RUBE GOLDBERG 1933 DAILY STRIP ORIGINAL ART FEATURING RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE.
Item Description
While many are familiar w/Rube Goldberg Machines, many are unaware of the man who created them and were in fact, named after - cartoonist Rube Goldberg (1883-1970). Goldberg's complicated gadgets performing simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways have immortalized the artist. The character most closely associated w/Rube Goldberg Machines is Goldberg's Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts, A.K., who was credited as the inventor of these outlandish devices. Professor Butts first appeared in a prose piece published Nov. 3, 1928 in Collier's story It's The Little Things That Matter. After that, the character and his amazing inventions appeared exclusively in the pages of the nationally distributed weekly Collier's magazine. The Inventions of Professor Lucifer G. Butts, A.K. ran roughly every other week from Jan. 26, 1929 to Dec. 26, 1931, creating about 60 cartoons featuring Professor Butts and the character appeared sporadically in other publications after 1931. Offered here is approx. 6-1/8x20.5" art for April 27, 1933 "That's Life" daily strip, w/three panels; last two featuring pen and ink original art, first featuring text explaining the 14 step Rube Goldberg Machine, a device to simplify tying a bow tie, mentioning it is an invention of Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts, A.K. Steps involve "Dwarf Maid" mistaking alarm clock bell for doorbell, walking off platform and allowing weight to lower platform, pulling chain to turn on sunlight. Heat produced by the light causes man to move away from lamp, bumping handle that winds rope, lifting weights that release two Mexican Jumping Beans that are attached to ends of bow tie. The beans eventually end up tying bow tie (though Goldberg notes :Have Ready-Made Bow Tie Handy In Case Beans Disappoint You." Third panel features companion gag panel, showing woman saying she can talk before children as they don't repeat anything, causing jack-in-the-box to say "She Don't Know From Nothin'." Bottom margin has "That's Life - By Rube Goldberg" in Goldberg's handwritten script. Goldberg has signed and dated at bottom right corner of second panel. McNaught Syndicate copyright strip in second panel. Artboard has faint inked dated at bottom right. Staple holes at center left/right margins. Artboard shows obvious wear, w/right side having large area of moisture staining, affecting all of last panel and top/bottom right of main panel. VG/Fine.
