Ernie Bushmiller (1905-1982)

Ernie Bushmiller Nancy Sunday Comic Strip Original Art dated 3-12-61 (United Feature Syndicate, 1961). No volume of staining or discoloration can diminish the appeal of this near-wordless Nancy vignette, which crystallizes the strip's rank as the consummate American comic strip. Bushmiller was a jazz buff as well as a masterful cartoonist, and so it is hardly a stretch to imagine him listening to pianist Fats Waller's 1934 recording of "Clothesline Ballet" while composing the spectacle of a dancing suit of long-johns underwear. (Waller's early recordings remained in print into the midcentury.) Nancy Ritz breaks the windswept silence at last -- with a zinger of a punchline. The 1950s-1960s found Bushmiller at a peak of diagrammatic artistry, with perfectly proportioned figures and a forward momentum that keeps the viewer's eye moving while fighting the temptation to pause over each fascinating panel. Bushmiller's landscaping trademark of three rocks (with incidental one-rock/two-rock elements) is fully evident in Panel 1. The frankly damaged state of the page is caused by extensive moisture-staining and oxidization -- unprotected long-term storage, no doubt. Ink over graphite on Bristol board, with an image area of 22.5" x 15". Attached to a dense backing-sheet. In addition to the prevalent staining, the piece shows edge wear and an extremely tight border-cropping. Fair condition, nonetheless intact and brilliant. HID09710052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved