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January 20, 2021
Author: Laura Polucha

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Specializing in rare books, fine art and everything in between.
President & principal auctioneer: @nicholowry

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 12 is Marlee He

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 12 is Marlee Heyer's 'The puppet theatre,' double-page illustration from the picture book The Forbidden Door, 1988. Featured in today's Illustration Art auction. Estimate $800 to $1,200.⁠

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 11 is Norman P.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 11 is Norman P. Hall's 'For several minutes, Betty and Bobby looked about them in wonderment,' interior book illustration for The Wonder Hill, Or The Marvelous REscue of Prince Iota by Albert Neely Hall, 1914. Featured in tomorrow's sale of Illustration Art. Estimate $1,000 to $1,500. ⁠
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From a delightful and obscure children's book very much inspired by Frank L. Baum and his Oz books, this scene represents "the most gorgeous [room the children] had ever laid eyes on. The walls were richly ornamented with gold, and the room was brilliantly lighted by a large glass dome over the center of the ceiling."⁠
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"The first thing that came to their attention was a fountain of delicious ice-cream soda water over in a corner of the room. This was a most wonderful fountain. It ran continuously, and its flavors changed every minute. So, if you did not like the taste of one kind of soda water, all you had to do was empty your golden goblet, wait until the flavor changed, and then try some more."⁠
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Norman P. Hall also illustrated Baum's American Fairy Tales (1901) and Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross (1915). In addition to the Baum books, Hall worked on many juvenilia and adventure stories including The Boy Scouts of the Air, The Boy Craftsman.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 10 is Ludwig Be

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 10 is Ludwig Bemelmans's 'The magician, as he took his pill,' from Madeline's Christmas, illustration published on pages 18-19 of the original special insert in the Christmas edition of McCall's magazine, 1956. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. Estimate $15,000 to $25,000. ⁠
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The "Madeline and the Magician" image from Madeline's Christmas depicts the moment after Madeline thaws the frozen merchant/magician. He, in turn, asks what he can do for her. The full caption reads: "The magician, as he took his pill, said, 'Ask me, Madeline, what you will.' Said she, 'I've cooked a dinner nutritious. Will you please help me with the dishes?'"⁠
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The 1956 version includes a green lamp hanging from the ceiling, which does not appear in the 1985 publication.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 9 is Warren Cha

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 9 is Warren Chappell's 'Santa and Punch,' illustration and note, circa 1920. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. Estimate $500 to $750. ⁠
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Warren Chappell illustrated books for numerous publishers, including Alfred A. Knopf, Random House, Harper & Row, Doubleday, and Little, Brown. His own books include The Anatomy of Lettering (1935), A Short History of the Printed Word (1970), and The Living Alphabet (1975). Chappell also designed two typefaces, Lydian and Trajanus.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 8 is Peter Palo

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 8 is Peter Palombi's 'Stockings up for Christmas,' original illustration for a Paper Moon greeting card, 1979. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. Estimate $2,000 to $3,000.⁠
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Peter Palombi was an artist and illustrator who was celebrated for his hyper-realistic airbrush technique. In the 2008 book Overspray: Riding High with the Kings of California Airbrush Art, he was recognized as one of the "Kings of California Airbrush Art." Palombi contributed artwork for the music industry and created images for publications like Playboy and Rolling Stone. His work also extended to film, with clients including the studios behind American Graffiti and The Last Picture Show.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 7 is an origina

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 7 is an original 1965 production animation cel setup from the perennial holiday classic, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.' Featured in the December 12 sale of Illustration Art. Estimate $4,000 to $6,000.⁠
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Any cels from this special are hard to come by, but those of Charlie Brown in his red coat and hunter's cap are especially scarce.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 6 is James Bark

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 6 is James Barkley's 'Peanuts Classic Moments Collection,' advertising campaign illustration for the figurine collection by Danbury Mint, circa 1990. Featured in the December 12 sale of Illustration Art. Estimate $3,500 to $4,000.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 5 is George Wun

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 5 is George Wunder's 'The Night Before Christmas,' publisher's proof sheet for the comics adaptation of the Clement C. Moore poem, 1941. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. Estimate $400 to $700. ⁠
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This beautifully rendered interpretation of the perennial Christmas poem may be the only surviving example of this proof.

TIMED AUCTION | The winter Fine Photographs auctio

TIMED AUCTION | The winter Fine Photographs auction will feature more than 100 lots from the Collection of Neil Robert Burzak, alongside a selection of works from various owners. ⁠
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Timed bidding is open now through December 17 and begins closing at 12 PM ET. Previewing Friday, December 13, Saturday, December 14, and Monday, December 16 — 12 PM - 5 PM⁠
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Browse the complete catalogue and register to bid at the link in our bio.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 4 is Jack Lambe

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 4 is Jack Lambert's 'Join the Christmas Parade,' advertisement illustration for the Baltimore Sun, circa 1964. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. Estimate $500 to $750.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 3 is Spencer Do

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 3 is Spencer Douglass Crockwell's '"Merry Christmas," she said, "And don't be sad any more. Please.",' magazine story illustration for A Present for Christmas featured in 'The Saturday Evening Post,' 1951. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. Estimate $4,000 to $6,000.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 2 is Spencer Do

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 2 is Spencer Douglass Crockwell's 'Christmas Club - Merriest Way to Save!,' advertising illustration for The Christmas Club Corporation, 1966. Featured in the December 12 auction of Illustration Art. $5,000 to $7,000.⁠
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The Christmas Club was a special-purpose savings account offered by various banks and credit unions in the 20th century. Bank customers would deposit a set amount of money each week into a savings account and receive the money back at the end of the year for Christmas shopping. Crockwell's illustration captures the excitement of holiday shopping and dominance of consumer culture.

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 1 is Mick Brown

SWANN'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS | Day 1 is Mick Brownfield's 'Vintage Toys,' a magazine illustration for an article published in Marie Claire (UK), circa 1980. Featured in the December 12 sale of Illustration Art. Estimate $500 to $750.

Illustration Art is at auction December 12. Previe

Illustration Art is at auction December 12. Previewing Saturday, December 7, Monday, December 9 through Wednesday, December 11 — 12PM to 5PM⁠
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Browse the complete catalogue and register to bid at the link in our bio. ⁠
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Pictured here is Lot 110: 'Cruella DeVil and Nanny Animation Cel Setup,' from the Disney feature, 101 Dalmations, 1961. Estimate $2,600 to $3,600.

Featured in tomorrow's auction of Contemporary Art

Featured in tomorrow's auction of Contemporary Art is Richard Artwchwager's prototype of 'Pregunta II,' acrylic painted wood in two parts, 1983. Estimate $50,000 to $80,000.⁠
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For his 1991 Complete Multiples exhibition at Brooke Alexander Editions, New York, Artschwager and Brooke Alexander discussed his punctuation pieces, which "inflect objects and spaces the way written punctuation inflects the objects and spaces of written language." According to Artschwager, "The question mark sits tight in a tight spot, but it bleeds out to make the interrogative mode. Why have three or more than one? Because the thing talks to you, but it has different modulations and nuances." The artist created three different Pregunta multiples in 1983; all of painted wood and published by Multiples, Inc., New York, but differing in emphasis on the question mark's components. These differences, including I, with emphasis on the mark's upper curve, and III, which enlarges the lower dot, illustrate the nuances and changing nature of the punctuation mark's meaning.

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