- Artist: Charles Desaix Small (1882–1953)
- Year of Production: 1910
- Original/Licensed Reprint: Original Drawing
- Material: Pen and Ink on Stiff Illustration Board
- Subject: Fantasy, Cartoon, Medieval, Satire/Humor
- Style: Cartoon, Editorial Illustration, Early 20th Century Americana
- Features: Signed by Artist, Includes Published Clipping Proof on Back, Production Notation
Item Description
Title: "Work, For The Knight Is Coming" – Original 1910 Pen & Ink Cartoon Drawing by Charles Desaix Small
Up for sale is a fascinating piece of early 20th-century American cartoon and newspaper syndication history. This is an original pen-and-ink drawing by the American commercial cartoonist and comic strip artist Charles Desaix Small (1882–1953).
Dated 1910, the cartoon features a clever medieval satire playing on the famous 19th-century hymn, "Work, for the night is coming." The illustration depicts a page or squire pulling a peasant’s ear, pointing down a path toward an approaching castle and a galloping knight, with the punny caption: "Work, for the knight is coming."
Incredible Provenance & Syndicate Markings
This piece is a true survivor of the golden age of print media, featuring excellent editorial and publishing history on both the front and back:
- The Front: Hand-signed and dated "Small / 1910" with his distinctive sweeping underline. The left margin features a striking handwritten red ink production note: "ORDERED BY MR. KAWASHIMA / April 4, 1910." (Yusuke Kawashima was a prominent Japanese art manager and print coordinator active in New York City during this era, who acquired American cartoon art). The lower margin includes blue pencil printer layout dimensions (“4½ — XIII”).
- The Back: Features the original published newspaper clipping proof attached with a vintage paperclip, showing exactly how the cartoon looked when it went to print. The backing board also displays large hand-written newspaper syndicate plate codes ("2589-26" and "4/12"), used to track the printing plates across regional newspapers.
Dimensions
- Stiff Sheet/Drawing Board: 12.75" x 10" inches
- Published Newspaper Clipping: Approx. 5.5" x 3.75" inches
Condition Report
This item is over 115 years old and shows authentic production-wear consistent with vintage print-house artwork. The stiff sheet has edge wear, a torn upper-left corner, and a small pin/clip hole at the top left, none of which affect the main illustration area. The paper shows natural, even age-toning. The reverse side holds the newspaper clipping firmly attached, alongside original graphite layout numbers. Please inspect all high-resolution photos carefully to evaluate condition details.
This is a rare opportunity to own a complete "before-and-after" archival piece of American illustration history, showcasing the original artist board alongside its final printed legacy.
Shipping & Handling: Will be shipped flat and securely sandwiched between thick, heavy-duty cardboard layers to prevent bending during transit.