A master of the mysterious, Edward Gorey's artworks and writings abound with misadventures, oddities, and oblique humor. His forays into experimental theater follow suit, and to much delight, he designed pin-back buttons to accompany them. Now coveted by collectors, these bespoke buttons-created as souvenirs for the plays, puppet shows, revues, and other "entertainments" that Gorey wrote, designed, or directed-possess a curiosity factor disproportionate to their small size. Flapping Ankles, Inverted Commas, or Tinned Lettuce? Such buttons and the shows they were based on offer send-ups of staid conventions (idiosyncratic napkin folding, anyone?) or make cryptic suggestions to "Embrace Etceterism." But he didn't stop there-in his trademark style Gorey both lauded and gently spoofed his beloved New York City Ballet, and even dabbled in a bit of political commentary. With each button Gorey fashioned, he put the wearer at the center of a memory, a recollection of a particular place and time. Buttons (Gorey's especially, with their enigmatic designs) necessitate some form of personal connection-perhaps a laugh or a discussion, but at least an offering from one person to another. Gorey made his buttons as a reminder that one had "been there," had made that connection, and would carry that moment with them-literally and figuratively. Always One Button Short showcases a selection of Gorey's compact creations, researched and photographed by noted Gorey collector Jonas Ploeger. Kevin McDermott, longtime Gorey collaborator and author of Elephant House; or, The Home of Edward Gorey (Pomegranate), introduces the collection with a personal essay, recalling the history and meaning of his own Gorey button.
Authors
Born in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara. Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
