Animaldom: The Absent-Minded Gazelle
St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Dispatch, [April 7],1907. First Edition. Single page color cartoon from the St. Paul Dispatch newspaper. Image size 21 1/2 x 15 1/2". Matted and framed size 24 x 18". A fine copy of this scarce Jo Mora cartoon. Item #14196
Joseph Jacinto Mora (1876-1947), who worked as Jo Mora and J.J. Mora, was an accomplished artist, sculptor and illustrator. At the turn of the century, Mora joined the staff of the Boston Herald to cover both general assignments and sports events. During this period, he created topical political cartoons and made comic animals a specialty with his comic strip called "Animaldom" (one of the country's earliest "funnies") which ran from January 13, 1907 to January 19, 1908. The series included 54 Sunday issues for The Boston Herald and its syndicated associates. In the comic series, Jo featured his anthropomorphic characters along with his charming verse. Winsor Josselyn in California Arts and Architecture of February 1931, said of this comic strip: "...a broad whimsicality appealing to all ranges of readers. You couldn't look at a page of masked raccoons holding up a stagecoach full of frightened rabbits and moles, while the arch crook fox leered on from the background, without wanting to see more."
Price: $800.00