Charles Addams Original Jacket Art Headed to Auction

There seems no better time than the eve of Halloween to feature the artwork of Charles Addams, the American illustrator whose penchant for the macabre gave us The Addams Family, as well as many wonderfully dark New Yorker cartoons. Besides, one of his most interesting pieces is headed to auction in two weeks. 

On November 13, Doyle will offer the original drawing for the dust jacket of Addams' Dear Dead Days: A Family Album, published in 1959, that indeed features the famous family, each of whom appears to be contemplating their demise. The ink and gouache on board is signed and further inscribed "For Margie & Alex with affection - Chas Addams, New York 1959"--"Alex" being Alexander King, author and mid-century media personality, from whose estate this drawing derives. 

The estimate is $20,000-30,000.