacket painting is beautifully surreal. I saw the painting in person at Gotham Book Mart, and without the distractions of the lettering and bar code, it is a truly spectacular work by Edward Gorey.

Fine Art Prints, Part 7

2011-06-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

We continue with Gotham Book Mart's 2002 list of prints created by Edward Gorey. All of the prints shown on this post are available for purchase from The Edward Gorey House - www.edwardgoreyhouse.org

#17 Descending Elephant with Extended Ears - 45/95 prints were hand signed.
#18 Elephant Skywalking - 40/95 prints were hand signed.
#19 Departing Elephant on One Leg - 45/95 prints were hand signed.
#20 Rose Elephant on Three Legs - 20/95 prints were hand signed.
#21 Elephant in Deep Bow - 35/95 prints were hand signed.
#22 Elephant Looking Back - 35/95 prints were hand signed.
#23 Groomed Elephant Turning Right - 40/95 prints were hand signed.
#24 Curved Trunk Elephant Moving Right in Heavy Fog - 40/95 prints were hand signed.
#25 Dark Elephant Descending - 45/95 prints were hand signed.

The Just Dessert

2011-06-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Just Dessert, Thoughtful Alphabet XI by Edward Gorey was published in 1997 by the Fantod Press. Printed in a signed, limited edition of 750 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies, I am showing copies #12/750 and Q/26. The title does not appear on the cover of the book, only "XI". This book is included in Amphigorey Again.

The Just Dessert is the first book written and hand illustrated by Edward Gorey since The Unknown Vegetable in 1995. Mr. Gorey's publications between these titles were illustrated with clip art and were published in postcard or poster formats.

The Just Dessert marks a decided turn in Mr. Gorey's signature drawing style. The illustrations are simpler and less refined, and this look will become his drawing style from this point forward. The simplification of his drawing style can be related to both Mr. Gorey's age and also to his increasing interest in theater work. During this time, much of his time and interest was on his theatrical endeavors. The characters in The Just Dessert strongly resemble Mr. Gorey's hand made puppets, and the format of the drawings for this book look like a puppet stage.

Below, I am showing the announcement card which was sent out by Gotham Book Mart.

The Unknown Vegetable

2011-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Edward Gorey published The Unknown Vegetable in 1995 using his Fantod Press imprint. The signed, limited edition printing of 526 copies consists of 500 numbered copies and 26 lettered (A to Z) books. I have copies #13/500 and Q/26. As with most of the Fantod Press books, the books are stapled in stiff colored wrappers - this book has a light gray cover. This title is included in Amphigorey Again.

Mr. Gorey always had a knack for coming up with interesting names for his characters. The heroine of this title has been christened Filda, one of my favorite Gorey names. As often happens in these tales, Filda's comes to a sticky end after she encounters a giant root vegetable.

The drawings for this title are nicely executed. It is interesting to note that the buildings in the background change in each outdoor picture, even though Filda stays in one place. In other books, Mr. Gorey would have obsessively drawn the background buildings to be exactly the same from one picture to the next. This shifting background gives the reader a subliminal sense of unease, like spooky music playing in the background - even though I surmise that Mr. Gorey did not do this on purpose.

Edward Gorey's Home - Elephant House

2011-05-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

When Edward Gorey passed away unexpectedly in April 2000, family, friends and fans were shocked and saddened. As the 10th season for the Edward Gorey House celebrates the life and work of this extraordinary man, I thought it was a good time to take a look at his home, which now operates as the museum. The museum is a wonderful place to visit, take in the yearly exhibitions, and to be able to walk through the building and grounds that Mr. Gorey called home for many years...but what was the house like when Mr. Gorey lived and worked there?

Fortunately, photographer Kevin McDermott was able to capture the house before the lengthy process of cleaning it out and sorting through all the stuff occurred. Even more fortunately for all of us, Mr. McDermott published his photographs in the wonderful Elephant House or, The Home of Edward Gorey (Pomegranate Books, San Francisco 2003). The introduction for the book was written by author John Updike, and was originally issued as a standard coffee table hardback and in two limited editions. The regular hardcover edition is still in print and available at bookstores and on line.

Advice to young authors has always been "write about what you know", so it is not surprising that Edward Gorey wrote about everything and anything! As the photographs of his home attest, Mr. Gorey collected and was interested in everything...and I mean everything! Books, cats, rocks, toys, art, yard sale finds, things picked up on the side of the road, and popular culture all found a home with Mr. Gorey. Objects are placed with deliberate, and often amusing care inside and outside his home, creating an environment that stimulated his imagination every day. It is no wonder that his works continue to inspire countless scores of admirers today.
The limited editions were created in editions of 100 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies, each housed in an embossed slipcase and hand signed & numbered/lettered by Kevin McDermott and John Updike. Each numbered copy was issued with an original signed/numbered photograph of "Ogdred's Place" laid in. I have copy #100/100. The 26 lettered copies have an original signed/lettered photograph of "Edward's Hands" laid in. I am showing copy Z/26.

Since Gotham Book Mart closed, the limited edition copies have been difficult to find, but author Kevin McDermott still has a few of the numbered limited edition copies available for purchase. He can be contacted through his website www.kevinmcdermott.com. Mr. McDermott also sells individual limited edition prints of his work through his site. I chose Looking Out the Window for my collection because it is such a haunting image.

2011 Edward Gorey House Exhibition

2011-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

The 10th Anniversary exhibition has opened at The Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth Port, MA. The theme of this year's exhibition is Edward Gorey and the Performing Arts. This broad subject cuts a wide path through Mr. Gorey's entire career, and the exhibition is one of the most entertaining shows The House has mounted (pun intended).

Following in the footsteps of many past exhibitions, this year's delightful show features many pieces of original artwork and ephemera which have never before been previous on public display. The two images of original Edward Gorey artwork were provided by The Edward Gorey House. All areas of the performing arts favorites are represented, from Mr. Gorey's signature designs for the Broadway production of Dracula to television, including Mystery! Also on display are selections from the worlds of poetry, opera, ballet, and a large selection of items related to Mr. Gorey's shows presented on and around Cape Cod in the 1980's and 90's.

A number of Mr. Gorey's hand made puppets which made appearances in several entertainments are displayed. Below is a video showing the rehearsal process (captured by Mooncusser Films) for a puppet show. Words to live by, "Not so much twitching, please".

For just one more week, visitors to the Boston area can get a double whammy of Gorey. The Elegant Enigmas show at the Athenaeum is closing next week...RUN, don't walk to get to the show!

Fine Art Prints - Part 6

2011-05-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

In August 2002, Gotham Book Mart produced the official list of etchings and collagraphs made by Edward Gorey. This list is the only record (apart from Mr. Gorey's original notebook) of how many prints Mr. Gorey completed for each image and hand signed/numbered. As mentioned in a previous posting, prints #1 through #6 are the Diogenes images.

I have 21 prints in my collection. Over the course of several postings I will be going down the list, giving information, and showing images of as many of the prints as I can. The titles and the numbers of the prints reflect the list from GBM.

#7 Estranged Family - 65/95 prints were hand signed.
#8 Framed & Belted Talisman - 19/50 prints were hand signed.
#9 Black Skull/Elephants Mirage in Gray Mist - 20/25 prints were hand signed.

#10 Cat in Window Observing Night Moon - 40/50 prints were hand signed.
#11 Montage of Found Objects in Color - 9/50 prints were hand signed. This is the rarest of all of Edward Gorey's prints, I do not believe that the print run was ever completed.
#12 Tassled Creature Cushion Resting in Window - 40/95 prints were hand signed. I have #32/95 in my collection.
#13 Boy with Bottle Seated on Ocean Rock - 40/95 prints were hand signed.
#14 Scratching Dog on Sea Rock - 65/95 prints were hand signed.
#15 Child Carried Aloft by Two Creatures - 75/95 prints were hand signed.
#16 Topiary & Child with Creature Held Aloft - 70/95 prints were hand signed. I have #14/95 in my collection.

The Bell, the Book and the Spellbinder

2011-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

The Bell, the Book and the Spellbinder by Brad Strickland was published by Dial Books for Young Readers in 1997. Mr. Strickland is pretty much "on his own" at this point in the John Bellairs' book series, but the basic premise for this story was founded on a comment Mr. Bellairs once made to a publisher about an enchanted/magic book that enslaves its reader.

Edward Gorey created a wraparound dust jacket design that features his most colorful rear cover of the series. The lurid orange color used for the background of the tattered poster leaps out at you. Mr. Gorey also created a frontis illustration and several small interior spot illustrations. The frontis drawing may just be his most disturbing illustration from the entire series, and possibly his career. It shows a deceased, dry mouse who still has the power to move due to magic. As the mouse tries to move, it begins to pull itself apart.

Fine Art Prints, Part 5 - Confusion Reigns!

2011-04-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

Why are some prints by Edward Gorey hand signed and some signed with an embossed signature stamp?

As stated in previous postings, Edward Gorey created a total of 82 Fine Art etchings and collagraph prints. His first collection of six etchings created for Diogenes (discussed in my posting from April 4, 2011) are the only prints that were completed according to proper printmaking procedure. The six Diogenes images were printed as complete runs, numbered, hand signed and offered for sale. For all his subsequent print images, Edward Gorey did not follow proper print making etiquette, which would cause him (and later his estate) many headaches over time.

In order to offer as many images as possible and keep his printing costs manageable, Mr. Gorey decided to print only 10 or 20 impressions of each image against an anticipated total print run of 50 to 95 prints, rather than produce one complete run of an image before moving on to the next. The prints were hand signed and numbered 1/95 through 10/95, and when those ten prints sold, 11/95 through 20/95 were printed and signed - but the entire run of 95 was never printed all at one time.

