E is for Edward

E is for Edward 

Just in time for the holiday season, E is for Edward, A Centennial Celebration of the Mischievous Mind of Edward Gorey by Gregory Hischak and The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2025) is the one volume that should be on every Gorey enthusiast's holiday gift list and bookshelf, provided the shelf is sufficiently reinforced.

E is for Enlightening

In 2020 The Edward Gorey House began producing an annual booklet as a membership premium. These compact illustrated pamphlets offer insights into the current exhibition on display at the museum each year. Specific interpretations of different points may sometimes vary among enthusiasts, but Director Gregory Hischak fills these small treasures with stunning graphics and well researched background information relating to the House's themed annual shows. Using these booklets as a springboard, E is for Edward gathered together the information contained in each of the five keepsakes, turning them into chapters that have been expanded with additional in-depth research and illustrations.

E is for Entertaining

The book not only includes insightful essays on Edward Gorey's works, it also reproduces many previously unpublished pieces of art as well as a smattering of family photos of Gorey from his childhood days and throughout his life. 

E is for Exquisite

Over the past several years, the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust has taken on the daunting task of documenting everything in the Gorey Archive. This includes creating new scans of every piece of art in the archive. This monumental ongoing project employs the latest in digital scanning methods and the results are evident in this new book. Beautifully executed, this volume also employs the most up to date digital printing techniques which, in combination with the new scans, gives the reader the ability to study the nuances of Edward Gorey's original drawings.

E is for Exercise

This is one massive volume, both in scale and weight. As soon as the book began arriving from the publishers, everyone I know who received their copy commented that this is not a coffee table book, it is the coffee table itself. At 11" by 12" and weighing in at over 5.5 pounds, this is a book that commands your attention and also requires a sturdy table and chair to enjoy, as it is a bit large and heavy to cozy up with on the sofa. This is not a design flaw, but rather one of the book's virtues. The generous size and scale of the book allows for beautiful reproductions of Edward Gorey's artworks on practically every page, giving the volume the feel that one is experiencing a guided tour of a private exhibition chronicling the artist's work and life.

E is for Everyone

I am often asked what book would be appropriate for someone wanting to learn more about the life and works of Edward Gorey. This highly readable illustrated volume will be my standard answer from this time forward. Everyone from novices to knowledgeable collectors will find noteworthy information and compelling artworks contained within the pages of E is for Edward.

A New Book

The Edward Gorey exhibition Gorey's Worlds at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is on display February 10 - March 6, 2018. Long after this interesting exhibition closes, the accompanying book Gorey's Worlds (Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, in association with Princeton University Press, 160 pages, 2018) by curator Erin Monroe will be a vital reference for those interested in Mr. Gorey's works.

The lavishly illustrated volume focus on the portion of Edward Gorey's personal art collection which the artist bequeathed to the Wadsworth upon his passing in April 2000.  The gift of 73 paintings, prints, and drawings provides unique insight into the art that excited and inspired Mr. Gorey daily. Supplementing the gifted works are works by Mr. Gorey himself. Visual and contextual comparisons are made in the volume's four essays by various contributors, each of which highlights a different aspect of the exhibition.

Gorey's Worlds can be ordered from the Wadsworth HERE.

Edward Gorey On Stage

Edward Gorey on Stage by Carol Verburg (Boom-Boom Books, 2012) is now available as a paperback book (see my post from July 29, 2012).

In response to comments and suggestions, Ms. Verburg was at first mystified as to how an interactive e-reader could be translated into a printed book format, but her inventive mind soon realized it could  be done! In the electronic format, there are links throughout the book that the reader can click on. These links take the reader directly to the websites and blogs being quoted in the text.

In the printed version, Ms. Verburg has come up with a unique way of recreating this experience. Throughout the volume, QR codes are placed near the appropriate text. By downloading an app to your smartphone, you can read the codes and be whisked away to view the expanded information.

I am thrilled that Edward Gorey on Stage is now available in book form.

Looking for Edward Gorey

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.

Reference Materials, Part 2

Moving on to the next batch of Edward Gorey reference materials which consists mainly of rare exhibition catalogs. Tracking exhibitions of an artist's work is an important way to establish provenance and to inform a collector about an artist. In this grouping, I am showing seven major Gorey exhibition catalogs, most of which contain brief essays about Mr. Gorey's work that do not appear in any other publications.

Phantasmagorey (back/center) - Yale University, Sterling Memorial Library, April 17 - September 27, 1974. This important exhibition catalog documents an early Gorey show organized by Clifford Ross. The show included books and a substantial amount of original artwork by Mr. Gorey, many pieces of which have not been exhibited anywhere else. The catalog features a an illustration on the cover created especially for this publication. My catalog is signed by EG.

Plain & Coloured Drawings (middle/left) - The first of two exhibitions at the Graham Gallery in New York, April 23 - May 18, 1974. This is Edward Gorey's first solo "Art" exhibition since his college days. Mr. Gorey only had three "Art" exhibitions in his lifetime where the drawings and paintings displayed was created exclusively for exhibition. The first was at the Mandrake Bookstore at Yale in the 1950's (I still have not been able to find out if this was a formal or informal exhibition), and the other two were at Graham. All other Gorey exhibitions have used collected materials, both published and unseen. The booklet for this exhibition shows five of the drawings which were displayed and has a short essay by Brendan Gill. My copy is inscribed by Mr. Gorey and has the separate, original mimeographed checklist of titles for the 46 pieces of original art that were displayed and for sale.

