Connecticut River Book Auction
Live And In-Person Book Auction
October 7th, 2022 at 6 pm
South Congregational Church
949 Main St, South Glastonbury, CT
www.ctriverbookauction.com

SOUTH GLASTONBURY, CONN. — The Connecticut River Book Auction on Friday, October 7, welcomes the autumn season with several items of ephemera that rarely appear on the market. Now, do those last remarks sound like an oxymoron as ephemera by definition are items expected to last only momentarily and yet here they are ready to cross the auction block? But what could these “they” be? The “they” are seven World War II propaganda posters issued by the United States and Britain to discourage the unintentional sharing of information as in the genre of “loose lips sink ships.”
When America entered World War II, every sector of the economy and all its employees were called upon to contribute to the war effort. Depending on one’s talent, individuals might be assigned duties other than direct combat. Artists and illustrators, for example, often found that their talents were used to create positive messages for the public and military.

While most World War II posters cannot be attributed to a particular artist, two of these seven are credited. The first, Watch Your Waste Paper Someone May Have A Use For It, was drawn by Ted Bonnicksen whose career included work at the Disney Studios on the cantankerous Donald Duck and later at Warner Brothers. At Warner Brothers Bonnicksen animated Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies; however, in the sense of “no kidding I can’t believe that,” he also was involved with the X-rated 1972 cartoon “Fritz the Cat.”

The second credited poster, Postmark Betrayed Tanbridge, was drawn by Abram Games. In a career that lasted more than six decades, Games’ reputation as a graphic designer is unparalleled for his use of color and imagery.
Interestingly, his work during World War II for the British, while stunning, often provoked consternation on the part of his superiors. For example, one poster known as the Blonde Bombshell was withdrawn for fear of encouraging women to enlist for the wrong reasons. On more than one other occasion, none other than Winston Churchill ordered that Games’ posters be removed for failing to create that positive message mentioned earlier. Or, as we might observe today, there was too much harsh reality and not enough propaganda in Games’ work to display it to a population in the midst of war.

The five other posters issued by the 1952 Engineering Topographical Company continue the theme of silence is golden. Joining these items is an account of World War I as seen by General “Black Jack” Pershing in a signed limited edition two-volume copy of My Experiences in the World War. And by chance you should be behind your time in staying current with English events, the auction house can help with issues one through 34 constituting Volume I of the London Illustrated News for 1842, and, not to worry, the red tax stamp is there as well as the folded print “London in 1842.”

This auction will be conducted at 6 pm at the South Congregational Church, 949 Main Street. For more information, www.ctriverbookauction.com or 860-908-8067.

860-908-8067
Inspection begins at noon with the auction starting at 6 pm. NO MASKS REQUIRED BUT ARE ENCOURAGED
October brings with it a chill in the air, the sweet taste of cider and serious book hunting as the days before afternoon darkness and that white stuff are soon to arrive. At Connecticut River Book Auction we’ve assembled over 200 lots to please the interests of book and ephemera collectors alike.
For those with an interest in history there is a 5-volume set filled with maps and plates by Wilkes (1849) entitled “Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition during the Years 1838-1842.” Or consider the war to end all wars through the eyes of Black Jack Pershing (1931) in a signed limited two volume edition of “My Experiences in the World War.” Then again If catching up on the news is important to you, we have a bound 1st volume of the “London Illustrated News “ for 1842 with the large, folded print “London in 1843” present.
Not interested in history, well then how about photography? There are signed limited editions of Siibata’s (2015) “Concrete Abstraction,” and Goodwin’s (1985) “Fat Goodwin Land.” Is architecture your passion then “Palladio,” by Belyramini and Burns (2008) or numerous volumes on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright like the 5-volume set of “Frank Lloyd Wright Collected Writings,” by Pfeiffer (1992-95) may be pleasing to your soul?
If small press and fine printing are your interests, then we continue to offer several opportunities for you to add to your collection. For example, limited editions of Wilde’s “After Berneval Letters of Oscar Wilde to Robert Ross,” a 1980 “Saul Marks and the Plantin Press,” a 1985 “Remembering Carl Hertzog a Texas Printer and His Books,” and a 1980 copy of Burke’s “Printing Poetry,” will be available.
Most Connecticut River Book Auctions have at least one unique item for sale and this auction is no different. Under the heading of ephemera we have seven WWII posters in very good to fine condition for your consideration. As best as we can determine, four were produced in 1943 by the 952 Engineering Topographers. The 1942 poster “Postmark Betrayed Tanbridge” was drawn by noted illustrator Abram Games and “Watch Your Waste Paper Someone May Have A Use For It,” was done by Disney and WB cartoonist Ted Bonnicksen.
Add to this a nice selection of children’s books and numerous signed volumes by politicians, actors and authors and you have the makings of an enjoyable evening. Oh, did we mention that we have an ex-library 7th edition copy of Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” from the Sudbury, Massachusetts library that like its Boston counterpart never saw circulation for reasons of Whitman’s addition of homosexual poetry?
For more information on this
Friday, October 7th book auction to be held at
the South Congregational Church,
949 Main Street, South Glastonbury, CT 06073
visit ctriverbookauction.com or
call Tom at 1-860-908-8067