This system meant that Edward Gorey had to keep a record of the number of prints made to date, so he had a notebook with details on his prints. At one point in the late 1990's, the book was mislaid and all print production came to a halt until the book could be found (it was). The consequence of this system of printing and numbering is that only some of the prints reached their full edition before Mr. Gorey died in April 2000. The editions which were incomplete at the time of Mr. Gorey's death were finished by his estate. These prints are hand numbered, and then signed with an embossed signature stamp. At least one collagraph print run could not be completed because the plate fell apart after the initial prints were pulled (I will discuss this print in a later post).

17 of the 82 print images were never printed during Mr. Gorey's lifetime - the plates were found in Mr. Gorey's home, but no prints had yet been pulled - these were completed by his estate and are referred to as the "Posthumous Prints".

Children in a Museum

2011-04-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

In my previous posting, I was saying how nice it was to be in an exhibition where the walls are covered in works drawn by Edward Gorey. This is the kind of exhibition most Gorey collectors dream about. I have a piece of original artwork in which Mr. Gorey has created his own fantasy art exhibition. Given his eclectic tastes in all things, perhaps this is his version of an ideal gallery show.

Children in a Museum is a piece of art originally created for Town & Country Magazine in 1997. While I have not been able to lay my hands on a copy of the magazine to be able to read the article, I was told that the article discusses the behavior of children when let loose in museums/exhibitions.

Measuring 5.75" x 8", this is a fairly large piece of art in full color. The piece has great details and wonderfully humorous situations. The gallery pictured also contains one of craziest assemblages of paintings imaginable. The artwork covers periods of art from Renaissance to Modern, and even has time for dessert above the door as you leave the gallery! I am especially fond of the painting of Judith and Holofernes which is delighting the small child and distressing the guardian.

Falling In Love Again

2011-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, Bill (in red) and I (in green) went to Boston to view the Elegant Enigmas show at the Boston Atheneum. If your Gorey collecting bug is feeling a bit listless, this show is a sure fire cure for the collecting doldrums. Photography was not allowed in the galleries, so the photos show us outside the building.

Entering the exhibition space, we were greeted by several beautifully executed self portraits of Edward Gorey. At first glance, the show seems quite unassuming, being presented in just two rooms. We managed to spend well over an hour and a half studying the original artwork from Mr. Gorey's published books. The art included in the show concentrates on primary books published before 1980, but examples of later titles are included. Organized loosely by publication date, each frame showcases two or more pages from a book. There are several plexi cases with three dimensional objects, unframed artwork, sketches and notebooks.

Pieces like the full color dust jacket design painted for The Broken Spoke stand out because of its size and beautiful colors, but it is the densely rendered black and white drawings which rivet you to the spot in awe and amazement. More than one gallery viewer was overheard to ask, " Is this an etching?" Because the work is so finely detailed, it is almost impossible to believe it is the work drawn by hand.

There are many pieces showing the process Mr. Gorey went through to complete a work of art. It is fascinating to see corrections on the drawings, in some cases artwork is cut in half and a new upper portion is glued to the lower half. Pieces of paper are pasted on top of finished drawings with new lettering or a single word is changed. Viewing the original art gives insight into the thought process involved, which is an aspect unique to illustration art since the art itself is not the final destination, but part of the journey.

Rarely does one see the progression of Mr. Gorey's signature drawing style so clearly displayed. It was unfortunate that there was nothing on display from The Beastly Baby, since this represents some of his earliest work and is very loosely drawn in contrast to the firmer style of his other works. Pieces from The Unstrung Harp and The Listing Attic prepare the way for the masterpiece drawings from The West Wing.

One of the great surprises of the show is a small plexi display case which has just recently been put on display and is not actually part of the exhibition. In this display (located in a room that one stumbles across when heading to the restrooms) are three recent acquisitions by the Atheneum for their permanent collection. They include a hard cover copy of The Black Doll, a stamped sheet of Figbash figures dancing across the page and signed by Mr. Gorey, and the jaw dropping The Sopping Thursday limited edition copy #C/26. This copy includes a piece of original art created especially for this edition (see photo to the right) which features a cat standing in the rain balancing an umbrella on its paw. The announcement card for this title is included in the display which states that the 26 lettered copies were originally sold by Gotham Book Mart for $75.00 each! Oh, to have a time machine!!

Fine Art Prints, Part 4

2011-04-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

In previous blog entries regarding the prints of Edward Gorey, I have discussed prints made from existing artwork where little or no direct involvement of the artist occurred other than approving and signing the printed images. As we move into fine art prints created by Edward Gorey through the process of etching and collagraphs, the artist (Mr. Gorey) is directly involved in the image making process which results in the final set of prints. These images cannot exist in any other medium because they are a direct result of the process used to create them.

In pure etching, a metal (usually copper, zinc or steel) plate is covered with a waxy ground which is resistant to acid. The artist then scratches off the ground with a pointed etching needle where he wants a line to appear in the finished piece, so exposing the bare metal. The plate is then dipped in a bath of acid, or has acid washed over it. The acid "bites" into the metal, where it is exposed, leaving behind lines sunk into the plate. Once satisfied with the quality of the lines which are not permanently etched onto the plate, the remaining waxy ground is cleaned off the plate.

The artist may now subject the plate to this process again and again to alter the quality of line and tone larger areas of the plate through multiple acid/resist applications. Once the plate has been finished, the artist usually turns over the operation of printing the edition to a master printer (who is usually present throughout the entire process).

The plate is inked all over, and then the ink wiped off the surface, leaving only the ink in the etched lines and areas. The plate is then put through a high-pressure printing press together with a sheet of paper (often moistened to soften it). The paper picks up the ink from the etched lines, making a print. The plate can be printed many times; typically several hundred impressions (copies) could be printed before the plate shows much sign of wear (each impression requires a new layer of ink to be applied). This is a technique which has been used for hundreds of years by artists. Rembrandt Van Rijn (1606 - 1669) is one the most famous artists to embrace etching as an artist technique.

The official list of fine art etchings and collagraphs created by Edward Gorey includes 65 prints made during his lifetime and 17 "posthumous" prints. The posthumous prints are images printed from plates which Edward Gorey completed, but had not yet printed.

Edward Gorey's first set of etchings were distributed by Diogenes Verlag in 1975. The six images were each printed in an edition of 120 signed/numbered impressions. An additional set of twenty impressions were made of each image, each numbered with a Roman Numeral. All prints from this set were hand signed and numbered by Mr. Gorey. While these prints were always sold individually, they can be considered a set of six images.

The images include:
1 - Insect on Unicycle - I am showing print #15/120, above left
2 - Girl with Gymnasium Friend (shown at top of posting, not in my collection)
3 - Baby Transported (not shown)
4 - Malocclusion (Teddy Bear on Cliff) - I am showing print #71/120, above right - This is one of my all time favorite Gorey images. "Malocclusion" means crooked or irregular teeth.
5 - Woman Beneath Rolling Elephant (shown small above right, not in my collection)
6 - Baby Seated Under Rolling Elephant (shown small above left, not in my collection)

These six prints can be fairly difficult to acquire, and consequently tend to be somewhat expensive.

Thoughtful Alphabets

2011-03-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

While not technically "books", Edward Gorey's Thoughtful Alphabets were printed in 1996 as limited edition posters, or broadsides. The set consists of six alphabets, each hand lettered and illustrated with clip art images. This style of illustration seemed to appeal to Mr. Gorey at this time, and the graphic quality of the broadsides is strong.

The broadsides are titled on each poster as:
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 2
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 3
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 4
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 10
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 14
Thoughtful Alphabet No. 15

The 12" x 18" broadsides were published in two limited editions, and because of their size and graphic impact, they are suitable for framing.

Printed on white paper in an edition of 100 signed and numbered copies, this edition was sold as a set of 6 alphabets. I am showing one print from set #9/100.

Printed on brightly colored paper - each broadside is a different color - in an edition of 300 signed (unnumbered) copies, the colored broadsides were sold individually. Regardless of how they were originally offered, the Thoughtful Alphabet broadsides are now often sold as single "prints".

The Hand of the Necromancer

2011-03-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Hand of the Necromancer was published in 1996 by Dial Books for Young readers. It is the first book in the "John Bellairs" series to be written entirely by Brad Strickland. Using characters and working on new plot lines inspired by John Bellairs, Mr. Strickland begins shaping the series solo at this point.
Once again, Edward Gorey has created a color wrap around dust jacket painting and a black & white frontis illustration for this title. While perfectly serviceable, Mr. Gorey's work on this book lacks a spark of inspiration and drama he exhibits on other titles from the series.

It is not unusual for a popular book series to continue after the death of the original author. L. Frank Baum wrote fifteen Oz books beginning with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900. Mr. Baum died in May 1919, and his two final books were published after his death (The Magic of Oz in 1919 & Glinda of Oz in 1920). In 1921, the publisher continued the series with author Ruth Plumly Thompson. Unlike the Bellairs series, Miss Thompson's first Oz outing, The Royal Book of Oz, was published under Baum's name. She would go on to publish 19 titles in the series. Another similarity between the Bellairs and Oz book series is the continuation of the illustrator (Edward Gorey for Bellairs, John R. Neill for Oz), giving the books a cohesive look after the change of authors.

For more information on the Oz book series, go to theozenthusiast.blogspot.com.

Fine Art Prints, Part 3

2011-03-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

In 1986, Edward Gorey created a suite of collagraph prints entitled Elefantomas (hmm, sound familiar? Like Fantomas perhaps?). Housed in a cloth covered portfolio with ties, the set consists of 9 prints, plus a signed colophon page. Published in an edition of 26 lettered and 10 Roman numeral sets, Elefantomas is a quite scarce Gorey collectible. The images below show one of the lettered sets, and the photographs were sent to me by a collector.

The two editions are actually quite different from one another. For the 26 lettered copies, each print is signed and lettered individually to match the colophon page. The 10 Roman numeral sets consist of "ghost images" of each of the prints. These "ghosts" were achieved by laying a second sheet of paper on the printing plate once a print was pulled without re-inking the plate. The resulting prints are lighter and less well defined than the lettered edition. For the ten Roman numeral sets, only the colophon page is signed and numbered. The individual prints are not marked.

