Burt Thomas (American, 1881-1964) Shavings from

Burt Thomas (American, 1881-1964) Shavings from the Big Stick and The Soviet Saint, Detroit News newspaper cartoons (two works), 1941; 1951 India ink on heavyweight paper 11-3x4 x 11-1x8 inches (29.8 x 28.3 cm) (Shavings from the Big Stick, image) 11 x 10 inches (27.9 x 25.4 cm) (The Soviet Saint, image) Each signed and dated lower left: Thomas 41; Thomas 51 Detroit News Two original editorial cartoons by Burt Thomas published ten years apart feature America's Uncle Sam. Shavings from the Big Stick was published in February 1941. Uncle Sam takes a wood planer to President Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick" ("Walk softly and carry a big stick.") to craft "Air - Naval - Land Defense" for the USA less than a year before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that brought America into World War II. The Soviet Saint was published in March 1951. Uncle Sam fights alongside the British and French in the "local wars" that broke out around the globe in the years after World War II while Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, prances about garbed as an angel, his foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov carrying his train, declaring "Oh Dear! Everybody is fighting except me." Of course, Stalin financed, supplied and encouraged the fighting in Korea, Southeast Asia, Greece and elsewhere. Burt Thomas' cartoons were published in the Detroit News and syndicated to newspapers across the United States by the North American Newspaper Alliance. After getting his start at the Cleveland Press Thomas joined the staff of the Detroit News in 1912 and remained with that paper to his retirement in 1951. He created and drew the comic strips Our Neighbors and Mister Straphanger, and his work appeared in Judge and Life magazines. Shavings from the Big Stick is inscribed and initialed "To Murray Harris with best wishes BT" at lower right. Quantity: (2) HID03101062020 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.comxTexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

Condition
Extremely light toning. A few light scattered pin points of surface dirt, most visible in areas of negative space. Wear and markings to margins of page in keeping with illustration and publishing process. Each not framed. Each sheet overall: 13 x 12.25 inches and 12.5 x 10.875 inches Heritage Auctions strongly encourages in-person inspection of items by the bidder. Statements by Heritage regarding the condition of objects are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as statements of fact, and do not constitute a representation, warranty, or assumption of liability by Heritage. All lots offered are sold "AS IS"