Beschreibung:

R. Crumb Handwritten Letter to Marty Pahls, c.1971 Author: Crumb, Robert Place: Publisher: Date: Description: Single-sheet letter measuring 7x8½", hand-written by Robert Crumb in pencil in black ink (using a rapidograph pen?), text on recto and verso, undated but with a parenthetical "(1971? '72?)" recently added by R. Crumb, with a dateline of "290 Eel River Road / Potter Valley / California / 95469." Signed "R. Crumb." Very fine condition, a few finger marks and creases. 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." "You get into a type of music, you get oriented to it gradually and start appreciating the subtleties of it, the differences of style..." Old-tyme music fiend R. Crumb describes a recent haul of primo 78s to his equally record-obsessed friend-cum-brother-in-law Marty Pahls: "I recently purchased a stack of old Mexican records from an eccentric character in Rio Nido [identified in a footnote as Dick Hetchell]. I got about 150 records for a quarter apiece, mostly in excellent shape." Crumb's connoisseurship is on full display here as he parses obscure phonophiliac distinctions: "They were mostly on th' old green Columbia label, a couple of those yellow and green Bluebird labels, a couple of black Odeon and Okeh Electrics, some Vacalion 8,000 Series, a couple of Brunswick 40,000 Series, and one Victor Scroll label, which is a comedy dialogue until the last fifth of the record, wherein a guitar and harmonica play a beautiful duet (on both sides)... Weird, huh?" On the letter's B-side, Crumb mentions his current works-in-progress ("Workin' on two comics at the same time—'Black and White Comics' and 'The People's Comics'... Keep 'em laughin'"). He states his election year preferences ("Hope McGovern gets elected"). To illustrate a point about racism, he rattles off a couple of "N-words," heedless of the risk that his words might someday come back to bedevil him, the epistolary equivalent of unexploded landmines. He declines to get involved in Marty's problems with Crumb's sister Sandra ("I heard about Sandra's plans to go to Chicago... Well, good luck, buddy... I remain neutral in that conflict"). The letter ends with Crumb rhapsodizing about Little Lulu ("Also recently bought a complete collection of Little Lulu comics from the first issue up to Dec. 1954, cost me 200 dollars... God, they're beautiful... Wot o' great comic!"). 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. Lot Amendments Condition: Item number: 324079