The art shows a figure with an elephantine head striking many different poses, and performing circus-style acrobatics. It has been remarked that this is Edward Gorey's most erotic artwork. Because the printing process reverses images, the lettering on the title print appears backwards.

Q.R.V. UNWMKD & HIKUPTAH Postcards

2011-03-09T19:00:00.000-08:00

Q.R.V. UNWMKD.IMPERF,: A Dozen Dogear Wryde Postcards and Q.R.V. HIKUPTAH: A Dozen Dogear Wryde Postcards by Edward Gorey were published in tandem in 1996. Although the two sets were sold together as a single item, they are often broken up and sold individually today.
Issued in printed envelopes, each postcard set was limited to 500 copies (signed on the envelope, but not numbered) and 26 lettered copies. The lettered copies were hand stamped in the lower left hand corner by Mr. Gorey using an old fashioned alphabet capitol letter stamp. The stamped letters were then hand colored by Mr. Gorey. These stamps remind me of stamp sets I had as a child, and look like something that Mr. Gorey would have found in a yard sale. I am showing one of the signed sets and the lettered set "I".

Each of the 12 cards in the envelopes feature Q.R.V. verses which have been hand lettered by Edward Gorey. The accompanying images however are various "cut and paste" medical, advertising, insect, and miscellaneous images which can be found in numerous books of clip art. Often amusing, the images compliment the verses in unique ways.

An Interesting NYTimes Article

2011-03-04T06:54:00.001-08:00

This article about Edward Gorey appeared in the New York Times.

Fine Art Prints, part 2

2011-02-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Fine Art Prints, part 2 will concentrate on Edward Gorey lithographs and serigraphs.

Over the years, there have been prints, both individual images and series prints, made from Mr. Gorey's artwork. In the prints shown here, Mr. Gorey usually had very little or no direct involvement with the production process, apart from signing them. Images were chosen from his books or from pieces or art which he created for other purposes. As will all statements of this kind, there are exceptions!
The most visible collection of signed/numbered prints by Edward Gorey are the Signals Prints. This series of 10 images was produced to be sold through the Signals Catalog, and the prints were created from highly detailed original artwork made expressly for this set. These prints are welcome additions to any Gorey collection. I am showing the first and last print from the series. For more information on these prints, see my posting from Sunday October 25, 2009. Prints from this series often appear in on eBay, and recently have been included in collections being sold at auction. The quantity of impressions made for this series is large - especially for the unsigned/numbered examples, which should keep the prices reasonable.

The earliest series of prints made from Gorey images were a set of seven serigraphs produced in 1975 by Diogenes Verlag for their Galerie Daniel Keel in Zurich Switerzerland (according to Malcolm Whyte in Goreyography). I have not seen any of these prints in person, but they look like offset lithographic reproductions, not serigraphs (screenprints). The line quality displayed in these prints is not usually possible using the screenprinting process. The series was produced in a signed/numbered edition of 125 impressions of each of the seven images. Each image in this series was culled from Mr. Gorey's previously published The Blue Aspic and The Other Statue. A reader of this blog forwarded the image of one of the prints shown to the left (shown here with permission). It would be interesting to know if the prints were sent from Europe to Mr. Gorey for signing, or if he perhaps signed them during his only trip overseas in 1975.

A popular print produced by Gotham Book Mart is a lithograph which shows a man sitting in a chair in a library reading, with multiple cats lounging about him. While untitled, this print is often referred to as Man with Cats. This image was produced in a rather large edition of 750 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) prints - all prints are hand signed. I am showing print Z/26, which I thought was highly appropriate for the image.

English Soup is an offset lithograph black and white image showing two Figbash characters disporting themselves - one holding an umbrella, the other a large tureen. This image was made in an edition of 300 numbered copies. I am showing copy #260/300

There is an ongoing series of prints created by the Edward Gorey House featuring prints of various images, sizes, and limitations. The editions are available unnumbered, numbered, or lettered. The numbered/lettered editions are all "signed" using embossed representation of Mr. Gorey's distinctive signature. The House usually produces three different editions each year. These prints are affordable, feature fantastic Gorey images, and are only available from the Edward Gorey House. For more information on these prints, go to www.edwardgoreyhouse.org.

The next journey (in a future post, or probably posts) into the world of Gorey prints will focus on his etchings and colographs.

Penrod Archives

2011-02-19T07:03:00.000-08:00

I was contacted by an archivist at the Penland School of crafts, who is trying to locate an article and/or information which appeared in Friends Magazine on the Penland School of Handicrafts. The article seems to have appeared before 1962, and since my collection of Friends Magazines is concentrated on the contributions made by Edward Gorey, my copies do not go back this far.

Shown are two photos in the archives. Notes on the photos indicate that photographer Joe Clark shot them for Friends Magazine. The photos in the archives are not dated, but the man pictured in the images is weaver Rupert Peters (who died in 1961). If anyone has older copies of Friends and can give information to the archive, please contact Michelle Francis, Penland School of Crafts at archives@penland.org.

Fantomas

2011-02-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Edward Gorey loved films - especially films of the silent era - and especially the silent films of French filmmaker Louis Feuillade. Feuillade was reported to have made between 650 and 800 films by the time of his death in February 1925 at age 52. Of course, in the early days of cinema many films were no longer than 10 minutes long...but still...

Mr. Gorey was often quoted as saying that the films of Feuillade were an inspiration for his work. Feuillade's first film masterpiece is a 1913 series of 5 films collectively called Fantomas. This fantastic film serial adventure is available on DVD from Kino.com and is worth a closer look by all Gorey enthusiasts. Watch the film trailer at the bottom of this post.

Fantomas is a five film serial about a master criminal (Fantomas) and the detective (Juve) who hunted, caught, and kept losing the fiend. As with any great series, there are deceptions, femme fatales, explosions, train wrecks, dead bodies, and multiple disguises.

What is truly remarkable is how many of Feuillade's images populate the works of Edward Gorey. In the very first installment of Fantomas, the disguised villain appears in the hotel room of a wealthy woman who asks, "Who are you?" and is handed a blank calling card by the intruder! This blank card appears in every one of Mr. Gorey's books! Viewers will also find many other instantly recognizable Gorey motifs turning up in the films - distinctive potted palms and pattern-on-pattern decor in the interior sets, a host of 1913 touring cars, veiled mysterious women wrapped in dark clothing with only their heeled shoes peeking from the bottom of their wraps, men in top hats and frock coats. In short, many of the figures and places we have come to assume were England in Mr. Gorey's books are probably French.

It should be remembered that Mr. Gorey majored in French in college, and it is interesting to see such a direct correlation between these five films and Edward Gorey's distinctive visual style. Also, Mr. Gorey would have seen these films in actual theaters, before the days of video tapes, DVDs, or the internet - so multiple viewings were limited. He states in interviews that he has seen some Feuillade films only once, but that they are favorite films of his. That the films made such an impression on him is significant.

Fine Art Prints

2011-02-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

One exciting and very complicated area for collecting the works of Edward Gorey is Fine Art Prints. This area is quite large and can be very confusing. Because the topic is so extensive, I will be discussing prints in several postings.

The question I am often asked is, "Is this a print by Edward Gorey?". Much of the confusion comes from eBay, where Gorey Posters and Edward Gorey, The New Poster Book (see my posting from October 21, 2009 for information on these books) are often cut up and individual pages are sold as "prints". These are pages cut from a book and are not Fine Art prints, even though some may look like prints because of their large format. The cut pages are highly decorative when framed, but have virtually no collectible value. Copies of the complete books have value, the cut up books do not.

The second most common printed Gorey image sold as a print is the John Locke Quote. A fantastic color image, the John Locke Quote was beautifully printed by Gotham Book Mart (from a piece of original artwork owned by Andreas Brown) as an oversized 8.75" x 7", blank greeting card printed on off-white paper, not card stock. The GBM information appears on the back of the card, but the folded flap is often cut off. This card appears so often as a Fine Art print that it gets confused easily, especially since Edward Gorey hand signed some of these cards.

Often, theatrical posters and broadsides produced for special events with images by Edward Gorey appear for sale listed as "prints". Once again, these are not fine art prints, even though many of them are signed and numbered. Here is yet another sub category of Gorey collecting!

Now that I have discussed which images are not actually Fine Art Prints (getting confused yet??), we can start to figure out which images are Fine Art Prints....in later postings!

Re-doing the Walls

2011-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

In January, The Edward Gorey House returned the eight pieces of original art (and books) which I had lent for their 2010 exhibition. Once the "children" had been safely shipped back and unpacked, it was time to rehang the pieces on the walls.

Finding room for these framed pieces proved to be a challenge since other framed pieces had taken their place! Jostling for attention, the returned art caused a chain reaction which started in our guest bedroom (see the photos), and quickly spread chaos throughout the three floors of our home.

Practically every room was affected and adjusted to accommodate not only the returning pieces, but also some framed works which had been patiently waiting to be hung on the walls.

After several days and lots of tea, the dust has settled and all the pieces have places of their own...until the next trip back from the picture framer!

The Doom of the Haunted Opera

2011-01-28T07:04:00.000-08:00

The Doom of the Haunted Opera was the fourth book left unfinished by John Bellairs at the time of his death. Author Brad Strickland worked from the notes left behind to create a spooky story which features an abandoned Opera House where a sinister piece of music, The Day of Doom will make its debut, despite a ghostly warning not to play it. Once the music is played, the dead will be awakened and the composer's evil grandson will become King of the Dead!

The book was published in 1995 by Dial Books for Young Readers and features a wrap around dust jacket design and frontis illustration by Edward Gorey. The back cover of the dust jacket is particularly colorful. Using a dream sequence for inspiration (don't most dreams play out in black and white?), Lewis and Rose Rita are shown being set upon by headless opera goers and bats! One of my favorite characters in this book is a cat that whistles - a feline that Edward Gorey would certainly have taken a liking to.

