Raymond Groves: The U.K. version of Tom Medley?

I just returned from another amazing Amelia Island Concours weekend out in Florida, and picked up this little gem from a vendor selling vintage automobilia. It’s a 1954 collection of cartoons titled “Starting from Scratch” published by British car magazine ‘Autosport’, and since I love old cars and old illustrations, I swooped this baby up. The artist is Raymond Groves, and his art style and humor immediately reminded me a bit of Tom Medley. Sadly, Mr. Groves passed away suddenly in 1958, at only 45 years old. His Obituary stated that, “He was a gentle and retiring man whose interest in motor sport sprang from boyhood visits to Brooklands in the years following the First World War. His tall figure was well known in the paddocks at Goodwood and Silverstone, where he would make lightning sketches of the cars he delighted to depict at speed. Although motor racing was his main interest, he was a versatile artist and his other work included portraits, landscapes, murals and Christmas cards.” Although Groves’ drawing style is not quite as expressive or gestural as Tom Medley’s, they are still top notch. No doubt these great pieces were worth sharing with you, so enjoy…