Edward Gorey on eBay

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Looking for Edward Gorey? Find Q.R.V. miniature hand painted edition, The Wuggly Ump Willie Whale book and Hilaire Belloc Cautionary Tales for Children limited edition on my eBay listings page: longbarrow.

More Edward Gorey eBay listings, August-September 2014

Here are some additional listings I have created on eBay (longbarrow):

Cautionary Tales for Children (First Limited Edition with extra story — number 66 of 100 - See Hilaire Belloc page...) - auction listing, starts evening of August 31st

Illustration page cutting from vintage US TV Guide, 1980 (video wills — measures 3 inches x 4 and a half inches approximately) - auction listing, starts 7pm UK time, Monday August 25th

Edward Gorey eBay auctions September 1st

Upcoming auctions and fixed price sales on eBay

The following is a list of Gorey items I am listing on eBay (longbarrow):

The Wuggly Ump (First Printing 1966, Young Readers Press) - auction listing, August 31st

Deluxe hand painted Q.R.V. miniature - Fixed price with best offers invited, August 31st

The Jumblies and The Dong with a Luminous Nose (First UK Edition, 1982 - written by Edward Lear, illustrated by Edward Gorey) - auction listing, September 1st

Nursery Frieze (signed) - Fixed price with best offers invited, September 1st

Edward Gorey's hand-coloured Q.R.V.

Miniature book with Gold, Silver and Bronze casein ink

Q.R.V. is one of two miniature Edward Gorey books published by Bromer Booksellers of Boston, USA. The first was Eclectic Abecedarium in 1984, while Q.R.V. was published in 1989.

The first edition in miniature had a limited print run of 400 copies, with 110 of these being hand painted, making up the 'Deluxe' edition. They are all signed and numbered by Edward Gorey. In 1990 a larger format trade edition was published, with the extended title of Q.R.V. The Universal Solvent.

This miniature is an extraordinary little masterpiece, lifted further by the metallic painted illustrations - it truly shines! The book, in its printed boards with leather title strip on the spine, is housed in a black cloth slipcase with an applied title label, which is also hand coloured in gold.

These very seldom come up for sale. I will be listing my copy on eBay from 31st August, 2014, with offers invited.

Nursery Frieze - signed by Edward Gorey

Fantod Press - 15 Two - 1964

This is a much sought after Gorey book, in part because of its unusually small size and proportions, partly because it's full of wonderfully enigmatic illustrations and words, but also because it's just so delicate and rare, having been printed in a run of only 500 copies.

The copy I'm showing here has been signed by Edward Gorey - very uncommon.

As the title says, the illustrations in this little book were designed as a frieze to wrap around the walls of a child's bedroom. Did anyone ever enlarge these drawings and actually bring a baby up in its nursery with this strange creature and all these outlandish words? Obloquy - Badigeon - Catafalque - Samisen - etc.

The book has a second title - 15 Two. This is an allusion to the fact that it was Gorey's fifteenth published book, but the second under his own imprint, The Fantod Press. Published in 1964.

This book is in great condition with no stains or creases.

I will be listing this for auction on eBay from around August 31st, though I welcome any interest before then. Expect a low starting price of about £275 or $450.

Edward Gorey illustrates for children

The Wuggly Ump to Lear's nonsense and Ciardi's King

People are often confused by Edward Gorey in thinking of him as a children's author and then coming upon a brilliantly dark book like The Loathsome Couple.

But Gorey did indeed illustrate many children's books, though mostly those written by others. A couple of superb examples shown here are John Ciardi's The King Who Saved Himself From Being Saved and Edward Lear's The Jumblies and The Dong with a Luminous Nose.

Although Gorey has been recorded as expressing dismay at having to 'churn out' countless tedious illustrations for books to make a living, I often see in his children's illustrations a great sense of fun and imagination. There's clear evidence of his love of Japanese art in the waves for this page of The Dong.

The Wuggly Ump is that rare thing, a children's book both written and illustrated by Edward Gorey. It's very simple but inevitably fiendish! The first edition is in three spot colours on top of the black and white drawings - yellow, blue and taupe - while this slightly later edition has only blue as an additional colour.

I will be selling these and other books written and/or illustrated by Edward Gorey, as well as items of ephemera and more on eBay over the next few months, starting around August 31st, 2014. See my longbarrow eBay page.

Edward Gorey illustrates TV Guide

Vintage 1981

This is an illustration cut out of a 1981 issue of the US TV Guide. Edward Gorey's illustrations appeared in a number of issues of TV Guide. He was an insatiable consumer of television programmes. The nicely coloured illustration is classic Gorey.

The magazine is small format so this full page image measures just 5 by 7 and a quarter inches. There is a rather amusing advertisement on the reverse for a Sears Christmas menswear sale!

I have listed this for auction on eBay as of tonight, August 15th, 2014 - starting price just £1.50. These look great framed.

Several pieces of ephemera

For the love of Gorey...