When this book was published, I was offered the three pieces of original artwork by Mr. Gorey. Unfortunately, at this time the prices for Mr. Gorey's art were jumping significantly - in fact the price for this art was double what earlier art from the series had been priced at just two years previously - so I could not add this art to my collection. I do still have the full size xeroxes sent to me by Gotham Book Mart, which I am showing to the right.

The Fantod Pack

2011-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Published by The Gotham Book Mart in 1995, The Fantod Pack by Edward Gorey is a boxed card set of 20 fortune telling cards. The illustrated grey box includes cards and a booklet which guides the "reader" to tell their (mis)fortune.

This extremely popular Gorey item was first available in a signed, limited edition of 26 lettered (A to Z) and 750 numbered sets. The signed limitation page appears within the booklet. I have copies I/26, and #77/750. The limited edition sold so well that GBM promptly issued an unsigned second printing. The Fantod Pack is once again in print today and available from Pomegranate Publications.

In the two photos below I am showing the front and back of the announcement card for this publication. The 4.125" x 6.25" card is larger than the 2.75" x 5" box, so the image of Figbash on a unicycle has been enlarged to fit. Edward Gorey's signature appears in the lower right hand corner of the card but not on the box lid.

I think the popularity of this Gorey creation is that it is, in a sense, a card game. The participant is encouraged to throw the cards in the air and interpret them using the gloomy and often humorous card descriptions.

With The Fantod Pack, Edward Gorey once again has recycled an earlier project. The cards were originally published in Esquire Magazine (December 1966) as The Awful Vista of the Year: The Fantod Pack. Around 1969, The Owl Press of California created an unlicensed version, which was copied from the magazine images and printed on fluorescent green stock.

Ballet Cats

2011-01-16T11:20:00.000-08:00

It can be said that when one thinks of Edward Gorey, one usually thinks of cats. Smiling, mischievous, playful, up to something (or nothing at all) - cats. In 2004, I obtained a wonderful piece of original art by Mr. Gorey showing a pair of cats in ballet shoes performing a Pas de Deux. The ballerina cat is being held aloft by the danseur noble as they effortlessly execute their dance.

This drawing came from the estate of Rosalie Lewis, who was the former head of the New York City Ballet gift shop and merchandise development. I have not found a piece of NYC Ballet merchandise or literature with this image on it as yet, but printing notes on the art indicate that it was used for something.

At the time this piece was offered to me by Gotham Book Mart, two other pieces from Ms. Lewis' estate were also offered. I was sent xerox copies of the artwork for my inspection, and I show them here. The second piece shows a single ballerina cat "en pointe". Notes from GBM stated that the image was drawn on tracing paper which had been mounted to heavy art stock.

The third image from this set is a spectacular ballet totem consisting of three pairs of dancers in a gravity defying performance. All three pen and ink drawings have hand written notations for enlargement (not in Mr. Gorey's handwriting).

Odd Songs

2011-01-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

Edward Gorey created illustrations for books, posters, theatrical productions and even record jackets. His earliest example of record jacket art is Odd Songs and a Poem by Cyril Ritchard. This wonderfully wacky album cover was published in 1954 by Dolphin Records and has full front and back cover illustrations by Mr. Gorey. I was given a lovely copy of this album for my birthday last month!

Cyril Ritchard (1897 - 1977) was an Australian actor and performer who is best remembered for his role as Captain Hook in the 1954 Broadway production of Peter Pan co-starring Mary Martin. His Tony Award winning performance was repeated on television in 1954 (with Ms. Martin). Another wild and woolly television performance from 1965 can be seen (in part) below, when Mr. Ritchard starred as the Wolf (in Grandma's clothing) alongside Liza Minnelli as an improbable Red Riding Hood.

Merry Christmas from Goreyana!

2010-12-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a Merry Gorey Christmas!

and...an even Gorey-er New Year!

The Twelve Terrors of Christmas

2010-12-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

The Twelve Terrors of Christmas, written by John Updike and illustrated by Edward Gorey, was an instant success for Gotham Book Mart. Both men must have gotten tired of signing their names inside the various limited editions of this title - in 1993, GBM published two separate editions of this book with a third edition in 1994!

This delightful book is for anyone who gets a little too stressed out each December. The twelve biggest pitfalls of the Christmas season are comically outlined by Mr. Updike, and Mr. Gorey's artwork will make you laugh out loud.

Published concurrently in 1993 was a deluxe edition of 126 hardback copies and a limited edition of 500 copies in wrappers (paperback). The deluxe copies have an illustrated tan paper cover and no dustwrapper. These copies consist of 100 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies. I am showing copies Z/26 and #26/100.

The first limited edition printing from 1993 consists of 500 numbered copies in tan wrappers. I am showing copy #404/500.

This title proved to be so popular that in 1994 a "first trade edition" was published in pale green wrappers. This edition was not generally signed by Mr. Updike, but GBM managed to get the author to sign a few copies. The book I am showing is signed by both author and illustrator on the title page. Below, I am showing the announcement card for this publication.
The Twelve Terrors of Chrismas remains popular today. In 2006, Pomegranate came out with a hardback reprint (with green covers) that is still available.

The Retrieved Locket

2010-12-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Published in 1994 by Edward Gorey's Fantod Press, The Retrieved Locket is a tale of loss and grief. This title was published in an signed, limited edition of 500 numbered and 26 lettered copies. I am showing copies #W/26 and #252/500. The announcement card appears below.

This story was first published as A Serious Life: The Retrieved Locket in Anteas number 75/76 in Autumn 1994. It was also included in Amphigorey Again.

More Auction News

2010-12-06T18:01:00.000-08:00

The December 9th, 2010 auction at Bloomsbury Auctions is getting more press than usual for an Edward Gorey themed auction. This is to a large degree because of the fur coats which will be on the block this week.

There have also been several interesting Gorey discussions on line because of the added attention brought on by this auction. On one blog: http://ozandends.blogspot.com/2010/12/fur-coats-on-sale-size-extra-large.html , the topic of Edward Gorey as a "cult figure" has been addressed. What constitutes a cult following as opposed to just being popular?

Oh, and by the way...Thursday December 9th, 2010 is my 50th birthday. Maybe I need a birthday present from the auction. Hmmmm....

Auction News

2010-12-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

2010 has been a banner year for auctions featuring the works of Edward Gorey. The autumn sales at Pacific Book Auction and Swann Auction Galleries are behind us, but a unique auction is coming up on December 9th at Bloomsbury Auctions in New York.

This auction showcases 14 fur coats once owned and worn by Mr. Gorey, which are being auctioned individually. Also included are many bundled lots of books written and/or illustrated by EG (including one grouping of books by John Bellairs), a piece of original artwork, and ephemera. Proceeds from this auction will benefit the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust and the Edward Gorey House.

The Drum, the Doll, and the Zombie

2010-11-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

The next title in the John Bellairs' book series is The Drum, the Doll, and the Zombie. This is the third story where Brad Strickland completed an unfinished manuscript (or outline) left by Mr. Bellairs when he died. Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, New York in 1994, this title is the ninth book to chronicle the adventures of Johnny Dixon, his friend Fergie and the ever cantankerous Professor Childermass.
Edward Gorey created a dust wrapper painting which shows two scenes, one on the front cover and one on the rear. While the rear cover shows an intriguing image, the front cover design is the star of this show. The front of the book features a zombie carrying Johnny away into the night, while Professor Childermass confronts it with a flashlight. I have not seen this artwork in person, but close examination of the printed image reveals how the white paper is left unpainted for the beam of light, while the background is painted all around the glowing stream. Mr. Gorey shows exceptional control of his watercolor paints in this image.

I find it amusing that Edward Gorey took the liberty of turning the face of the zombie green in his painting, giving it a "Frankenstein's Monster" look. The description in the book states that the zombie is deathly pale with dead eyes. There is also an amusing story about the interior art posted on www.bellairsia.com - Mr. Stickland sent a sketch to show Mr. Gorey what he intended for the illustration which appears on page 125. Mr. Gorey forwarded the original sketch to the publisher explaining that he could not improve on the art!

Figbash Acrobate

2010-11-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

Published by the Fantod Press in 1994, Figbash Acrobate is a book of typography by Aedwyrd Gore (Edward Gorey anagram). This book consists of drawings of Figbash playing charades with the 26 capital letters of the alphabet and numbers 0 through 9. Each page features a single number or letter.

Figbash Acrobate was issued in an hand signed edition of 500 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies. Mr. Gorey signed the colophon page as Aedwyrd Gore. The cover of this perfect bound paper back book is printed front and back on powder blue card stock. This stock is especially prone to fading in sunlight, so pristine copies will become increasingly difficult to locate as time goes on. I am showing copy #381/500 and lettered copy X. Figbash's athletic impersonations are included in Amphigorey Again.

Stuffed Creatures Part 3: Edward Gorey Commercial Made Dolls

2010-11-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

Our final area of Edward Gorey collectible stuffed dolls & toys is the commercially made items (see my postings from October 6 & 28, 2010 for previous discussions on stuffed toys). The commercial dolls come in several different forms. Some had limited availability, while others were, and occasionally still are, available through catalogs such as Signals.

The rarest of the commercially made dolls is the limited edition Doubtful Guest figure which was created in 1974 under Mr. Gorey's supervision. This doll was discussed fully in my posting on October 20, 2008.

There were five characters created by Toy Works in the late 1970's and 1980. Each bean bag animal features full color printing on fabric, is stuffed with hard plastic beads, and each has a printed copyright date. The animals are printed front and back and the detailing on these pieces is really wonderful.

