The Edward Gorey Trust's Centennial Birthday Party

On Saturday February 22, 2025 The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust threw a once in a lifetime party in honor of Edward Gorey's 100th birthday. This spectacular event was attended by more than 120 people with connections to Mr. Gorey, each of whom were eager to celebrate his memory and share personal recollections and anecdotes.

The event took place from 8pm to 11pm at the Raines Law Room at The William, an inspired choice of venue that appeared to spring from one of Edward Gorey's elaborate rooms in his book The West Wing. The William is located just around the corner from the apartment where Mr. Gorey lived for years. 

Unusual floral arrangements by Emily Thompson Flowers added a patina of faded gentility to the space, including the above extravaganza that greeted guests as they arrived in the front entrance hall. Throughout the evening, a turn into a room would lead to an encounter with an old friend or a new Gorey acquaintance.

Keeping an eye open to explore the nooks and crannies, guests could view pieces of original art, hand made puppets, and set pieces by Edward Gorey in glass fronted cases. 

Themed cocktails were served throughout the evening as were delicious hors d'oeuvres. The signature cocktail of the night was Theoda's Pearls, a Hendrick's Gin based libation that slipped down the throat like Theoda sinking in the ocean (Theoda is the heroine of Edward Gorey's 1990 volume The Tuning Fork).

Artist Jeremy Nguyen delighted partygoers with his spot-on pen and ink caricature portraits, deftly created in a few short minutes as the sitter relaxed in a corner of the front room.

The guests arrived attired with sartorial elegance inspired by Edward Gorey's works. 

Bats of all shapes and sizes fluttered about, adorning the flowing dresses, stylish suits and perfectly coiffed hairstyles of the guests. Each room became a living tribute worthy of the opening sequence from the PBS program Mystery! with spirited conversation and laughter replacing moaning sighs.

A fashion highlight of the evening occurred when Clifford Ross appeared in one of Edward Gorey's beloved fur coats. Edward Gorey had the extra large full length coyote coat dyed yellow and lined in yellow plaid.

I was one of three guests (that I know of) who attended wearing an Edward Gorey "Ring of Power". Clifford Ross and myself wore one of Mr. Gorey's personal rings. Anne Bromer donned a petite ring that Edward Gorey gifted to her. The ring had belonged to Gorey's mother Helen and he commented on the fact that Ms. Bromer was probably the only person he knew that the ring would fit.

As the evening progressed, live music was provided in one of the back rooms by Papa Vega's Dream Shadows, a talented ensemble with an eclectic repertoire that provided the perfect atmospheric background throughout the evening.

The proceedings came to a climax as special guest artists Patti Smith and Jesse Paris Smith performed songs and a reading of Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies with musical accompaniment. Patti Smith regaled the crowd with her own story of meeting Edward Gorey in the 1960's when she worked at Scribner's Books, and her encouraging him to contact Andreas Brown of The Gotham Book Mart as a possible venue to sell his books.

(Cake photo courtesy Robert Greskovic)

The festivities were capped when an absurdly tall, five tiered birthday cake was presented to the assembled throng. Created by Danielle Konya of Vegan Treats bakery, the design of the cake was inspired by Edward Gorey's illustration from A Very Fine Clock. After a champagne toast to Mr. Gorey, the delicious cake was cut and passed to the party goers.

As the evening drew to its inevitable denouement, guests were presented with a limited edition program as a tangible remembrance of a perfect evening of celebration.

 

Edward Gorey's Centennial Birthday Week!

 Happy Birthday Edward Gorey!

Saturday February 22, 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of Edward Gorey's birth. Take a moment this week to enjoy your favorite book by Mr. Gorey. Celebrate this extraordinary artist by introducing a friend to his works by sharing your favorite book with them.

My favorite work by Edward Gorey is The Epiplectic Bicycle. Over the years, I have gifted copies of this extraordinary work to many of my friends.

Apologies to Mr. Gorey for making him wear the silly Birthday Crown, but you only turn 100 once!

From Ted to Tom, The Illustrated Envelopes of Edward Gorey

From Ted to Tom, The Illustrated Envelopes of Edward Gorey is an illustrated glimpse into Edward Gorey's friendship with Tom Fitzharris. The book reproduces each of the 50 hand painted envelopes Mr. Gorey sent to Mr. Fitzharris between July 8, 1974 and July 26, 1975. Excerpts from the enclosed letters appear alongside enclosures from the missives. 

Tom Fitzharris met Edward Gorey after purchasing one of the works Gorey exhibited at his Graham Gallery exhibition (April 23 through May 18, 1974). The style and variety of the envelope art shown in From Ted to Tom is a visual extension of the works Edward Gorey created for the exhibition, but with the added depth of personal references in the paintings. A friendship was established that inspired not only the illustrated envelopes, but also L'Heure Bleue, a book published by Edward Gorey in 1975. 

The hand lettered enclosures are thought provoking quotes from authors and artists. At the end of the book, Mr. Fitzharris details many of the visual and written references from the missives.

During the 1970's Edward Gorey spent the summer months rooming with his extended family at their home on Cape Cod and would return to his apartment in New York City when the New York City Ballet season commenced. Tom Fitzharris would visit the Cape and many of the summer letters reference these visits in their visual blandishments. According to the notes at the back of the book, the above envelope was inspired when Mr. Gorey was driving and saw what appeared to be a boat oar floating in mid air. It turned out that the oar was affixed to the porch of a home, but the image of a floating oar stuck with the artist.

There has long been curiosity about these extraordinary envelopes. As early as 2002 a selection of six were featured in a New Yorker article (with Mr. Fitzharris's name altered). The Edward Gorey House also displayed a selection around this time. From then until this publication the envelopes were mentioned on occasion but were rarely, if ever seen.

Edward Gorey had been elaborately decorating letters to family and friends since the 1940's and these communications often featured paintings on the envelopes. It is not surprising that the letters were saved and after his death in April 2000 a number of these extraordinary pieces began to be shared by the recipients. Peter Neumeyer published his collection of letters in Floating Worlds, The Letters of Edward Gorey and Peter Neumeyer (Pomegranate 2011). The Neumeyer letters were written for roughly one year beginning in September 1968. Floating Worlds shows the illustrated envelopes but focuses on the content of the letters.

From Ted to Tom has been carefully and beautifully designed, presenting each of the 50 numbered envelopes in order. Edward Gorey enjoyed sending and receiving letters and postcards in the mail. This form of interaction between people is unfortunately dying away as electronic communications have made instant messaging the norm. What will future generations have to ponder of today's communications between people?