Heading:
Author: [Crumb, Robert]
Title: Lot of Three Letters Written by R. Crumb to Stevanne Auerbach, with Related Material
Place Published:
Publisher:
Date Published: 1986-1993
Description:

• 
  Two-page letter handwritten in ink by R. Crumb, dated Halloween, 1986, measuring 6x8", with two folds, in the original mailing envelope hand-addressed by Crumb: "Dr. Stevanne Auerback / 1169 Howard Street / San Francisco, Calif.," with printed return address: "A. & R. Crumb / P.O. Box 533 / Winters, California / 95694." The letter is signed "Robert Crumb."


• 
  Single-page letter handwritten in ink by Crumb on verso of printed illustration titled "Rue Lorette," dated Jan. 20, 1993, measuring 8.5x11.5", with two folds. The letter is signed "Fondly, Robert Crumb."


• 
  Index card written in ink by Crumb, dated Sept. 22, 1989, measuring 3x5", signed "Robert Crumb."


• 
  Lot includes several photocopies, a reprint of Artistic Comics, and a copy of Crumb's book My Troubles With Women, with several pages flagged with Post-It notes indicating Ms. Auerbach's appearances.

Stevanne Auerbach (Sept. 22, 1938-Oct. 19, 2022) was a preeminent toy collector and author. She was known as "The Butterfly Lady" due to her extensive collection of butterfly-related material, which earned her an acknowledgement in the 2017 Guinness Book of World Records. Among comix cognoscenti, she is best remembered as the "Jewish girl with red hair and freckles" whose image appeared in several of R. Crumb's drawings and stories (she's the bean-shaped gal on the front cover of Crumb's book My Troubles with Women). Ms. Auerback also appeared in Terry Zwigoff's 1994 documentary Crumb, in which she gives the artist a piggyback ride on her sturdy backside.

Crumb's letters to Ms. Auerbach reveal his fondness for her ("I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and even drew a female character in a comic story that ended up sort of looking like you"); his determination not to complicate their friendship with sex ("The big problem for me is that I'm so attracted to you physically and I don't know if that's workable between us... I think if we see each other we should just forget about 'doing it'.... I can live without 'going all the way' with you"); and touch upon various interesting topics such as his thorny relationship to the media ("Fuck the media with its ever-hungry mouth... I gotta stay away from it... can't handle it... I'm too delicate... a regular shrinking violet, that's me").

A limited edition of ten hardcover catalogues is available, in addition to a few dozen softcovers. Fun reference, great keepsake, fully illustrated, chockablock with obscure facts, gags, bon mots. Softcovers are $40, deluxe hardcovers with dust jackets and limitation plates are $200. These books always go fast so don't delay. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com.

Consignments welcome for PBA's Fall 2023 Comic Book sale. Top prices for Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age, original art and ephemera. Find out why PBA is the new fan-fave of funnybook fiends. "This is some of the best commentary I've yet seen on the quality of the content of comic books... Priceless." – R. Crumb. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.

Coming soon: The DC Universe Collection, featuring over 40,000 comics, comprising every comic book published by DC for retail sale between 1934 and 2014. Contact ivan@pbagalleries.com to get on the notifications list.