The Toy Works collection includes a Bat (1980), Cat (1978), Pig (1979), Frog (1980), and a Rabbit (1980).
The Toy Works Bat is the most common of the dolls and one of the most wonderful. The fabric is printed with Edward Gorey's distinctive cross hatching which has been shaded to give the doll more three dimensionality. The eyes of the creature are red rhinestones and the wings are stitched and stiffened. With its 14.5" wingspan, the bat is the largest of the Toy Works collection.
The Toy Works Cat is a favorite amongst collectors. Each 6.5" cat wears a printed sweater with boldly colored stripes. Cats were available wearing orange/yellow or two tone blue sweaters.
The Toy Works Pig is an animal of sartorial distinction. This pant-less farm animal stands approximately 7" tall and is attired in a snappy vest, bow tie, and jacket. Pigs are usually printed with pink skin, but I have a second example with light purple skin.
The Toy Works Cat & Pig were also available as "Sew It Yourself" kits. Unopened kits are fairly uncommon.
The Toy Works Frog is a collegiate fellow and can be relatively difficult to find. Decked out in a letter sweater and tennis shoes, this amphibian is ready for the big game. The frog is approximately 7.5" in length when laid flat and has button eyes. The frog is the most acrobatic of the animals. He can lay flat, drape over the edge of chair, or sit up to watch the game.

The Toy Works Rabbit is by far the rarest of the animals. At approximately 6" tall this snappy fellow is boldly adorned in a green jacket and orange/yellow kilt. When I first encountered a stuffed rabbit years ago at Matthew Monahan's NYC apartment, he told me that this animal was not put into regular production, and very few were created. The fact that I have only seen of three examples in 30 years of collecting reinforces this opinion. The example pictured to the left belongs to a fellow collector.

A Bah Humbug doll accompanied the limited edition of The Headless Bust. Since the book had an edition of 776 copies, there were 776 dolls made. These dolls have tons of personality and can be set about in many different positions.

A small number of extra Bah Humbug dolls were made and were sold individually by Gotham Book Mart. One interesting thing about the Bah Humbug dolls is that some were printed facing left and some facing right. I am not sure which is more prevalent or if there were equal numbers of each.
In 2003, Gund came out with a stuffed Gorey Cat doll. These cats come with different colored, removable knitted sweaters. The detailing on these plush pussycats is fantastic. They look like they stepped right out of an Edward Gorey illustration.

Curse of the Blue Figurine Original Artwork

2010-11-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

I recently acquired a piece of original artwork created by Edward Gorey for John Bellairs' The Curse of the Blue Figurine. The book was published in 1983 and there is more information on this title in my posting from May 24, 2009. This frightening image was used as the frontis illustration and is reprinted full size in the book. The drawing is signed in ink by Mr. Gorey.

This beautifully rendered pen & ink illustration shows a menacing figure with glowing eyes being held at bay by Professor Childermass in a cave on a stormy night. The unconscious Johnny Dixon is being pulled away from the figure by the fearful Professor.

The skill of Edward Gorey's crosshatching technique in this piece of art is a master class in line manipulation. In this single image Mr. Gorey uses variations of line to render the cave, figures, rain outside the cave, fire, smoke from the fire, and the enveloping darkness surrounding them. I especially like the two pinpoint glowing eyes of the advancing figure which are added with small dots of white paint.

Dancing Rock & Floating Elephant

2010-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

If The Pointless Book got me angry with Edward Gorey (see my posting from October 16, 2010), then The Dancing Rock and The Floating Elephant sent me into despair. Fortunately, there were still many gaps to be filled in my collection, so there were lots of interesting books, prints and artwork to collect even though these newly published volumes were disappointing.
The Dancing Rock/Floating Elephant is a simplistic flip book that can be viewed "dos-a-dos", meaning that the flip book could be used in either direction. One side features a rock that moves across the page, then the book is turned over and the rock is replaced by an elephant. Edward Gorey had always experimented with unusual formats in his books and it seemed natural that an animated flip book would become part of his offerings.
The Dancing Rock by Ogdred Weary and The Floating Elephant by Dogear Wryde was published in 1993. No publisher is listed for this title. A signed, limited edition of 100 copies was issued in a plain white envelope. The limitation is the most interesting thing about this book. Inside one cover, the limitation goes forward from 1/100 and is signed by one "author", flipping the book, the limitation descends from 100/100 and is signed by the other "author". My limited edition is signed 6/100 Dogear Wryde & 95/100 Ogdred Weary. The second book I am showing is the regular edition and none of the non-limited copies are signed. I am also showing the announcement card from Gotham Book Mart.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from Goreyana!

Stuffed Creatures Part 2: Edward Gorey Hand Made Dolls

2010-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

In my posting from October 6, 2010, I began a discussion of stuffed creatures and toys which are based on the works of Edward Gorey. The second area we will explore are the bean bag animals made by Edward Gorey himself. These are the rarest and most valuable of the Gorey stuffed dolls. Mr. Gorey made dolls himself in very limited quantities - making the patterns, cutting the fabric, sewing and stuffing the dolls - usually while watching television in the evenings.

Edward Gorey almost always stuffed these creatures with rice. I once saw a short film on Mr. Gorey where he demonstrated how he would push the rice into the figures using a chopstick. Because he used a food staple to fill his creatures, they are susceptible to high humidity and to invasions by bugs or mice if they are not stored properly. I was told that after Mr. Gorey's death, a box of half eaten creatures was found in his home. I have discussed proper storage suggestions for these rare pieces in my posting from March 31, 2010.

There are five main creatures that Edward Gorey created himself: Figbash, Bats, Frogs, Elephants and Salamanders. I have heard that there he also made some fantasy creatures, but I have not seen any of these myself (some were reportedly in the box of half eaten dolls). Rarely sold during his lifetime, Mr. Gorey usually gave his creatures to friends and associates as gifts. The notable exception are the Figbash dolls.

Figbash - The most obtainable of all the creatures he created, a black Figbash doll originally accompanied each of the 26 lettered copies of The Raging Tide. Figbash dolls were next offered in black or white fabric for sale in the lobby at his theatrical shows which were performed near his home. Eventually, Gotham Book Mart was able to procure Figbash dolls in a variety of fabrics, which were offered for sale to collectors. I have several Figbash dolls in my collection (see my posting from March 31, 2010).

Bats - Created in shiny silver (and sometimes pink satin) fabric, bats were made for friends. Mr. Gorey created a handful of bat dolls to decorate one friend's Christmas tree, and it was rumored that he gave each cast member of Dracula a bat doll (I have not been able to confirm this story). I do not have a bat in my collection - the photo is from an auction listing.

Frogs - I have a wonderful Gorey frog in my collection. Like the commercially produced frogs (to be discussed in a later posting), these amphibians can lay splayed flat or sit up in a wonderfully lumpy way. The frogs have button eyes. I was told that Mr. Gorey created a frog out of holiday fabric for each cast member of his play Stumbling Christmas.

Elephants - I have yet to add one of these fantastically floppy pachyderms to my every expanding menagerie. The elephant in the photo was offered by Bromer Booksellers in their 2001 catalog. Elephants are fairly elusive and rarely become available. They are also the most three dimensional of all the Gorey-made dolls.

Salamanders - The rarest of the creatures (I believe), the salamander is practically an abstract animal bean bag. The example in my collection is made in a deliciously "mod" black and white dotted fabric which adds to the Rorschach quality of this toy. The tail is sewn in a twisted curly-cue and the head looks like a pair of pincers. This stuffed animal must have been particularly difficult to sew, turn inside out and then stuff with rice.

The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder

2010-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Brad Strickland took on the job of completing and/or writing books for stories left behind by John Bellairs when the author died in 1991. The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder is the second title completed by Mr. Strickland in the series. Published in 1993 by Dial Books for Young Readers, New York, The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder takes place concurrently with the events outlined in Mr. Strickland's previous book, The Ghost in the Mirror (see my posting from September 22, 2010).

Once again, Edward Gorey was retained to create a full color painting for the dust jacket, a black & white frontis illustration, and a spot illustration of a maze pictured on page 32. The drawing of the maze appears to be lost, but the dust jacket and frontis original artwork are not.

Bromer Booksellers sold the dust jacket artwork (two pieces of original art: one large color painting and one hand-lettered title typography) in their now famous 2001 catalog of Edward Gorey artwork, books and ephemera. The dust jacket image does not read particularly well as a single piece of art, but the execution and subject matter are top notch. The skeleton wearing glasses with plants growing up through it on the back cover of the book is particularly delightful.

I was not able to obtain the color dust jacket artwork from Bromer, but I was fortunate enough to secure the frontis illustration (from Gotham Book Mart). In this fantastically spooky illustration, a ghostly figure appears outside a window, distressing Lewis so he drops his candlestick (the book he is holding in his other hand will soon burst into flames!). The moody crosshatching is perfectly executed, with the ghostly head and hands of the apparition glowing against the midnight sky.

Auction News

2010-10-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks were Edward Gorey madness at auction houses on separate ends of the country.

On October 7, 2010 Pacific Book Auction in San Francisco sold the collection (with additional items added) of Henry Toledano, author of Goreyography - the 1996 Edward Gorey bibliographical checklist. The auction featured over 100 lots of Gorey material. Bidding was strong for the material which included many signed, limited edition books and ephemera. A number of unusual prints were sold, including the rare Elephantamos (one of 26 lettered sets of nine prints featuring elephant-headed figures). For books, the star of the show was a copy of The Raging Tide, copy "J" of 26 lettered copies that came with a stuffed Figbash doll - hand made by Edward Gorey himself. This was the first appearance of these rare dolls, which have become much sought after by collectors.

Following up the excitement at PBA, Swann Galleries in New York City threw its own Gorey Party on Thursday, October 14th. If the first auction was a delicious meal, this second auction was a feast for Gorey collectors. Many of the rarest Gorey collectibles were offered in just under 50 lots, and some stellar prices were realized. The two stars of this show were the limited edition Amphigorey (#34 of 50 copies accompanied by an original piece of artwork - art later published in Categor y), and The Sopping Thursday (#C of 26 lettered copies with an original piece of artwork). Even though these two lots took top billing, this auction was chock full of items which rarely become available. The quality and variety of the items was reinforced by the exceptionally strong bidding throughout this auction, with only a few lots not being sold.

