Dull Tool Dim Bulb: April 2021

Homemade Science Fiction Pulp Magazine Cover Drawn by Hand 1938 Collection Jim Linderman

This Science Fiction Pulp Magazine from before World War Two has been saved from destruction with a handmade cover! I am not sure how high the "pass-around" rate was for these rags, but this one has had life extended with the repair. Featuring an Edgar Rice Burroughs story titled "Synthetic Man of Mars" from 1938, it is the artistic vision of the humble home artist which interests me. He created a hand-written spine as well. Hand Drawn Science Fiction pulp magazine cover,created sometime after 1938. Collection Jim Linderman Dull Tool Dim Bulb.

19th Century Child's Handmade Paper Weaving Froebel Kindergarten Work

19th Century Child's Handmade Paper Weaving. Froebel Kindergarten. From a handmade book of similar work. The simple (yet sophisticated!) training techniques of Frederich Froebel continue to set a high bar for children's art education. 19th Century Child's Handmade Paper Weaving. Collection Jim Linderman

Drawing of Haley's Comet 1910 on a piece of Birch Bark circa 1910 Folk Art

A scarce period Drawing of Haley's Comet circa 1910 on a piece of Birch Bark. A drawn by hand postcard. It's a curious one...a boy rushes in riding the comet with a net to collect mosquitos! Of course there was worldwide panic at the time. A good share of the fear came from religious nuts. My favorite factoid is that the impending doom resulted in a run on "anti-comet umbrellas" and protective pills. Collection Jim Linderman BOOKS AND EBOOKS BY JIM LINDERMAN ARE AVAILABLE HERE ON BLURB.COM

Paper Doll Antique American Folk Art Make-Do Newspaper Doll collection Jim Linderman

One of the best "make do" folk art dolls I have seen, this is an original doll made of rolled newspapers. Dated 1947,with Phildelphia, Pennsylvania origin. Collection Jim Linderman

Love During Wartime #12 Pacific Theater Solder's Footlocker with Homemade Pinups Collection Jim Linderman

Antique Sewer Tile Yellow Kid Bank c. 1900 Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Antique Sewer Pipe sculpture (and bank) depicting the Yellow Kid. Fear not, this fella isn't a racist relic from the past! The Yellow Kid was an American Icon and star of the Sunday comics. First appearing in the papers in 1895, the Yellow Kid grew to be a little baby icon. This figure dates to that era. For those of you who might not know, Sewer Pipe or Sewer Tile folk art figures were largely hand-fashioned by clay factory workers from leftover clay at the end of the day. There WERE some racist elements in the Yellow Kid comics, but it appears to have been the way it was back then. It was over 100 years ago. Of course there were. But this figure is benign. Here's what his creator Richard Outcault had to say about him in 1902: “The Yellow Kid was not an individual but a type. When I used to go about the slums on newspaper assignments I would encounter him often, wandering out of doorways or sitting down on dirty doorsteps. I always loved the Kid. He had a sweet character and a sunny disposition, and was generous to a fault. Malice, envy or selfishness were not traits of his, and he never lost his temper” Read more about the kid HERE on the Outcault Wiki page. He also invented Buster Brown! The form is scarce, but several other examples have turned up. Sewer Pipe Folk Art Pottery Bank figure of The Yellow Kid. c. 1900. Hand-signed on the base "P.O." Collection Jim Linderman / Dull Tool Dim Bulb. Posted on The Sewer Pipe Pottery Website HERE also.

SuperBabe The Most Powerful Black Beauty in the World B.E. Riddick c. 1970 Outsider Art Colllection Jim Linderman Dull Tool Dim Bulb

Alas, an African-American Superhero before her time. Not likely ever featured in her own comic book. The artist B.F Riddick is largely unknown, but produced numerous erotic and bizarre drawings in the 1970s. SuperBabe The Most Powerful Black Beauty in the World by B. F. Riddick collection Jim Linderman

Caroline Goe Missing NYC Street Artist and Outsider Art collection Jim Linderman

There are plenty of mysteries and coincidences in the world of Outsider Art. I can add these four pieces to the mystery of lost New York City street artist Carolyn Goe. I've owned the group above TWICE in the last thirty years! I sold them in a batch of things before I moved out of Manhattan in 2008 and hadn't thought of her since. When I saw them turn up recently on an online auction site (without the artist's name) I added them right back into my collection. How they got to Maine I have no idea. I also had absolutely no knowledge of the Caroline Goe at White Columns in 2019 until browsing it up a week ago. I wish I could contribute more to fill in the missing blanks. Cori Hutchinson wrote a lovely, particularly thoughtful review of the White Columns Goe Show HERE in White Hot Magazine. It is a very good read. One thing I do know about Ms. Goe is that somewhere along the line I was told the artist's name was Carolyn GOES. As in "she comes and goes…?" Although I personally knew both Barry Cohen, who collected and promoted her work, and the folks at the Artisans antique shop who had work of for sale at one time, I don't think my set came either sources. Could be wrong, as it's a world away to me now. In the 25 years I lived in Manhattan, I did purchase from (and personally befriend) lots of street artists (including the now better known "outsiders" Bertha Halozan, and Ionel Talapazan. I "discovered" Haitian artist Max Romain's work in a public library show and first tracked him down through his librarian friend. There were many more. More than these three became friends of mine as well, which is why I am sure my Goe pieces didn't originally come directly from her. If they had, I would know plenty more about her than folks seem to know now. I can not remember ever seeing Carolyn Goe. I can't claim these are among her best. Lynne Tillman has the best. The show was drawn from her collection. One indication of her possible disappearance could be that one of my pieces features a nurse, which could now foretell an uncertain future for the artist. Most street artists have a rough life. Even Art Forum got aboard and featured the show HERE illustrating a woman in a kimono from the exhibition. Caroline Goe Four untitled mixed media works on canvas scrap circa 1970 - 1980 Collection Jim Linderman

Folk Art Whirligig Fragments made from Cigar Box Wood (Man with hat, Woman with hair bun) c. 1950 Collection JIm Linderman

Folk Art Whirligig Fragments made from Cigar Box Wood c. 1940. Collection JIm Linderman

Hand Drawn Folk Art Paper Dolls

Hand Drawn Folk Art Paper Dolls, c. 1935 - 1945 Collection Jim Linderman Folk art and Photography books by Dull Tool Dim Bulb and Jim Linderman are available on Blurb.com

Pair of Anonymous 19th Century Drawings collection Jim Linderman

Words, Lines and Pictures: The Multigraph Puppets Theater

The Multigraph corporation spares no expense impressing visitors to their big 1939 World's Fair exhibit! Roly-poly puppets named "Words, Lines and Pictures" perform their spiel with help from a record player hidden in another room. The humanoid figure behind them is the boss who "puts them on the carpet" until they come up with a more affordable means of duplicating forms. "We've got the answer!" they shout. Yet another example of the wonderful future awaiting us all. "Miniature theater is key attraction at exhibit of Addressograph - Multigraph Corporation, 1939 World's Fair Postcard. Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb