Charming Annual art by Lawson Wood offered for sale

By John Freeman on June 1, 2025

A charming annual cover by Lawson Wood is currently among other artwork gems for sale from American dealer Graphic Collectibles, spotted by artist and comic archivist David Roach.

Lawson Wood (1878 – 1957) was an accomplished cartoonist, illustrator and poster designer. He gained great popularity with his humorous illustrations of animals, including dinosaurs and monkeys. His ginger ape, Gran’pop, proved a particular favourite on both sides of the Atlantic.

Up for sale, priced at $1100, is an artwork titled “Everybody’s Feeling Bucked“, the cover of the Lawson Wood’s Annual, published in the early 1950s. Measuring 11.5 x 17”, the signed art was created in pencil/ watercolour/ gouache on illustration board. A copy of the book is included.

The cover of Lawson Wood’s Annual, published by
by Dean & Son (1951), via Bear Alley, and two artworks by Woid offered for sale through the Chris Beetles Gallery

The price seems reasonable given the enduring popularity of Wood’s work, with many of his boards for sale from the London-based Chris Beetles Gallery offered at uptown £4500. Of course, you do need to consider postage if buying the Lawson Wood’s Annual cover from the UK!

• Graphic Collectibles “Everybody’s Feeling Bucked“

• Steve Holland’s Lawson Wood biography on Bear Alley

• Chris Beetles Gallery: Lawson Wood Biography and Artwork for sale

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.