April 2012 Auction Ends Monday, April 30th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2012
Fantastic lot of items by Chuck Jones on illustrating Bugs Bunny, including an original sketch of his famous rabbit. Jones responds to Curtis Katz of Illinois, who had sent fan mail to the famed cartoonist, including a copycat sketch of Bugs done by an amateur illustrator. Jones responds generously to the fan mail, sending a photocopy of the Bugs tribute with an annotated critique, his own sketch of Bugs, and a 2pp. autograph letter signed on his personal stationery. Jones writes the letter in pencil in all capitals and dates it 5 June 1975. In full: ''Dear Curtis: Thank you for the letter and thank you for the 'Thank you' - it is surprising how few of them I get - they are welcome indeed - belated or not. I haven't any idea who the Air Force cartoonist was. But he was not a professional - although he obviously loved that mangy old rabbit - You see, the amateur thinks of an animated character as a drawing while the professional thinks of him as a being. In our drawings, which are part of the flurry of drawings that constitute animation, the character is a three-dimensional entity - for instance the roll of the gloves goes around the wrist and hand - the cheek line is broken to identify a form - the hands grasp a weapon - or a carrot - the chest-line is not a continuation of the neck line - see enclosed break-down - there is absolute evidence that this man is a devotee - and God knows we adore and need devotees - but I cannot identify him, which I probably could if he had been a professional - at least the studio - Terrytoon, Warner Bros, MGM, Disney, Fleischer, they all had identifiable styles, unmistakably identifiable even after years. Thank you for writing. Best always, Chuck Jones / This is not a criticism but I thought you might enjoy how the detective work is done.'' A third sheet of his personal stationery contains a full-page pencil drawing by Jones of the sassy rabbit wielding a carrot. He writes beneath the sketch: ''General proportions are off too but I have kept them the same for comparisons sake.'' Finally, Jones provides a detailed handwritten critique of the photocopied sketch of Bugs by the amateur artist. He writes in part, ''Front foot smaller than back foot - no perspective...whiskers never drawn this short...no chest''. A total of four pages, with original envelope postmarked 6 June 1975 from Los Angeles. Sheets measure 8.5'' x 11''. Paperclip mark to top, else fine condition.
Chuck Jones ''Bugs Bunny'' Sketch & Autograph Letter Signed -- ''...The Amateur Thinks of an Animated Character as a Drawing While The Professional Thinks of Him as a Being...''
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