JOHN HELD JR 1920s Original Pen & Ink Drawing RARE! NR! SIGNED Cavemen & Sax Player - DARWIN / SCOPES Reference Start Price USD 499.00 Current Price USD 660.00 Time Left - Bid Count 3 Buy It Now Price USD 750.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, July 04, 2008 End Time Monday, July 14, 2008 Location Studio City, CA See more about 'JOHN HELD JR 1920s Original Pen & Ink Drawing RARE! NR!' Description Here is an absolutely FABULOUS piece of artwork for fans of THE ROARING TWENTIES, EARLY COMIC ART, and GREAT ILLUSTRATORS - specifically, that immortal chronicler of flappers, jalopies, bootleg booze, and collegiate life, JOHN HELD, JR. (1889-1958). It's a SIGNED ORIGINAL one-panel pen-and-ink drawing on artist's board, measuring  5" x 14", entitled  THE ASCENT/DESCENT OF MAN, and it pokes fun at the then-current madness over the John Scopes "Monkey Trial" of 1925, at which the hapless teacher was tried for having dared discuss with his class the controversial subject of Darwin and evolution, specifically Darwin's landmark 1871 work on how Man descended from apes, "The Descent Of Man." The trial pitted defense attorney Clarence Darrow against prosecutor William Jennings Bryan, and was the basis for the classic play and film Inherit The Wind. (And how far have we come since 1925, when the Creationism vs. Evolution debate still rages on?)The trial led to a great many satirical cartoons, some lampooning the idea that modern man could possibly have evolved from apes, and some lampooning the closed-minded conservatives who rejected the idea as an affront to God and the Bible.In this case, the controversy is filtered thru the prism of John Held, Jr.'s mind. On the left-hand side of the drawing, there is a frowning caveman with hairy arms, wearing a one-piece outfit, who is looking over at a smiling caveman who has added a snazzy belt to his one-piece outfit, has no hairs on his arms, and - more importantly - holds up a club-like weapon in his left hand. Clearly the second caveman is the more "evolved" of the two. And then, further to the right, a young tuxedo-clad fellow with slicked-down hair and black tie (sometimes referred to in Held's oeuvre as "Joe College"), is emulating the stance of the more "evolved" caveman, and is now holding a saxophone in his left hand, instead of a club!The fact that the drawing is entitled THE ASCENT/DESCENT OF MAN implies that Man probably peaked in paleolithic times, and that Joe College, who plays jazz on the saxophone and runs around with the "wrong" type of girl, represents mankind on the decline!I purchased this piece at a 1987 Guernsey's auction of Film Posters, Animation Art, Comic Art, and Illustration Art (see photos of catalogue title page and entry for this exact piece, which was Lot D-42). The catalogue boasted: "This collection of illustrations by Held represents the largest grouping of works by the noted artist ever offered at auction."I don't know where the drawing was published (or if, for that matter). It could have been the old humor Life magazine, Punch, Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, College Humor, Judge, or another publication entirely.The board itself measures 5" x 14" and is affixed to an acid-free matte which measures 7-1/2" x 16". Unlike many original drawings by Held and other illustrious illustrators (sorry), the board is in splendid condition, with no water damage, chipping, trimming, or stains. The front of the board is still quite white and bright while the back, which contains various notations, the "D-42" lot number, and the title in pencil, is its original tan in color.Held's distinctive signature - between the two cavemen - is sharp, bold, and unfaded - just like the rest of the drawing.In short: This is a truly fine example of Held's work, in terrific condition after more than 80 years!Please note: THIS IS NOT A PRINT OR LITHOGRAPH OR COPY. IT'S THE ACTUAL PIECE OF ARTIST'S BOARD TO WHICH JOHN HELD, JR. APPLIED INDIA INK IN THE MID-1920s!A Word About Pricing: I'm not a big fan of putting reserves on items, because I know it's terribly frustrating (and a little sadistic) for the bidder to see that it's "only" $0.99 to start the bidding on an item, only to find out that the reserve is $750 and their bid is essentially worthless. So while it may appear as though my starting bid is a substantial one, the trade-off is: there's no reserve, so your bid will count.I accept PayPal, Money Orders, Cashier's Checks, and Personal Checks (which need to clear before I ship).I ship USPS worldwide and delivery confirmation is included in U.S. Priority Mail shipping.Please email me before the auction closes (for obvious reasons) if you have any questions.Winning bidder - please arrange for payment within seven days of the auction's close.Feel free to check out my other offerings!Happy bidding to all you John Held, Jr. fans! Place a Bid!