Art Young, 1900 - 1933

A collection of materials related to American cartoonist Art Young. One original pen drawing on board illustrating the short story “Uncle Ethan Ripley” by American author Hamlin Garland (1860-1940). Two matted photographs of Young taken by noted photographer Jacob Schloss in his Manhattan studio, one with an annotation on the back in Young’s hand: “about 32 yrs of age.” Three typed and signed letters to Young by American newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane (1864-1936): one dated April 9th, 1900 on New York Journal letterhead, one dated June 17th, 1909 on New York Evening Journal Publishing Company letterhead, and one dated August 30th, 1924 on New York Evening Journal letterhead. The contents generally pertain to Young’s work as a cartoonist for the papers, with the 1909 letter describing a specific request: “I wrote to you about a cartoon on death. I have in mind a cartoon on TRUE TEMPERANCE. I want to oppose two forms of temperance embodied in whiskey and in prohibition. Prohibition drives men to whiskey, since it deprives them of temperate drinks, and whiskey drives them to death…” Two letters from American poet Edwin Marham (1852-1940) regarding the publication of Young’s autobiography On My Way in 1928. The first letter, dated August 21st, 1928 anticipates the volume and asks for a copy, while the second letter, dated December 15th of that same year, heaps praise on it and encloses a blurb to that effect for Young to send to his publisher. The letters are typed, and signed by hand. Finally, three letters from Irish American poet Shaemus O’Sheel (1886-1956). Two handwritten letters, dated January 1, 1915 and January 2, 1933, are personal in nature, while a third letter, typed and dated January 19, 1933, offers sympathy to Young in his struggle to have his book published: “The bookstores are scenes of desolation, vacant wildernesses. When things pick up, if they do, the publishers, I think, will be among the first to start whistling, and to resume their old character of cheerful gamblers. -- I, business-less and jobless this year past, up to my ears in the hard job of trying to get a job, am not in a position to promise anything; except only that I will really try to speak to some publishers about this publication-awaiting book of America’s chief caricaturist.”