Book of the Gumps Cartoons by Sidney Smith

Chicago: Landfield-Kupfer Printing Co.. Good+. 1918. First Edition; First Printing. flexible boards. Flexible boards printed in black and red, Andy Gump depicted shaving with a straight razor; black cloth spine. No repairs or restorations. Minor wear and soiling to the covers, some wear to the edges of the first several leaves, a few fainly pencilled numerals on the blank inner paste-downs. Extreme oblong format: 14 cm. x 38 cm. [5.25" x 13.33"]. This is the first publication in book form of the remarkably popular newspaper cartoon strip -- "The Gumps." The cover states: "as appearing in the Chicago Tribune." The Gumps had beencreated by Sidney Smith in 1917, and eventually enjoyed a 42-year run in newspapers from February 12, 1917, until October 17, 1959. One element in the extraordinary success was that Smith's cartoon strip was the first to feature continuing story-lines, day after day. The pater familias of the Gump family was Andy Gump -- depicted as a tall, slender man whose facial distinction was that he appeared to lack a lower jaw. The strip's nearly immediate success led to further books, movie shorts -- both animated and "live action" two-reelers. There were also toys, banks, cards, games, food and candy, etc. By 1920, when his Syndicate announced that Sidney Smith had been signed to a "million dollar" contract. They also presented him with a Rolls, Royce automobile. Sadly, Mr. Smith died as the result of an accident in his latest Rolls, Royce in 1935. The cartoonist was reportedly celebrating his latest and even more lucrative contract. This very first publication of the "Gumps" in book form is of considerable important in cartoon and graphic art history. It is now quite scarce. See OCLC Number 36325160 -- [three locations only: Ohio State; Mclean County Historical Society Library; and San Diego State]. An issue of Life magazine published in 1937 after the cartoonists' death reported that Smith based the unusual physical features of his creation on an unfortunate man named Andy Wheat. An infection following a tooth extraction led to the necessary removal of Mr. Wheat's lower jaw. In contrast to modern conditions, which would probably make this whole "origin" story impossible, Andy Wheat is reported to have legally changed his surname to "Gump" -- Futhermore, he had a wife named "Min," two children, Chester and Goliath, and an Uncle Bim. "Life" did not record existence or names of a cat and dog. Mr. Wheat was brought to Sidney Smith's attention by the cartoonist's brother, a dentist practicing in Bloomington, Indiana. As stated on the running title following the title page, which itself is on the verso of the first leaf: "How to be happy though married? That is the question. Can it be done? Travel the rough and rocky road of matrimony with Andy and Min, to say nothing of Chester, for a few pages, and you'll find that after all, 'it is to laugh'. In other words, it's a great life if you don't weaken. Oh, Min!" .