Need help with a date on some early F.B. Opper Sunday Strips

[Weird Paper]

I'm not going to lay claim to possessing the kavorka when it comes to finding original art out in the wild (non-contextual venues), but I have been really lucky in that regard. That said, finding something as rare a pair of early 20th century Opper Sundays falls somewhere on the line of unlikelyhood between falling out of an airplane into a volcano and adopting a talking dog. Nonetheless, I found these at an antique shop the other day. I wonder if anyone has any expertise on these early strips. I know from the month and day, that these are probably either 1905, 1911 or 1916. I have some of the early strip reprint books for both of these, but they are pre-1905, so no luck there. I'd appreciate any feedback.

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=1306913

 

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1306931

 

[suspense39]

Really great find! I have one, its from the 20's but i don't know the exact year, but much different in appearance. For sure they are early in the strip, Opper "deskilled" his work for effect at a certain point and these seem to be at the beginning of that transition.

[suspense39]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272111402590?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

here is a printed example from 1907, looks very similar in style to your Maude strip

[Weird Paper]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I have found some Happy Hooligan examples on line that follow the same storyline of the brothers trying to see the "king" that is reflected in my strip. Those lead me to think these are actually from 1905. (I know they aren't necessarily from the same year, but my gut says they are.) The seller had a few other strips, which I totally ignored once I saw the Oppers, but now I think I'll go back and get them too. My bet is that everything is from roughly the same year or two.

 

[suspense39]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hooligan

 

There are a lot of similarities to the example on the happy hooligan Wikipedia page, I would also guess around '05

[Terry Doyle]

 

I wonder if anyone has any expertise on these early strips.

 

 

Roger, might be an idea to shoot Russ Cochran an e-mail? As you'll know, Russ handled lots of newspaper-strip artwork throughout his years of dealing. Also, Rob Stolzer leans towards vintage strips . . .

[Weird Paper]

Thanks, Terry, I appreciate that. I have contacted Rob, looking for info on any online archives that might exist of the old strips. Haven't thought of contacting Russ, but will give that a try. I'm also going to post in the Platinum Comics Group when I get a chance.

 

[Weird Paper]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Hooligan

 

There are a lot of similarities to the example on the happy hooligan Wikipedia page, I would also guess around '05

Yeah, the more I see, the more I lean toward 1905.

[Phantalien]

Do the dates on the bottom of the strips have any significance? I know that there is no year attributed to them but it is a good step in the right direction. Especially if you have an idea about the publication of the strip.

[Weird Paper]

I figure they are the date of publication, and therefore are Sundays. That's why I think they're from 1905 or 1911.