A few days ago we received a few pictures that were sent to the family De Moor by a Swiss Bob De Moor fan, namely Thomas Brügger. The pictures were taken in summer of 1990 1989, more precisely July 20th, so Bob De Moor was working on the Blake and Mortimer album “Professor Sató’s Three Formulae, Volume 2: Mortimer vs. Mortimer”. And although we haven’t received much more information, some of the pictures will be quite interesting for many readers. We’ll pick 4 of these. Today we start with the first picture.

This picture shows Bob De Moor working at his desk at his home in Ukkel at the Square Coghen. As you know, by the end of 1986 the Studios Hergé had closed and Bob De Moor, together with everybody else working there, had been fired. As a result Bob De Moor had to settle himself again as an independent cartoonist and from then on worked only from his home. The mirror you see in front of Bob De Moor is the same one he had used at the Studios Hergé. Here’s a small hint for those wondering how we know: you can recognize the green frame with the rounded corners which was exactly the same as he had at the Avenue Louise (see also the photos in this article). In the reflection you see not only Bob De Moor but also a head of Captain Haddock.

On the left of the mirror you see the sculpted heads of Professor Sató and of Toshiro, 2 characters from the Blake and Mortimer album “Professor Sató’s Three Formulae, Volume 2: Mortimer vs. Mortimer”. These were made one demand by Edgar P. Jacobs to help him to draw the characters in different head positions. On the extreme left you can still see the hair of a carton board silhouette of Tintin. In front of the mirror you see a small matchbox type car which looks like a white version of the green Datsun as used in the Blake and Mortimer album on page 9.

In the holders in front of the mirror, on the extreme left you can see a detail of the yellow card which the Studios Hergé gave to people announcing they had changed telephone number. It’s Nestor’s head you see there saying “Allo? Le nouveau numéro de téléphone des STUDIOS HERGE ? … 02-647.51.90 (trois lignes)”. The truth is in the details n’est-ce pas?

You can also see several comics laying in front of him (including “Barelli et les agents secrets”) plus a magazine released by the German publisher Comicplus+ on top. The magazine is the 48 page counting “Hommage an Hergé” which was released in 1986. Next on the right you can see several polaroid photo’s which Bob De Moor had used for the Blake and Mortimer album “Professor Sató’s Three Formulae, Volume 2: Mortimer vs. Mortimer”, an album which he had finished in February of that year. You’ll recognize Annemie De Moor posing as an android, flat on her belly in bed. She would also pose for the android as used on the first frame of page 40 of that album. On the right you see a polaroid photo of Stefaan De Moor doing a Sharkey for a frame which would be used on page 17 of that album.

Tomorrow we’ll dissect an other picture from the collection of Thomas Brügger.