Roy T. Vernon, the original owner of many items in this section of politicals, was a Taft campaign manager and later Washington, D.C. based newspaper man for the Chicago Daily News. The Gridiron Club, founded in 1885, is a social club for Washington journalists. This lot consists of a copy of the book inscribed by its author Roy T. Vernon to his aunt reading in part "with the compliments of the author - Roy. December 1911." Included are 20 (of 80 published) original illustrations that appear in the book. These are unsigned but all by Berryman. With each illustration comes an 8.5x11" "Certificate of Origin" prepared by the auction firm that sold the Vernon collection. Each certificate shows the individual piece of art, the book front cover, an illustration (with Teddy Bear) that Berryman prepared featuring the author's name and a hand-written letter from Berryman to Vernon acknowledging a letter Vernon wrote to thank Berryman for his illustrations. Letter text includes the book's title. Each piece of art has single pinhole at each corner plus penciled page number in right corner. All art is clean and Exc. We will list subjects and sizes for each. The actual book is 6.5x8", softcover, 80 pages. The last page with text lists the "Committee On Menu And Souvenir" members with Vernon as Chairman. After the name C.K. Berryman, Vernon inked the word "Cartoonist." Book covers have some dust soil. Front cover has 3 darkened narrow lines of stain. Blank back cover has 3x6" lightly stained area and minor surface paper loss. First page with author autograph has 3 tiny edge tears. Rest of contents are extremely clean with solid binding. Overall VG.
Here are the 20 pieces of art and size of each. In the actual book, printed verses accompany each illustration, often using subject's first or last name if specific person is the subject matter: Taft with Jonathan Bourne (5x6.5"); Joseph Cannon & Champ Clark (5x6.5"); Philander Knox (5x6.5"); Franklin MacVeagh & George von Meyer (5x6.5"); Gifford Pinchot (5x6.5"); Congress Members as Z for Zoo (5.75x7"); Bill Heyburn & Bill Borah (6.5x6.75"); William Lorimer (6.5x6.75"); High Cost of Living (Coffin Trust 5.75x7.5"); High Cost of Living (Beer 5.75x7.5"); High Cost of Living (Shoes 5.75x7.5"); High Cost of Living (Ultimately Consumed 5.75x7.5"); Simon Guggenheim (Alaska 6.5x6.75"); V.P. Sherman & Joseph Bailey (4.5x6.5"); Tariff Board (Taft, Joe Cannon, Consumer, Black Sheep 6.5x6.75"); Henry Cabot Lodge & W. Murray Crane (7x10"); Joseph Cannon (6x8.5"); Bryan as 1912 Hopeful (6x9.5"); Boies Penrose (7x10"); Bob LaFollette & Coe I. Crawford (7x10").
A wonderful collection by the man whose cartoon inspired the Teddy Bear. We regret we could not purchase all 80 illustrations, but some single pages, such as one showing TR (exceeded $1,000), were intensely contested and a copy of the same book inscribed by Berryman to Vernon also sold around $1,000. Still, what is offered here is a remarkable group consisting of limited, privately-printed book plus 20 original Berryman cartoons.