The Pointless Book

2010-10-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Pointless Book: or Nature & Art is probably Edward Gorey's most aptly named work.
The publication of a new volume by Edward Gorey was always an event. As collectors, we were told when something new was on the horizon, and the anticipation was palpable as the publication date drew near. An exercise in seeing just how mad his devotees really were, The Pointless Book: or Nature & Art consists of pen scratchings (Nature) or squiggles (Art) on each page. It has been called existential, minimalist, and avante garde - but pointless is the correct word - and we are all pre-warned on the cover! I will go so far as to say I got mad at Mr. Gorey when this book arrived in the mail.

The Pointless Book: or Nature & Art by Garrod Weedy was published in 1993 by The Fantod Press with the copyright on the back cover. According to F is for Fantods by Edward Bradford, about 400 copies total of this book were printed. The book has a limited edition of 100 copies which have been signed and numbered by Mr. Gorey as "Garrod Weedy" inside the front cover and these signed copies were issued in a plain white envelope. I am showing copy #98/100, and an unsigned copy. Mr. Gorey did not sign any of the "regular" copies of this title. The announcement card from The Gotham Book Mart is shown to the left.

Edward Gorey Stuffed Characters & Creatures

2010-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

An interesting Edward Gorey collecting area is Stuffed Creatures. Stuffed Gorey characters fall into three main categories:

1) Stuffed animals and creatures made by Edward Gorey himself.
2) Commercially made Gorey stuffed dolls, including limited edition dolls.
3) Home-made dolls based on Edward Gorey characters.

The third category is the hardest to define because, like Gorey-inspired tattoos which I have run across in person and on the internet, there probably are a multitude of home-made stuffed creatures floating around in private collections.

In a previous post (January 19, 2009), I have shown and discussed the Henry Clump doll which my partner Bill made and then presented to me in unique packaging 30 years ago.

For a Christmas gift two years ago, I was surprised with a "Black Doll" which Bill made for me. It is an appropriately squishy black velvet creation that now resides with Henry in a chair in our library.

Bill has been an industrious creature craftsman. About 20 years ago, he sewed a stuffed "Twisby" as a toy for one of our dogs, but the doll (and sadly the dog) are just a happy memory at this point in time.

I will show dolls from the first two other collecting areas in upcoming posts.

Halloween Madness

2010-09-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

Ok...I know this isn't strictly Edward Gorey related, but I had to share it with everyone. While walking our dogs this evening we came across this totally unique lawn decoration about a block from our house. It made us both laugh out loud and we wanted to get a photo before something happened to it. Happy Halloween!!

The Ghost in the Mirror

2010-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Ghost in the Mirror was the first John Bellairs story to be completed by Brad Strickland. Published in 1993 by Dial Books for Young Readers, The Ghost in the Mirror returns Lewis Barnavelt, Uncle Jonathan, Mrs. Zimmerman and Rose Rita Pottinger to the book series after a long absence. The story of how Brad Strickland came to work on, and eventually continue the Bellairs books is detailed on www.belairsia.com in the bibliography section.

Edward Gorey created the artwork for the dust jacket and the frontis illustration for this title. Mr. Strickland's name does not appear on the dust jacket because the cover art was completed and printed before Mr. Bellairs passed away, so "Completed by Brad Strickland" only appears on the title page.

This piece of original art by Edward Gorey is a masterpiece of suspense and terror. If you did not know that it was a piece of dust jacket artwork, you would view it as a wonderfully creepy painting by Mr. Gorey. Barely visible on the printed dust jacket are two faces which appear on the front cover inside the "O" of Ghost and Mirror. They can be seen a bit more clearly floating in the sky on the original art.

The dust jacket painting was included in Bromer Booksellers 2001 catalog of Gorey items. The hand-lettered type for the cover/spine was included as a separate piece of art. I am not aware of the frontis drawing being available from Bromer or Gotham Book Mart.

More Dracula Pillow Designs

2010-09-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

After my posting on August 22, 2010, the folks at the Edward Gorey House were kind enough to find the pillow I showed in my posting and forward a better photo for everyone to see. Standing in the gallery, Assistant Director Duncan Gibson (on the right) and his partner Morgan are shown holding the pillow for a better view. This photo also gives a glimpse of the current exhibition and shows just how many wonderful books, artwork and objects are on display.

While taking another look at my previous posting/photo, I realized that I forgot to point out that Director Rick Jones is thumbing through a sketchbook of rough sketches for the pillows (click on the photo to enlarge). This is a good example of each step of the working methods Edward Gorey went through for this stage production. The first step was to sketch and jot down notes on his ideas in a notebook. The second step was to refine and define his ideas into a finished piece of art which was given to the theater's set crew. The final step was to use the drawings to create the life sized sets and set decorations.

The Grand Passion & The Doleful Domesticity

2010-09-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

Edward Gorey's The Grand Passion and The Doleful Domesticity were published in 1992 by the Fantod Press. The Doleful Domesticity was first printed in the Yale Review in the Summer of 1991, and the cover has black printing on hot pink card stock (which my scanner shows as white in the photo below). The Grand Passion appeared in The New York Times Magazine in June 1976, and was included in Amphigorey Also. The cover has black printing on yellow card stock.

The two books were issued together as a signed, numbered, limited edition of 500 sets in a printed envelope (see below) and were not sold individually. Each pair of books has the same limitation number. I am showing copies #212/500. The announcement card used to promote this publication is shown at the bottom of the posting.

The Grand Passion is an operatic tale featuring a caricature Oriental couple which could have stepped straight out of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado. In 1983, Mr. Gorey created sets and costumes for a production of The Mikado which was presented at Carnegie Mellon University.

In The Doleful Domesticity, what appears to be the same couple are moving house with their baby and young child. Both of these tales are wonderfully disjointed in the best Edward Gorey fashion.

The Mansion in the Mist

2010-08-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

The Mansion in the Mist by John Bellairs features a wrap around dust jacket design and a frontis illustration by Edward Gorey. Published in 1992 by Dial Books for Young Readers, this is the fourth (and final) outing for Anthony Monday and Miss Eells. This title was also the last to be written completely by Mr. Bellairs before his death on March 8, 1991. At the request of the estate, subsequent titles from this series have been completed, expanded, or completely written by Brad Strickland.

Edward Gorey created a dust jacket design for this title that has a definite front and back which does not blend seamlessly. Because of this, the art from this title was cut in half and the two sections were sold separately by Gotham Book Mart in the mid 1990's. The rear portion of this art (the mansion) sold on eBay in July 2000 along with two other pieces of original Edward Gorey artwork. I was bidding (and won the auction) on one of the other pieces of art.

Dracula Pillow Designs

2010-08-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of cleaning going on at our house lately, and in the course of things Bill has been finding some interesting tidbits...and reminders of "things that got away"...

In 1986, Bill, myself and a friend went to New York City for a vacation. On this trip, we took many photos (a practice we have to get back in the habit of doing). This turned out to be one of our more eventful trips to NYC for many reasons, but I will stick to the Edward Gorey story for this posting.

Among the places we visited was The Gotham Book Mart in the Diamond District. In the photo above, Bill is central outside the shop window which was displaying Gorey Books and posters. The long familiar sign hung over the entrance to greet visitors. No visit to GBM was complete without a trip to the second floor gallery, especially when there was an Edward Gorey exhibition on display. To my great surprise, there were several pieces of original artwork being offered for sale. To my great disappointment, I could not afford any of the pieces at that time.

I was allowed to take a couple photos of the art offerings, and Bill ran across these pictures while cleaning. Available were three pillow designs from the set of the Broadway production of Dracula and a two part drawing from Three Ladies Beside the Sea (photo below, see my posting from January 5, 2009 for more on this book). I do not remember what the Three Ladies art was priced at, but I do remember that the pillow sketches were $400.00 each which was too rich for my pocketbook at the time.

In 2006, Bill and I visited the Edward Gorey House museum about a week before the Dracula exhibition opened. One of the items we were able to preview while visiting was a pillow from the set of the stage play. I held the pillow up (see the photo below with Gorey House Director Rick Jones) and Bill snapped a photo. Referencing the 1986 photo with the photo taken 20 years later, the pillow that was on display is one of the three designs that I saw at GBM! Now, if I only had more money back then...

The Betrayed Confidence

2010-08-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Betrayed Confidence is a compilation of seven Dogear Wryde Postcard sets. Dogear Wryde is the anagram which Edward Gorey's used primarily for postcard sets. Published in 1992 by Parnassus Imprints, Orleans, MA, The Betrayed Confidence was issued as a square book in illustrated wrappers. My trade copy is signed by Mr. Gorey on the title page. To the right is the front and back of the announcement card for this book.

Even though this is book is made up of reprints of seven postcard sets from 1976 through 1990, Mr. Gorey did create new illustrations for the front cover, rear cover and the frontis page. There is also a new title illustration for the Scene de Ballet Postcards images which was not part of the original publication (see my posting from August 29, 2009).

In addition to the standard trade printing, The Betrayed Confidence was issued in a slipcased limited edition of 250 signed, numbered copies. The printing of the book was the same as the trade edition, with an additional colophon/limitation page tipped into the back of the book. The limited edition also included a loose limited edition print which was created especially for this edition (see photo to the left). The print is signed and numbered, and the numbering matches the number of the book. I am showing copy #73/250.

The 1990's

2010-08-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

The 1990's were the last decade of Edward Gorey's life - he died in April 2000 at the age of 75. During this time, Mr. Gorey found he had more demands on his time, attentions, and energies because of a growing popularity and interest in his work. His fan base was larger than ever, and this new found popularity resulted in a real push for new work.

Edward Gorey was a man who disliked saying "No" to people, hoping if he was moderately non-committal the proposals could linger while he got along with the projects he was genuinely interested in. One result of the added interest and intrusion to his life, was that the quality and quantity of his "A" collection works from this time period became increasingly minimalistic and, (in my opinion) they pale when compared to his earlier works. His best illustration work during this decade was created for commission projects and not for his own books.

During this decade, Mr. Gorey also shifted his focus from writing and illustrating books to writing, producing, directing, and sometimes performing in local theatrical productions at small theaters near his home in Cape Cod, MA. He often incorporated puppetry into his shows and made the hand puppets himself. Each of these shows had sets and costumes designed by Mr. Gorey and often had programs, posters, announcement cards, mugs and buttons featuring new artwork. This was the work he really enjoyed at the time, and he seemed content to let his illustration work take a back seat to his theater work.

La Balade Troublante

2010-08-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

La Balade Troublante was published by Edward Gorey though his Fantod Press imprint in 1991. The book was printed as a small paperback. The copy I am showing is signed by Mr. Gorey on the title page.

This book is Mr. Gorey's only primary publication for 1991. The intention must have been to publish this title as a miniature book since the format of all the drawings is concurrent with the art created for The Eclectic Abecedarium and Q.R.V. (see my postings from January 28, 2010 & April 24, 2010 for information on these titles). The illustrations for this title read more as an idea sketchbook than as fully realized illustrations. The black & white drawings are all minimalist stick figures (like the illustration on the cover).

Whatever Next Postcards

2010-08-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Dogear Wryde Postcards: Whatever Next? Series was published by Edward Gorey in 1990. No publisher is listed. Issued in a printed white envelope, this postcard set includes 12 cards and a separate colophon/limitation card. The images on the cards show objects in backgrounds and are not captioned. The illustrations are included in The Betrayed Confidence.

Whatever Next? was issued in a signed, limited edition of 250 numbered and 26 lettered sets. I am showing sets #B/26 (lettered) and #173/250. Interestingly, the colophon page does not mention the 26 lettered copies. One can assume from this that the lettered copies were an afterthought and not originally intended as part of the limitation. Mr. Gorey has also signed his name, and not that of Dogear Wryde.

This set of postcards leaves me distinctly underwhelmed. The images are nicely drawn, but I do not really find them very intriguing.

The Secret of the Underground Room

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Secret of the Underground Room by John Bellairs was published in 1990 by Dial Books for Young Readers. Edward Gorey created the dust jacket artwork for this title. This beautifully crafted painting was not included in the Bellairs offerings which Mr. Gorey sold through The Gotham Book Mart. I do not know what became of this work. This is the only book in the Bellairs series without a frontis illustration.

This is one of Mr. Gorey's disjointed dust jacket covers where the image from the rear panel does not flow smoothly into the front. The outdoor scene on the back makes an abrupt change at the edge of the book's spine, with the front cover showing "the underground room". Even so, the front cover portion is one of my favorite paintings created for this book series. The masterful work has only hints of colors, but the mood evoked by the tones fits the story perfectly. Edward Gorey is quoted as saying he painted in "mushroom colors", and this is a perfect example.

The Tuning Fork

2010-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Tuning Fork was first published in Amphigorey Also in 1983. This was an unusual move since all books included in the Amphigorey anthologies before this were previously published. This first separate printing was published in 1990 by The Fantod Press in a signed, numbered, limited edition of 500 copies. The Tuning Fork is stated to be by Eduard Blutig in translation by Mrs. Regera Dowdy. Mr. Gorey has signed the limitation page as Mrs. Dowdy. I am showing copy #207/500.

Because of its stormy and underwater settings, Mr. Gorey has created illustrations which are a masterpiece of crosshatching. He also created an undersea monster who exacts revenge on the heroine's family through the plumbing of their house. The back cover shows the upturned family bathtub with a tuning fork floating in the sky above it.

The Stupid Joke

2010-07-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Stupid Joke was published by The Fantod Press in 1990 in a signed, numbered limited edition of 500 copies. I am showing copy #24/500.

Inside the The Stupid Joke it is stated, "Eduard Blutig's Der Stiefelknecht in a translation by Mrs. Regera Dowdy with the original pictures by O. Mude. The Fantod Press 1990". This is, of course, all Edward Gorey and he has even signed the limitation page as Mrs. Regera Dowdy.

Edward Gorey originally created this story in 1980, and it was published in Dark Forces: New Stories of Suspense and Supernatural Horror edited by Kirby McCauley, Viking, New York. The 1990 Fantod Press publication was the first separate printing. The Stupid Joke is included in Amphigorey Also.

Finding Things

2010-07-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

As many long time collectors will tell you, sometimes it can be hard to keep track of everything you have picked up over the years. This past week, we had some work done in the basement of our home, which forced us to move things from one end of the room to the other. In the process, Bill discovered a stash of Edward Gorey illustrated paperbacks that I forgot I had. Some of these are duplicates of titles I already have on shelves, but it was quite a stash to have forgotten about!

It should be noted that the first several books shown only have typography by Edward Gorey and not the illustrations. When Mr. Gorey worked for the publisher creating these paperback books, he sometimes did the type, sometimes the illustration, and sometimes both.

The titles include:
*Mone-Saint-Michel & Chartres by Henry Adams, Anchor Books 1959 (A166). Edward Gorey typography.
*Selected Poems & Letters of Emily Dickenson edited by Robert N. Linscott, Anchor Books 1959 (A192). Edward Gorey typography.

*Darwin, Marx, Wagner edited by Robert N. Linscott, Revised Second Edition, Anchor Books 1958 (A127). Edward Gorey typography.
*The Book of the Covrtier by Castiglione, Translated by Charles S. Singleton, Anchor Books 1959. Edward Gorey typography.

*The Splendid Century by W. H. Lewis, Anchor Books 1957 (A121). Edward Gorey typography.

*The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge by Rainer Maria Rilke, Translated by M. D. Herter Norton, Capricorn Books 1949. Cover illustration & design by Edward Gorey.
*Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque by Edgar Allan Poe, Dolphin Books (C50). Cover illustration by Edward Gorey.

*Shakespeare by Mark Van Doren, Anchor Books 1953 (A11). Cover illustration & design by Edward Gorey.
*The Aeneid of Virgil by C. Day Lewis, Anchor Books 1953 (A20). Cover illustration & design by Edward Gorey.

*Victory by Joseph Conrad, Anchor Books 1957 (A106). Cover illustration & design by Edward Gorey.
*The American Puritans edited by Perry Miller, Anchor Books 1956 (A80). Cover illustration & design by Edward Gorey.

*Lucky Jim by Kingsly Amis, Compas Books, 15th printing 1966 (C35). Cover illustration & design by Edward Gorey.

*From Beowulf to Virginia Woolf by Robert Manson Myers, Charter Books, Charter paperback edition 1963. Front & Rear cover illustrations & design by Edward Gorey.

The Fraught Settee

2010-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

With The Fraught Settee, Edward Gorey once again showcases more of his Q.R.V. verses. Each verse features a settee upon which a person (or persons) are partaking of cake and Q.R.V. The drawings are beautiful and intricate, but I must confess that I have always been a little disappointed that there are only six selections in this book.

Published by the Fantod Press in 1990 in a signed, limited edition of 500 numbered copies, I am showing copy #361/500. The title of the book does not appear on the cover - a rarity for books by Edward Gorey. The Black Doll makes an appearance on the cover resting on the cushion strewn settee.

New Prints

2010-07-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Each year, The Edward Gorey House creates several new limited edition prints featuring Edward Gorey artwork. Each image is created directly from the original artwork and is beautifully printed. All prints are available in three formats: unsigned; 200 numbered with embossed signature; 26 lettered with embossed signature.

The numbered and lettered prints are sure to be highly sought after in years to come because of their small limitations and beautiful printing. I often get fans of this blog asking me where the "good buys" are...THIS IS IT!! These prints are my pick as a great piece of Gorey art at a fantastic price, and I have already added all three to my art collection. Be sure to check out the prints from previous years which are still available as well.

For 2010, the three selections include old favorites and a previously unseen image:

Innocence from The Broken Spoke - Paper: 9.5" x 11.5", Image: 5-5/8" x 8-15/16". One of Mr. Gorey's most famous images. Classic.

Wadreo Dyrge Addresses the Suspects from The Awdrey Gore Legacy (see bottom of post) - Paper: 8" x 12", Image: 6" x 10". This image looks like Edward Gorey himself has banded together his cast of characters for a stern chat.

Some Things are Scary (see top of posting) - Paper: 9.5" x 11.5", Image: 6" x 8-1/8". A previously unpublished color piece that is a real delight. This image was created as a cover for a book that was never published which Mr. Gorey was commissioned to illustrate. It would have been fun to know what other "scary" illustrations were supposed to be created!
Contact the Edward Gorey House to purchase any of these delightful prints at (508) 362-3909 or edwardgoreyhouse@verizon.net

The Duke of Palermo

2010-06-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

It is always fun to seek out book stores while traveling to other cities and to see what you might be able to find. I recently traveled to Milwaukee and Chicago and found a couple Edward Gorey illustrated titles that I did not have in my collection. It can be amazingly easy to spot a Gorey-illustrated book on a shelf since the spines usually have Mr. Gorey's distinctive hand rendered type.

One book I found is by literary critic and writer Edmund Wilson which has a wonderful Gorey cover design. The skeleton on the cover seems to have mugged The Doubtful Guest and made off with his scarf!

The Duke of Palermo, and Other Plays, with an Open Letter to Mike Nichols is a collection of three short plays by Edmund Wilson. It was published in 1969 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Inc., New York. Mr. Wilson is infamous in Gorey circles as the man to whom Edward Gorey dedicated The West Wing (see my posting from November 29, 2008 for details). Mr. Wilson also wrote The Rats of Rutland Grange which Mr. Gorey illustrated. This copy is a review copy in pristine condition with the original review slip laid in. It is amusing to see the notation at the bottom of the slip which asks for "two clippings of your review" to be sent, since these were the days before computers.

