Beschreibung:

R. Crumb Handwritten Letter to Marty Pahls, February 14, 1974, Two Sheets Author: Place: Publisher: Date: Description: Two-sheet letter measuring 5½x8½", hand-written by Robert Crumb in blue ink in a neat and tiny script on "Handmaker Jewish Nursing Home" stationery, text on rectos and versos, dated "Valentine's Day, 1975," with a dateline of "Route 2 / Box 478 / Dixon / California." Unsigned due to lack of space—the letter ends, "OOPS, no more room." The stationery features an emblem of two tablets bearing the Ten Commandments surmounting the legend "Honor Thy Mother And Thy Father." Crumb has drawn an arrow pointing to this and written, "Cute motif, huh?" Excellent condition, original folds. Provenance: From the Collection of R. Crumb, who explains: "I got these letters back after [Pahls] died in 1989, found among his possessions." Note: This letter is not collected in Fantagraphics' "Your Vigor For Life Appalls Me: Robert Crumb Letters, 1958-1977." "I left feeling that I'd closed a great gap between my father and me, something I'd been hoping I could do for a long time." Crumb breaks the ice by telling Marty Pahls about his latest art gig ("I had to crank out a center spread and cover with separations for Arcade, a cover for the Bijou anthology with separations... I never was able to escape from color separations"), then pivots to news of his big record spree ("I spent a grand on 78s in New York... sick, huh?"). He explains that he won't be attending the San Diego Comic Con despite the pleas of fans, as he "can't take comic conventions... they'll have to do without my radiant presence." Then comes news of Harvey Kurtzman who seems back in fine fettle after the previous year's sex snafu with Kathy Goodell Harvey meets Aline for the first time and digs her moxie, but physically she's not his cup of tea: "Aline and I had Thanksgiving with the Kurtzman's... It wuz nice hanging out with ol' Harvey again... he's teachin' once a week at the School of Visual Arts... he invited me to make a guest appearance at his class... I made a big splash, of course... The kids still remember me, God love 'em... I asked Kurtzman what he thought of Aline (she'd left with some friends)... he thought she was a 'sharp' girl... a lot on the ball, but I got the impression he didn't think much of her in the looks department... too Jewish, I guess...." Next comes a brief tribute to Aline ("The first female I've been able to live with peacefully, I'll tell ya that much... fucks like a... like a... wild animal, too"). The freewheelin' Crumb then rolls into Philly to see his mom and pop. Students of Crumb know that his father was capable of violent rage (once he broke five-year-old Robert's collarbone), but age and changing times seem to have mellowed the senior Crumb: "My father's gone soft and even admitted that maybe all this protest & stuff that's been going on has done the country some good... we got along real well for the first time in years... he didn't get on my case at all, either about my work or about my life.... I left feeling that I'd closed a great gap between my father and me, something I'd been hoping I could do for a long time." A limited edition of 100 softcover and 15 hardcover catalogues are available. Over 200 pages, fully illustrated. Fun reference, great keepsake. Softcovers $40, dust-jacketed hardcover with limitation plate $200. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com or visit: https://www.pbagalleries.com/content/comics/. R. Crumb says, "I found [PBA's catalogue] so interesting that I am saving it for the texts that accompany the comics which were put up for auction. This is some of the best commentary I’ve yet seen on the quality of the content of comic books. I especially enjoyed the reviews of the post-war horror comics. Great. Priceless." Consignments welcome for PBA's Spring 2021 Comic Book sale. Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age and Silver Age comics, original art and ephemera sought. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com. L