W.W. Denslow's Original "Low-Comedy Envelope" Illustration

Chicago, August, 1896. Watercolor and ink illustration on envelope, by W.W. Denslow, depicting "The Philistine"--an elderly man surrounded by and reading books; with Denslow's printed customary seahorse device in top right, and signed by him in watercolor at top with his Highwood, Illinois address; addressed by Denslow in watercolor to Elbert Hubbard, and inscribed by Denslow in watercolor along bottom, "Those Venetians Were Best--But There Are Others. 'The Philistine'" Postmarked on recto and verso. Approximately 4 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (108 x 159 mm) (sight). In double-window frame, 6 5/8 x 9 in. (168 x 229 mm).

A rare original illustration by American illustrator W.W. Denslow, executed by him in watercolor on an envelope used for a letter (not present) sent to Elbert Hubbard, founder and guiding force of the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora, New York. The watercolor illustration, covering the entirety of the envelope's recto, depicts a grinning and bespectacled elderly man in a robe, wearing a laurel wreath, and surrounded by books, captioned by Denslow as "The Philistine" (in homage to Hubbard's anti-establishment periodical that Denslow would later contribute to). This is a very early example dating to the beginning of Denslow and Hubbard's fruitful relationship, that began in 1896. As such it is characteristic of Denslow's letters sent to Hubbard at this time, whose envelopes and contents were typically adorned with watercolor illustrations of a satirical bent. This is perhaps one of only a few extant examples, and is the first we can find being offered at auction since 1973.

Denslow, later famous for his illustrations for L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), first learned of the Roycrofters in 1896 (the same year he sent this envelope), after hearing about their publication of The Songs of Solomon. Denslow later recalled that he "sent for the book, by letter enclosed in a low-comedy envelope done in water-color. Mr. Hubbard saw, by the work, that I could do something that he needed to have done, and he told me so by letters, so written that I knew he was a great, strong man who could do me much good, and I did not have to be greatly urged to go to East Aurora with my paints and brushes, to give him of the best in me." (Lane, Elbert Hubbard and His Work, 1901, pp. 82-83).

Over the next four years, Denslow designed book illustrations, cover designs and title-pages for many Roycroft publications, often from his home in Chicago. He was the first professional artist invited by Hubbard to work in the Roycroft shops, and in 1898, spent an extended stay there instructing the artisans on bookbinding and hand-illumination, while also collaborating with Hubbard on designs of several of the community's buildings. Denslow's signature, a seahorse device (as seen here), became known as “Hippocampus Den”, and was adopted by Hubbard as a logo for several Roycrofter projects, including watermarks in the paper found in many of the press's books.

In 1898, Denslow began creating satiric illustrations for Hubbard's anti-establishment periodical The Philistine (whose covers featured Denslow's seahorse). "As with Hubbard, nothing seemed sacred to Denslow, and all of society--scientists, educators, clergymen, competitors and even fellow Roycrofters--were subject to his characterizations." (Rhodes, The Roycroft Shops 1894-1915, 1976, p. 9). Denslow's work contributed to the wider recognition of the Roycrofters as a one of the leading presses in America, and conversely, helped establish Denslow as a leading American illustrator. He made his last visit to East Aurora in 1899, having by this point recently finished his illustrations for Baum's Wizard of Oz--work that would secure him international fame.