The Chessmen of Doom

2010-06-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Chessmen of Doom is the second book by John Bellairs to be published in 1989. As with the other titles for this series, it was published in hard cover with an illustrated dust wrapper by Dial Books for Young Readers.

For this title, Edward Gorey created a beautiful wrap-around dust jacket design. Mr. Gorey's watercolor and ink design is a return to his heavily crosshatched style of illustration, and the original artwork was made available for purchase. I saw this wonderful piece framed in a booth at several book fairs when a rare books dealer was offering the piece.

For this title, Edward Gorey created a piece of artwork that is my favorite frontis illustration from the entire Bellairs' series. When Mr. Gorey decided to sell his Bellairs art holdings, I was thrilled to find it amongst the pieces being offered, and this became the first "Bellairs" piece or art which I purchased. I love everything about this illustration. It is detailed, creepy, humorous, and even a little religious! It has all the bells and whistles for a Bellairs or Gorey collector.

Menaced Objects Postcards

2010-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Edward Gorey created many postcards over the years, both as individual cards and as themed packs. In 1989, he published Menaced Objects, Dogear Wryde Postcards, a postcard set that consists of 16 illustrated postcards issued in an illustrated envelope. This collection shows objects in situations which usually appear to be harmless enough - until you read the captions on the reverse side of each card.

The postcards were available as a signed, limited edition of 250 numbered packs, and were also sold as a "trade" edition which without the limitation. The limitation appears on a separate colophon card in the pack. Surprisingly, the set is signed by "Edward Gorey" and not "Dogear Wyrde". I have a regular trade set, and am showing set #68/250.

Edward at Auction

2010-06-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday June 8, Swann Auction Galleries in New York City sold a costume sketch by Edward Gorey for the 1977 Broadway production of Dracula. Created for the character Jonathan Harker, the costume design was originally presented to actor Alan Coates who portrayed Harker in the stage play. For the Broadway production, Mr. Gorey presented each actor with a costume sketch for his/her character. The full color rendering is signed lower right by Mr. Gorey.

The Helpless Doorknob

2010-06-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Edward Gorey's The Helpless Doorknob: A Shuffled Story was published in 1989 as a set of 20 laminated cards in a clear plastic box. The first edition of this card pack was issued as a signed, numbered, limited edition of 500 sets. The colophon page is an additional, illustrated, folded card. I am showing copy #317/500.

This is yet another interactive Gorey title, and proved to be very popular. The participant shuffles the cards (or throws them in the air) to create new stories. There was a second printing as well as a third edition of 500 copies. Only the first edition is signed and numbered on the colophon page.

About seven or eight years ago, Dramatis Personae presented Helpless Doorknobs as part of the Minneapolis Fringe Festival for five performances. Giving Edward Gorey credit as author in the program notes, the director states,"The original text by Edward Gorey came from a collection of cards with simple events and illustrations...Mr. Gorey later transformed it into a one-page dramatic text including twenty scenarios, but without any specific structure, encouraging each production to develop its own vision."

I am still not sure where this theater company (this is the only production I am aware of for them) acquired access to the "one page" manuscript. The theater piece was produced after Mr. Gorey's death and they do not appear to have worked with the estate. After seeing the production, I mentioned it to Andreas Brown and he was unaware of the performance of this play.

I have found Helpless Doorknobs 1 and Helpless Doorknobs 2 listed in the program from Chinese Gossip, which was performed in 1994 at Theater on the Bay by Mr. Gorey.

The Trolley to Yesterday

2010-06-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Trolley to Yesterday was the first of two books published by John Bellairs in 1989. Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, The Trolley to Yesterday features a time traveling trolley car which takes Professor Childermass, Johnny Dixon and Byron "Fergie" Ferguson to Constantinople in the year 1453.

Similar in painting style to The Eyes of the Killer Robot, Edward Gorey's wrap-around dust jacket art is not up to par with most of the other color covers in this series. The front cover portion of the dust jacket art looks undecided and rushed. I do like the painting on the back cover illustration, which has delicately placed clouds. I am not aware of this original dust jacket artwork being sold by Mr. Gorey through Gotham Book Mart when he sold the other art from this series.

The original art for frontis illustration for this title is part of my collection. For this illustration, our three travelers glide past "themselves" lying pale, cold and dead in a boat in an underground pillared lake. This heavily crosshatched drawing is remarkable for the deep black shadows which were created by line work and not in-painting. This is a drawing that is diminished when printed in the book because all the crosshatching blurs into solid black on the printed page. This drawing is signed in ink by Edward Gorey.

I also own the original art for hand drawn map of Constantinople that appears in the book. The map is a fantastic example of Mr. Gorey's deft skills at cartography. Mr. Gorey misspelled several words on this map and had to correct the art for publication. This is also a rare instance in which Mr. Gorey drew an illustration larger than it was intended to be printed because of the amount of lettering involved. In the book, the map is printed on its side at 3 13/16". The art is drawn at 5.25" with the notation for reduction penciled in (see photo above).

At one time, I also owned two small drawings that appear as interior spot illustrations for this book, but I sold them some years ago to another collector. The two illustrations were drawn on a single piece of illustration paper.

The Dripping Faucet

2010-05-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Dripping Faucet by Edward Gorey was published in 1989 by the Metacom Press, Worchester, MA. Created as a cut apart flip book, this engaging book can be read in many ways. Published as a signed, limited edition of 500 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies, this would be Edward Gorey's final cut apart book. The limitation colophon is printed inside the back cover (see below right). Because of the interactive nature of the book, it could not be included in the Amphigorey anthologies and will probably not be reprinted.

At 2" x 11" this book is an awkward size, is consequently somewhat fragile and damages easily. Each copy of the book was issued with a blue stiffening card to help prevent the book becoming bent (see photo above). Once the edition sold out at the original publication price, The Dripping Faucet has always commanded a premium. I am showing copy #258/500.

Each of the 26 lettered copies of The Dripping Faucet were hand colored by Edward Gorey. This was the last book by Mr. Gorey to feature hand coloring, and is also the rarest of all his hand colored books. While his other hand colored books and post card sets were issued in sets of at least 50 copies, there are only 26 copies of this title which were water colored. I am showing copy X.

Gorey Gorey Everywhere

2010-05-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

If you feel the need of a Gorey fix overcoming you this year, you are in luck! There are no less than THREE exhibitions of Edward Gorey's work to see!

The Edward Gorey House in Yarmouth Port, MA currently has Artful Associations: Edward Gorey and Famous Authors. Not only is this exhibition a one-of-a-kind chance to see many pieces of original art and ephemera, but the museum is actually Edward Gorey's house! The museum is staffed by knowledgeable and friendly people, some whom personally knew Mr. Gorey. View the exhibits, ask questions, and immerse yourself in the ultimate Gorey experience! Be sure and look through your copy of Kevin McDermott's Elephant House: or, The Home of Edward Gorey before hand to see what the house looked like when Mr. Gorey lived in it, or pick up a copy in the gift shop.

The extensive traveling exhibit, Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey will be at the Orlando Museum of Art from August 13 through October 31. This "don't miss" exhibition was culled from Mr. Gorey's vast archives and features original art from his most famous books.

The most exotic location for an Edward Gorey exhibition is the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu, HI. Musing of Mystery and Alphabets of Agony: The Work of Edward Gorey will be on display from September 19 through December 5 with over 500 Gorey items from the Carollo collection on display. Mr. Carollo donated his extensive collection to the University in 2003. The show will also borrow items from the Gorey estate.

Tragedies Topiares Postcards

2010-05-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Tragedies Topiares, Dogear Wryde Postcards was published in 1989 as a numbered, signed, limited edition set of twelve postcards. Each of the 250 sets had an extra colophon card and were issued in an illustrated envelope. I am showing copy #141/250. These images were included in Amphigorey Again, and have been used for various publications and announcement cards.

The postcards picture topiary plantings which have taken on a life of their own. Each image shows a trimmed hedge or bush interacting and generally menacing a passer-by. One of my favorites is the baby being carried away by the dog topiary.

Beginning To End

2010-05-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Beginning To End marked the second and final collaboration between Samuel Beckett and Edward Gorey. Published in 1988 by Gotham Book Mart in a signed limited edition of 300 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies, I am showing copy lettered copy I/26. Mr. Gorey's first collaboration with Mr. Beckett was All Strange Away published by Gotham Book Mart as a signed limited edition or 200 numbered and 26 lettered (A to Z) copies in 1976.

Collaboration is always a loosely used term when referencing Edward Gorey-illustrated works. When working with authors, Mr. Gorey would receive the finished text and whatever instructions were to be given to him and then he would produce illustrations as dictated by his inspiration.

Samuel Beckett was born on Good Friday, April 13, 1906 in Dublin, Ireland, and died in 1989 in France at the age of 83. He was a playwright and author whose absurdist/minimalist works greatly appealed to Edward Gorey, making him an ideal illustrator for Mr. Beckett's prose. Beginning to End is illustrated almost exclusively with small drawings of skulls which appear on the cover and throughout the text.

This title was appropriately named since it had an difficult beginning and end - actually, the end never came. For whatever reason, Edward Gorey was not getting the illustrations finished for this volume, and Samuel Beckett was ill. Cajoling calls were made to Mr. Gorey encouraging him to finish things up quickly because of Mr. Beckett's health. Matthew Monaghan told me there were also difficulties with the printing of this book because the original order for the special paper was short and matching paper had to be found.

The book was eventually completed and the colophon page signed before Mr. Beckett died. I am showing the announcement card (above right) for this volume. Mr. Gorey also agreed to do an original drawing for each of the 26 lettered copies of Beginning to End, but unfortunately he set this project aside. In 1996, Gotham Book Mart pre-sold the lettered copies with the promise that the drawings would be completed shortly (see announcement letter to the left). Once again, delays occurred, culminating in Mr. Gorey's death in April 2000 with the drawings still not completed. The lettered copies were sent to the collectors who purchased them, but no drawings ever materialized.