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28 September 2022

DC Thomson signatures & sketches

This is up for auction today - don't forget! And good luck if you bid...

An intriguing item is up for sale at the end of the month in Edinburgh...

The link to the auction can be found here

The items description is as follows...
Watkins, Dudley D. (1907-1969) Oor Wullie, original pen and ink sketch, 1940 showing Wullie on his bucket, saying 'I'm fed up again!', signed and dated lower right, on leaf of light blue paper (9.8 x 11.8cm), in an autograph album containing 12 additional sketches in various media (watercolour, pen and ink, or pencil), including: James Leuchars 'Jimmy' Crighton (1892-1962), 'Korky the Cat', signed 'J L Crighton', dated 1940, (pen and ink with bodycolour); three sketches possibly by George Ramsbottom (1903-1989), comprising a cowboy on a horse, a man on an elephant, and a vicar in a bowler hat with caption 'Seeing what an awful time I took to put something in your little book I feel that I really should draw something that is very, very good!', all signed 'G. R.' and dated 1940; David M. Ogilvie (?-?), Young boy with a shovel and fire bucket, dated 1940; and others including an anthropomorphic rabbit with caption 'Gee Norma, we've been trying for hours, but we just can't think of anything to draw in your book', signed Balch, 1951; and similar; many leaves loose (including 6 with sketches, but not the Oor Wullie) 

Note: An early original sketch of Oor Wullie dating from four years after the appearance of the first Oor Wullie comic strip in 1936, and the year before the first Oor Wullie annual in 1941. The album may have belonged to a young girl with a relative who worked at D. C. Thomson, as Jimmy Crighton, George Ramsbottom and David M. Ogilvie were also D. C. Thomson artists. Dudley Watkins only began signing his published work in 1946, 'a privilege afforded to only a few comic strip artists in those days (it also ensured his loyalty to Thomson following attempts by a rival publisher to lure him away from Dundeed)' (David Anderson, 'How Beano and Dandy Artist Dudley D. Watkins made Generations of Comic Fans Roar with Laughter', 25th June 2021, online). His other creations including Desperate Dan for the Dandy and Lord Snooty for the Beano.

As I type this 2 bids have been received and the price is currently at £190. A lovely item - good luck if you bid!


Boom! Hammer price is £500


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