2018 Auctions

 Sold at Bonhams NYC, 5th December

'A series of three original watercolors, "Commercial Christmas," "Office Parties," and "Giftmanship," unused illustrations for the article "Christmas Lifemanship," Holiday Magazine, c.1960, watercolor, India ink and pencil, 253 x 365 mm, each numbered ("1"-"3") and titled by the artist in ink at bottom, some soiling, discolored along edges.

A trio of humorous sketches lampooning holiday etiquette: a secretary presents a toy Santa Claus to her boss in "Commercial Christmas"; a sexy young woman with a much older man "showing that you are in the secret confidence of the managing director"; and another beauty in evening gown pushing her Christmas present for her husband—a gift-wrapped wheelchair—in "Giftmanship. 'Slightly unflattering.'" During his early career, Mr. Knight was enthralled with the Punch cartoons of Searle, particularly the Belle's of St. Trinian's series. "He did these dreadful, vicious little schoolgirls terrifying their teachers," Mr. Knight told The Easthampton Star. "I loved the wicked style, and in the early '50s began doing contemporary drawings along those lines." Eloise in her little uniform owes much to the Englishman's pint-sized anarchists.'

-Bonhams (original page here)

Ronald Searle 1920-2011: 'Oil Leak',

signed, cartoon in pen and ink on board, with dedication "David, Don't look at this with a professional eye! This is just a souvenir of the Monte Carlo jaunt - with best wishes from Ronald 1968', 36 x 47cm, in card mounted display with copies of Searle's artwork designs for the titles of 'Those Daring Young Men in the Jaunty Jalopies' (working title) and scanned images of David Watson clowning with Dudley Moore and some of the film crew.  

FOOTNOTES

• From the collection of the late David John Peter Watson, equity card carrying professional driver. Watson acted as technical adviser and performed some of the driving stunts on the film, doubling for the likes of Tony Curtis, Terry Thomas and even Mireille Darc. The film was released as Monte-Carlo or Bust! in the UK in 1969 and as Those Daring Young Men in the Jaunty Jalopies in the USA.

Sold at Sotheby's July 10th 2018

 Sold June 28th, UK

Sold June 2, NY

Sold March 6th, UK

A magazine cover design for the winter number of ‘Town & Country’ in 1948 by Ronald Searle

The Ronald Searle Archive

The Wilhelm Busch Deutsches Museum für Karikatur & Zeichenkunst in Hanover has put the first part of its archive online representing almost 1000 pictures by Ronald Searle! Although the site is in German it's relatively easy to navigate just go here !

The images are photographed form the originals held in the museum's collection and there are many unpublished pictures. Fascinating stuff for Searle fans.

The museum was inordinately co-operative and generous in their help on my book 'Ronald Searle's America' and the Searle Archive is now the most extensive collection of the cartoonist's work in the world.

Here's a German language video report

Originals coming up at auction

Big Searle news on the artist's birthday: Jeffrey Archer is selling his cartoon collection! It includes some fantastic Searle originals.

‘ART: THE BRITISH PUBLIC KNOWING WHAT IT LIKES...' (CONSEQUENCES OF PUTTING MR GRAHAM SUTHERLAND’S LATEST PORTRAIT ON PUBLIC EXHIBITION)

‘ON THE ROAD WITH KENNEDY’

'RICHARD NIXON AT AIRPORT RALLY'

'LORD BEAVERBROOK'

'‘EDEN AND CHURCHILL GARTERED’'

'ON THE ROAD: HERBERT MORRISON ELECTIONEERING'

More info here

The Illustrators 2017

Chris Beetles' annual show is up now at his gallery in Ryder St. London. Sveral choice Searle pieces are included. Here are some pics but go along if you can and see them in person (plus hundreds of other cartoons by artists like John Glashan, Peter Brookes, Rowland Emett, Norman Thelwell et al.). More info here

Note the address in the card above- that was teh Searle family home at 32 Newton Rd. in the fifties. More on that building here

The Studio magazine

A June 1949 profile of Searle in The Studio magazine highlighted the twenty nine year old artist's reportage and illustration work.

To read more about Searle's visit to Yugoslavia go here and his visit to Poland here

Merry Christmas!

A rare' Searle-designed' animated film for 'Lemon Hart Rum' screens this weekend at the BFI in London. Details & tickets here.

The 3 minute film was produced by Larkin Studio in 1953. Music by Francis Chagrin. Art direction by Phil Windebank.

 

The short film was shown in UK cinemas and a printed booklet featuring art from the film was distributed at screenings. A copy exists in the Searle Archive in Hanover, Germany. 

More on Lemon Hart Rum here

See a stop-motion Searle style ad for 'Lemon Hart Rum' here