Ralph Barton Cartoon Collection
It began with a gift of cartoons purchased at an estate sale by Michael’s 4th cousin once removed, also an artist. Out of the blue we received a package from her bearing this fascinating group of cartoons. As it was BG (before Google) we had no luck trying to figure who created these unsigned cartoons. Sure we surmised they were done during WWI just from the uniforms but who created them. Every once in a while I would take them out and study them. And the wild fire happened after which we packed up the house as they cleaned the interior and then unpacked sorted deciding what would stay and what needed to go. This lead to be revisiting the cache of drawings. Now I picked up clues…. dates: 1918, 1919, key words: Chestnut, Everybody’s. Before I started the keywords I searched “WWI cartoonists”, “Judge Magazine” and Delineator Magazine (turned out to be false clue) netting nothing. Moving on I found Everybody’s Magazine and in the magazine I found a humor feature “Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree: edited with cartoons by Ralph Barton. Could it really be him? Yes and after downloading several pdfs of the Everybody’s I found the same cartoons we owned in print.
Yes, I admire his style but feel someone else might want to own them. I am considering keeping one. Meanwhile I will be searching for the best auction venue for this illustrator’s group. I prefer to sell them as a group ideally with an organization that will share them online. Or possibly in two groups one WWI themed the other not. I have sold on ebay for 14 years but I am not sure it will be the proper vehicle for these drawings. I don’t have to decide yet.
Want to know more about Ralph Waldo Emerson Burton I recommend this excellent Graphic Arts Blog by Julie L. Mellby.
This entry was posted on Monday, October 24th, 2011 at 12:51 am and is filed under Philosophy. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
November 18th, 2011 at 3:09 am
Interesting! I too have two cartoons by Ralph Barton, also dated 1919 with the word "Chestnuts" on them. Thanks to your research, I know have somewhere to look for the printed version! . I would love to add yours to my collection, if you would like to sell them. Barton;s fine line work is the best!
January 20th, 2012 at 3:37 am
I did sell several on eBay. I would be willing sell the others.