The Diogenes Club
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Morty Comix # 2695
Del Rio West
Yesterday I was conversing with one of my professional colleagues and discovered she was from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I asked her if she knew of the Del Rio and her face lit up. Apparently the Del Rio is long gone, but fondly remembered by many. This morning she sent me a link to a fun article by John Tebeau, who provides a cartoonists-eye view of the Del Rio. Here's the LINK.
So how do I know about the Del Rio even though I have never been to Ann Arbor? The son of the owner was one of my roomies during my student years at The Evergreen State College and in those days a group of us set up a drinking area called Del Rio West. I snapped the photo below in January, 1975:
So how do I know about the Del Rio even though I have never been to Ann Arbor? The son of the owner was one of my roomies during my student years at The Evergreen State College and in those days a group of us set up a drinking area called Del Rio West. I snapped the photo below in January, 1975:
Favorite Movie Quotes: Kotch
"I'm curious about the frequent use here of the word 'womb' which is fundamentally a poetic expression, as in 'fruit of the womb' meaning children, of course. And 'the womb of time,' whatever that means, and so on. I find it interesting that doctors prefer this term to the more precise scientific designation: 'uterus.'"
The Comic Files: Robin Bougie
A 1993 self-portrait from Robin Bougie of Minds Eye Comics, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Carolina Moon
Sydney Leff illustrated this cover, published in 1929. But another homegrown artist "enhanced" this piece by drawing horns on pioneer crooner Gene Austin.
The Comix Files: Ben Bost
A terrific letter in the form of an original art cartoon from Ben Bost, of Grand Coulee, Washington in 1993. Aside from a dab of whiteout, this entire thing appears to be the product of freehand drawing with no pencils! I'm guessing Mort Walker was a major influence for this impressive cartoonist.
I see Ben has the same luck with cats that I do.
Lovin' Dad
Published in 1921, this is another rare example of sheet music from Washington State. The cover was illustrated by Porter M. Griffith (1889-1969) and, quite frankly, this image doesn't really work in terms of creating a warm, loving portrait. In fact, it is a bit dark and creepy. The cat is a nice touch, though. I'm figuring those are pipe makin's on the side table?
When I was in high school I had a nodding acquaintance with a fellow in my class named Pete Blecha, who went on to become a figure in the Pacific Northwest music universe. Pete contributed a wonderful essay on the Morrison Music Company on HistoryLink. Here's a LINK.
The back cover lists other works from Morrison.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
I'm Sure There Must Be a Story Here
... but I'll be damned if I can remember what that story would be:
The Comix Files: Elgin Bolling
What Do We Do On a Dew-Dew-Dewy Day
This 1927 piece has the mysterious "R.S." as the artist's credit. Apparently these initials are pretty common in the sheet music world and have been the subject of conjecture. Conventional wisdom settles on Rosenbaum Studios, run by Morris Rosenbaum who employed a group of illustrators. These artists included William Wallace Denslow, Emil James Bistran, Harold Guenther Breul, Mortimer Flaum (hi Morty!), Reinhold William Gundlach, and James Murray Mitchell.
Morty Comix # 2694
Hi! Li'l Feller
The Comix Files: John Binns, the Bearded Bard
John Binns the Bearded Bard of Leeds, Yorkshire, sent me the following poems just as I was ending City Limits Gazette in September, 1993:
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