Problem Pictures (middle/right) - The announcement card for the second (and final) exhibition of original artwork created for the Graham Gallery in New York, December 2 - 31, 1975. My copy is signed and is accompanied by the original Graham printed envelope. One of the least satisfying of my collected exhibition materials, this announcement gives almost no information and shows little artwork. Preparing for a Fine Art show at a gallery had to be a daunting task for Edward Gorey, who was making his books and doing illustration projects at the same time as creating works for exhibition. To mount two solo gallery shows within 1.5 years is both an honor and stressful for any artist.

Drawings and Books by Edward Gorey (front/left) - The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, September 18 through October 27, 1968. Booklet and checklist for Gorey's first solo museum exhibition. My copy is inscribed to me by the curator. This item is discussed at length elsewhere in my blog.

Artist of Mystery (center) - April 21 - September 5, 1993, at the Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco, California. Signed/numbered limited edition of 526 copies, my copy is #48. This booklet contains an essay by Malcolm Whyte and a checklist for the books, original artwork and prints displayed at the museum.

Ephemera Etcetera (front/center) - Gotham Book Mart and Gallery. I am assuming that this show took place in 1975 since materials exhibited date no later than Fall 1974 and the front of the fold-out states that the exhibition runs "through April 5th", but is otherwise undated. This is a rare accordion-fold catalog/list of one of Gotham's early Gorey exhibitions. The catalog lists the 63 items shown in the gallery, most of which were recent at the time of the show. Gotham's shows of Gorey works were primarily exhibitions, and showcased many archival items to whet the appetite of collectors. Occasionally items on display were for sale, but most were shown for exhibition purposes only. Gotham rarely provided a checklist for items on display, so it was always a surprise and a delight to go to the gallery when I was in New York City. The nice thing about lists of this sort are that today's collector can get a sense of smaller, ephemeral items that were available and rarely make it into mainstream shows and catalogs.

Gorey World (front/right) - Exhibition catalog for the September 18, 1996 to January 12, 1997 exhibition at the Cartoon Art Museum of San Francisco. Signed, limited edition catalog (my copy is #44 of 776 copies) for the second major Gorey exhibit at the museum. Once again, there is an essay by Malcolm Whyte in addition to the 86 listed items being displayed (some listings contain more than one item).

Reference Materials, Part 1

It is difficult to proceed in any area of collecting without accurate information. Through reference materials, we learn about our chosen collecting field and gain a handy resource to look up facts. Over the last 30 years of collecting the works of Edward Gorey, I have amassed a large amount of reference material about his work.

In addition to published books, catalogs and price lists, there is ample information online available to those who wish to know more about Mr. Gorey and his artistic achievements. The great source for all things Gorey online is http://goreyography.com/west/west.htm . This website has more Gorey information and news than any other. Mecca for collectors is the Edward Gorey House, both in person and on-line: http://edwardgoreyhouse.org . I also hope that collectors at all levels will find this on-line blog informative and interesting.

Starting with the most recent and least obscure printed materials available about Mr. Gorey's works, there are several books that provide good information and visual stimulus for today's collector. I will show and discuss additional reference materials in a later posting.

Goreyography - 1996 by Henry Toledano with additional information by Jim Weiland and Malcolm Whyte. The most complete checklist of Gorey books, books designed/illustrated by EG, and illustrations in periodicals to date. Completed four years before Mr. Gorey's death, this book could use an update or addendum to complete it with work published from 1996 - 2001. The major flaw with this title is the inclusion of values for the books listed. The pricing information was almost immediately out of date since values always fluctuate, and the prices can only be referenced as "time capsule" information. Originally available as a signed/limited edition hardcover and also in paperback, this book is now available on the secondary market, and is an invaluable resource to any collector.

F is for Fantods - 2008 by Edward Bradford. A privately printed checklist of Mr. Gorey's Fantod Press titles. This booklet can be considered an expansion to Goreyography's information about the Fantod books, with some previously unpublished information about these titles and a cover illustration not seen before. Available as a signed/limited edition booklet in wrappers and also an unsigned edition from The Edward Gorey House. Solid information, clearly presented.

Elegant Enigmas the Art of Edward Gorey - This 2009 book is the catalog for the current traveling exhibition of Mr. Gorey's works that will open at the Brandywine Museum in Pennsylvania in March 2009. In addition to a checklist of art exhibited in the show, this book has a new essay on Gorey by author Karen Wilkin. The most unusual items exhibited at the show (and shown in the book) are the illustrated envelopes which young EG sent to his mother in 1948. This new hardcover book is available from the museum, at bookstores, and online.

Ascending Peculiarity - 2001 edited by Karen Wilkin. A collection of previously published interviews with Edward Gorey from various sources. For those who missed the original publications of these interviews in a wide range of magazines and even television programs, this is a great read with lots of information sprinkled throughout. Still available online and in bookstores in the original hardcover edition as well as the paperback reprint.

The World of Edward Gorey - 1996 by Clifford Ross and Karen Wilkin. This book starts with an interview with Gorey by Ross, the main subject of which is art. Karen Wilkin provides an essay. Great pictures of previously unseen pieces as well as old favorites. Originally available as a hard cover in a trade and limited edition, the paperback reprint is still available occasionally from online booksellers.