Thursday, April 7, 2011

This Little Golden Book caught my eye while I was standing at the checkout in Woolies yesterday (me with seven items the lady in front of me, a trolley full!)


first published in 1951
this is one of what Random House call a LGB Classic
(so sorry for the teeny tiny pic)


It's been ages since I bought a LGB but I just couldn't resist the charming vintagey cover on this one so I gave into temptation (just like Woolies wanted me to!) and now it's mine.

I love the illustrations so much that I've decided to share them. I know you will love them too. Have a look at this wonderful pic of a perfect American 50's family

Mom, Pop and the kiddy winks

and how gorgeous are Mom's swimsuit and sunnies?

Pop has a touch of "Mad Men" about him don't you think?

The illustrations were done by Corinne Malvern (1901-1956) and oh boy did she have an interesting life!

isn't she glamorous...
(pic thesautis.com)

When Corinne was a little girl she sang in the American premiere of Puccini's Madama Butterfly ( which just so happens to be my favourite opera btw) I think that on its own is pretty amazing don't you? Following an accident in her teens she stopped performing and was sent to boarding school. Later she studied art, became a commercial artist AND the art editor of Ladies Home Journal Magazine.
Here's one of her covers...

beautiful. glam glam glam! love those eyebrows!
(pic specialeditionbooks.com)

 No wonder those in the know say her illustrations helped create the iconic look of the 50's.

Corinne illustrated 17 Little Golden Books, here are the covers she is most famous for. More tiny pics...sorry


(we have a vintage copy of this with free bandaids still 
  attached)
this is what the real Father Christmas looks like (or
      Santa, if that's your thing...)

Once again one little thing has set me off and I've got carried away. I hope someone out there has found this as interesting as I did? Just one more pic from A Day at the Seashore because it's too cute not to include

this is the last page and it says:

"And Nancy and Timmy sit down on the sand
and they eat
and they eat
and they EAT!"


 p.s. This clever lady makes the most lovely bunting from vintage Golden Books. Check out her etsy and madeit shops for more (and she makes great cushions from vintage tea towels too!)

pretty bunny bunting for Easter

And speaking of tea towels...

took me ages to work out what rela X meant!

7 comments:

  1. Those illustrations are so lovely. I really liked the history lesson about the artist too. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Wish we had woolies in the uk still.
    The pic of the two kids at the end is so cute,i'd love for my two to just sit and eat together lol.
    Cute tea towel.
    x

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  3. Wow love those illustrations - very iconic, thanks for the bit of knowledge too - always learn something on your blog posts :o) Ive seen book bunting which is such an amazing idea, i would love to have a go myself but Im a bit funny about taking pages out of books, must have been drummed into me as a child, so im going in search of a really battered old book that I wouldnt mind taking apart :o) And eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Over the brush, thanks so much I would love to have it on my dressing table, its amazing! I couldnt find your email on your blog so email me at scarlett.fontaine@hotmail.co.uk, you've made my day :o)))) Scarlett x

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  4. Beautiful illustrations. Put me in mind of Ladybird book illustrations which I love.

    Yes, I've seen book bunting in blogland but I, like Scarlett, am a bit sqeamish about taking books apart, although, I suppose you can photocopy pages can't you?

    A most eXcellent tt!

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  5. Hi, love your blog. Really interesting post!
    Liz

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  6. I had that book when I was little!! Love revisiting childhood favourites - it makes my head spin a little. Little Golden Books and Disney have a lot to answer for regarding expectations I have from life!

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  7. Oh these are such gorgeous illustrations - they'd look beautiful in a series of frames on a wall! The bunting made of the vintage pages is so quirky, I'll keep an eye out for some old children's books to have a go myself :-)

    I couldn't find your email anywhere on your blog but I'd love one of the brushes - my email is jemcope1985@hotmail.com - drop me a line and I'll send you my address :-)

    Jem xXx

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