10.30.2011

Tales from the Arabian Nights, Gustaf Tenggren


Today's vintage children's book is Tales from the Arabian Nights. This version is from Golden Press with beautiful illustrations by Gustaf Tengrren. There are captions under each image so you know which story it's from. 

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp

Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Sinbad the Sailor

Sinbad the Sailor

The Magic Horse

The Serpent Queen

The Serpent Queen

The Sleeper Awakened

Scheherazade or The Story of These Stories


Tales from the Arabian Nights
Told by Margaret Soifer and Irwin Shapiro
Illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren
Golden Press, 1957

To read about Tengrren, click here for a very comprehensive website about this famous and talented illustrator.

10.28.2011

The Monster and the Tailor, Paul Galdone


Today's vintage children's book, The Monster and the Tailor, is a ghost story just in time for Halloween and was illustrated by Paul Galdone.  Galdone illustrated his first children's book, Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars, when he was in his mid-forties. That jump started a career in which Galdone illustrated and/or wrote more than 300 children's books. Working mostly in pen and ink washes, Galdone's style has been called unfussy, accessible, colorful, witty and detailed. Two books Galdone illustrated won Caldecott Honors;  Anatole and Anatole the Cat, both written by Eve Titus.


A tailor is called to a Grand Duke's castle. The Duke wants to tailor to sew him a pair of trousers with one caveat: they are to be sewn in a graveyard. Spooky!






The Monster and the Tailor
Retold and Illustrated by Paul Galdone
Clarion Books, 1982

Paul Galdone was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1907 and immigrated to the United States in 1928. He studied at the Art Student's League and the New York School of Industrial Design. He was influenced by illustrators such as Arthur Rackham and Walter Crane. Nature was a constant inspiration. Galdone died on November 7, 1986. In 1996 he was posthumously awarded the 1996 Kerlan Award for his contribution to children's literature.

Paul Galdone

10.27.2011

Green Tiger and Blue Lantern Studio Books

Green Tiger Press, 2005

To follow up on my last post about Laughing Elephant, thought I would show some of the books that I have from Green Tiger Press and Blue Lantern Studio. These books are well designed, with a beautiful selection of illustrations inside. 

Blue Lantern Books, 1993

Blue Lantern Studio, 1996

Blue Lantern Studio, 1997

Blue Lantern Studio, 1995

Blue Lantern Studio, 1992


Blue Lantern Studio, 1994

10.25.2011

Laughing Elephant

Art Print

I came across a great site today called Laughing Elephant. A family business located in an old nunnery in Seattle, Washington, Laughing Elephant is a publisher of books, gifts and stationery. On their products you will find many vintage illustrations from children's picture books and graphic design. They have access to a large private collection of picture books and pictorial ephemera to draw on for reproductions and inspiration. These images are from the Victorian Age into the 1960's.



I like their calendars, wish I could see a few images from inside each one though. I like the spiral binding on top and the unique size: 6" wide x 16" long.


Art Print

Art Print

Art Print

Who wouldn't want this rabbit print? Don't tell me if you don't, I love it.


Art Print
This would be so great for a child's room


Art Print

Laughing Elephant began as the Green Tiger Press in 1969, started by Harold and Sandra Darling. In 1986 the Green Tiger name was sold to Simon and Schuster Publishing. The same year they started Blue Lantern Studio, designing and producing books for other publishers. In 1992 Laughing Elephant Publishing was started, producing and distributing gift books and paper products capturing the ideals of past times. In 1999 the Darling and Company imprint was added to produce books for the general trade. Recently the Green Tiger Press name was reacquired and they are starting to offer children's books under this imprint. This history is interesting to me, as I have eight or so books from their different imprints.



The two images above are wood signs, they'd be great to hang in a bathroom.



Another wood sign, love the graphics.



One of the many art prints available



One of their pocket mirror designs




Above two images show some of the decorative tape they offer.



One of the many great prints they have of vintage travel posters.

Like a kid in a candy store, I had a hard time picking and choosing images to show you, so I went OCD. But what I'm showing is just a very small sample of what they have to offer. 

With a variety of products like postcard books, calendars, pocket mirrors, french notebooks, travel stickers, art prints, canvas art prints and wood signs; Laughing Elephant would be a great place to do some Christmas shopping. 

I have no affiliation with Laughing Elephant. There is no benefit to me except to pass along a great site.

10.23.2011

Childcraft, Make and Do, Part Two


Here are several more scans from Volume 11, Make and Do from the Childcraft Library. I like the way these page spreads are done. This whole volume is about things that kids can make and do themselves. I couldn't help but think how times have changed, how the children who read this volume in the early 70's were not exposed to the technology that we have today. Not that kids today don't make things, but it is definitely a different time.





10.20.2011

Childcraft Library, Make and Do

I'm still enjoying my Childcraft How and Why Library set. Today's scans show the title page's for the different chapters in this volume. I'm really liking the design and graphics on these pages. Credits for this work were given to Paul McNear, Carl Yates and Dave Carothers.
















Childcraft
The How and Why Library
Volume 11, Make and Do
Field Enterprises Educational Corp.
1972 Edition