"The Game of Grab", Judge Company

This dynamic illustration by Eugene "Zim" Zimmerman satirizes the imperialistic tendencies of various world powers to "grab" and colonize foreign lands. Uncle Sam looms large with his feet firmly planted on the United States, Alaska and Hawaii, holding his rifle with bayonet on the Philippines. The United States had gained the Philippines from Spain at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War, and the rifle symbolized the fact that the United States had just defeated Filipino nationalists in the Philippine-American War. Other countries are also personified, stretching their arms and legs to lay claim to other lands: John Bull has one foot in England (which is attached to India), with his hands reaching for Canada and South Africa; the German Chancellor is reaching for East Africa and Brazil; and a Russian Tsar reaches for China and central Asia. Below the image, the text reads: "Uncle Sam (to European powers) -- 'Grab anything in sight, gentlemen, but don't tread on my feet." On verso are additional cartoons with accompanying text.

This illustration was published in an issue of Judge magazine, a weekly satirical magazine published in the US from 1881-1947.

References:

Condition: B+

Clean and bright with a couple of tiny holes in the cloud at top right. There are professional repairs to a tear that enters less than 2" into image at right, some short tears and separations along the centerfold, and to a small chip that is mostly confined to the left margin, with a minor amount of the image replaced in facsimile.