Fakes!

 While we're on the subject of auctions don't all for any of the pathetic fakes that continually crop up at "reputable" auction houses. This one just sold at Raffan Kelaher & Thomas in Australia "attributed to Ronald Searle".

To the keen eye of a Searle enthusiast the weak, unstructured drawings belie their amateur forgery. Searle's style was loose and vital but never sloppy. His finished works were worked up from numerous rough sketches and had elegant compositions.

I've tried to alert a well-known British auction house in the past who were oblivious to selling a fake Searle but rebuffed my accusation affronted that their "expert knowledge" was called into question. Which instantly made them into Searle-esque stuffy, art dealer snobs!

Sometimes these fakes will pop up on eBay too with the "attributed to Ronald Searle" or "after Ronald Searle" but don't fall for it. 

More fake Searles here and here

Sold!

 I missed this one! An auction at Sotheby's in December 2020 of 81 books by Searle many inscribed by him. I guess they were bought by a dealer who'll sell them on separately. 

See more auction items here and more dedicaces here 

Men Only

Men Only was another early men's magazine like London Opinion or Lilliput where Searle found employment immediately after the war. And, as I've mentioned in posts on those publications, we see Searle developing his style; sometimes appropriating the style of other successful cartoonists and illustrators of the time like Anton and James Fitton. Even his signature is evolving. 

July 1946

October 1946

Thanks to contributors for the scans/pics. See the section on London Opinion for more

Taste

 

'Tea-sipping Ceremony '

 'Sommelier'

Abbott

Brain Cocktails

 

for Forbes Magazine. See more Magazine Illustration here

Who Killed Hollywood Society?

 For TV Guide. More here

TV Guide, New York, 11 November 1967, Page 27, 

'Who Killed Hollywood Society? The Golden Years' by Cleveland Amory

Glyndebourne

 

'Glyndebourne Reopens' Telegraph Magazine 7 May, 1994.