Theatre, postcard collectors and the Metropolitan Opera

It's astonishing how many pieces of Edward Gorey ephemera of such variety can be found. Even pillow cases, shower curtains, cigarette lighters and who knows what! Gorey was happy for some of his images to be used by organisations he approved of and provided much artwork for memorabilia to be sold to benefit such loves of his as the opera and ballet.

Then since his death there has been a plethora more items bearing his distinctive imagery.

I'm featuring three pieces of ephemera here. The most recent, appearing some years after his death, is the programme for a theatrical production of The Doubtful Guest by the Hoipolloi company in 2008. I saw the show at Southampton University - it incorporated some great ideas but overall I found it unsatisfactory, though it left us with a pleasing double sided fold-out programme.

The postcard is one of a series designed by Gorey for the annual postcard event, the international post card bourse. This was in association with The Gotham Book Mart, a great supporter of Edward Gorey. The store, like Edward, is alas no longer with us.

The note cube is a typical example of Gorey's illustrations being used wherever there was a suitable surface. Here Gorey has provided a delightful scene of members of the audience in their boxes at a Metropolitan Opera production in New York. This particular note cube remains unused in its original shrinkwrap, with details of its charitable function on a label at the base.

I will be selling these and more ephemera in the coming months, starting around August 31st, 2014.

Signed Amphigorey poster - 1994

Edward Gorey theatrical production poster

Amphigorey A Musicale at Perry Street Theatre, New York

This production started life as Tinned Lettuce in 1985 and made its first public appearance in Philadelphia in 1992. It then progressed to Broadway where it was presented by the Q.R.V. Company (followers of Gorey will know QRV as his wonder cure-all that regularly features in his work).

This scarce poster I am selling, designed by Edward Gorey for his theatrical production, is printed on heavy board and is signed in ink by Gorey in the lower right corner.

The poster has a little damage and some foxing spots but the design is very striking and the poster displays beautifully. As it's on board, it will of course be shipped flat, in a rather large package. The poster measures 21 inches (53cm) x 14 inches (35cm) approximately.

I will be listing this poster on eBay around August 31st, 2014. Expect a modest starting price of about £50, or $80.

Limited Edition Hilaire Belloc

Cautionary Tales for Children - only 100 copies

Rediscovered and Illustrated by Edward Gorey

Edward Gorey's sense of doom-laden fate when it comes to children shares a lot in common with the cautionary tales as told by Hilaire Belloc. His illustrations are a perfect companion to these Belloc stories.

This beautifully produced slipcased First Limited Edition was published in 2002,  two years after Edward Gorey's untimely demise. This means that although the book and the limitation sheet are numbered, they were of course unable to be signed by Gorey.

This limited edition has an additional bonus story, not included in the generally available trade edition. It is include loose leaf in a four-flap envelope, along with a limitation sheet.

The copy I shall be selling is Number 66 of 100. It is in very near fine condition, the book and its jacket in a protective plastic cover, along with the extra story in its custom four-flap, all housed in a cloth covered slipcase.

Expect a starting price of around £90, or $150. I will be listing this on eBay around August 31st, 2014.

Rare vinyl record - Odd Songs and a Poem

Cyril Ritchard album from 1955

Illustrated by Edward Gorey

This recording occasionally comes up for sale, though the copy I am selling has a little something extra - the press release for a review copy, typed on Doubleday letterhead paper. Doubleday book publishers decided in 1955 to release a series of long-playing records under the Dolphin label. Odd Songs and a Poem, with a marvellous, classic Edward Gorey illustrated cover, was the first. Gorey was producing cover art for Doubleday books at the time and this album cover is reminiscent of that style - unmistakably Gorey.

Rather splendidly, the letter states that "the design and layout of the record jacket were done by the Doubleday Art Department"!

Odd Songs and a Poem is a collection of eight songs and one poem sung and recited by Cyril Ritchard, an Australian born actor and director. He was the voice of Elrond in the 1977 TV musical production of The Hobbit.

The album covers for this production are by now almost invariably in fairly poor condition, with split seams and some wear and tear. The copy I have for sale is no exception, though it does still look great. The vinyl record is in fair condition with scratches and scuffs. The letter from Doubleday, dated August, 1955, is what makes this item particularly rare.

Expect a starting price of around £20, or $35. Listing on eBay UK approximately August 31st, 2014.

Books and Collectibles for sale

Detail from The Black Doll cover

Fabulous Things

I have been reading Edward Gorey for over 30 years and collecting for about 15 years. Once you start looking for things Gorey it's amazing what you find - he was very prolific.

I started selling some of my Edward Gorey collection in 2004 - some items were duplicates I'd acquired, others I have sold due to 'rationalising' my collection and sometimes through necessity.

I have sold on eBay and directly to many other major Gorey collectors as well as enthusiasts, or to one-off buyers looking for a gift for someone special. Edward Gorey enthusiasts do tend to be 'special'!

eBay username: longbarrow

I am using this Blog to let you know what I have coming up for sale and to showcase some of the remarkable output of the late, great Edward Gorey.

Please subscribe to the Blog or bookmark it and be sure to check up on latest developments.

I expect to have some very desirable Gorey collectibles on eBay towards the end of August / beginning of September 2014.