Auction: February 26

Our curators picked their favorite items from our upcoming February 26 History in Pen & Ink: A Century of Cartoons & Illustrations Showcase Auction.
| Sarahjane's Picks Sarahjane Blum | Director of Illustration Art
Garth Williams And He Played in the Grass..., circa 1945
Though the hand-written caption by Garth Williams reads "Not for Stuart Little," the small figure in the vast expanse of Central Park seen here captures exactly the wonder of that classic. It's a beautifully wistful scene that embodies the mysterious, magical vastness of the world as experienced in childhood.
Modest Stein Camille de Treveliers, A Queer Legacy book interior, 1906
If Illustration Art had its own Jeopardy spin-off, Modest Stein would be a clue: "This popular and prolific artist is today best remembered for his association with anarchist firebrand Emma Goldman." In this tender and romantic image from Paul Charles de Kock's A Queer Legacy, we see Stein's talent on full display, and are reminded that his work is enough reason for him to be remembered.
| Meagen's Picks Meagen McMillan | Senior Consignment Director, Illustration Art
Jay Hambidge Fashionable Ladies at Lunch, magazine interiors, circa 1910
This fabulous gossip session keeps catching my eye. The fashion forward depiction of café life in the early 1900s was and is nothing new. However, the perspective from above and askew adds unique dynamic tone to the cosmopolitan work. All I know is I definitely want to know that tea.
Carl Hassman Gentle Pre-historic Spring, Puck magazine interior, 1909
This humorous interpretation of pre-historic life appears to be a strange but wonderful mixture of Dr. Suess absurdity and Arthur Rackham haunting tone. It's both playful and spooky, but all around humorous. A fun addition to any collection.
| Ezriel's Picks Ezriel Wilson | Cataloguer, Fine Art
Edith Stevens Us Girls, The Boston Post newspaper, 1940
This witty piece by Edith Stevens, with its sharp quips about knitting-a trend women were socially expected to maintain in the 1940s-made me giggle. Stevens highlights the expectation that women should always keep their hands and minds busy with needlework, passing this duty down to younger generations who may not share the same enthusiasm. As a result, some characters find themselves less relaxed-or rather, "knitted" into a tizzy.
Abe Savrann The Trial of Jessie Costello, Boston Herald newspaper, 1933
Abe Savrann's The Trial of Jessie Costello is an intriguing slice of true crime history. Costello, housewife and mother of four, gained celebrity when she was arrested on March 17, 1933 for the alleged poisoning of her husband, Fire Captain William Costello. Her case became a media sensation leading up to her trial July 17, 1933 in Salem, Massachusetts. Costello, deemed "the smiling widow" by the media had a bubbling flapper-like charm. While incarcerated she received 500+ letters in the mail, roses from the trial's bailiff, and is even rumored to have swayed the jury with her charisma securing a not-guilty verdict. Savarann's work highlighting some of the major players involved in Costello's 2-hour trial is a lovely addition to any true crime enthusiast's collection.
View all of the unique pen & ink editorial cartoons and illustrations in our February 26 History in Pen & Ink: A Century of Cartoons & Illustrations Showcase Auction.
Sincerely,
|  | Sarahjane Blum Director of Illustration Art SarahjaneB@HA.com (214) 409-1549
|  | Meagen McMillan Senior Consignment Director, Illustration Art MeagenM@HA.com (214) 409-1546
|  | Ezriel Wilson Cataloguer, Fine Art EzrielW@HA.com (214) 409-1112