Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Being completely 'obsessive' about paper

I have developed quite an obsession for Little Golden Books. With the Christmas orders coming in, I have found one of my most popular buntings is The Christmas Story, with pics by my favourite illustrator Eloise Wilkins. But although you try and collect books throughout the year...you never seem to have enough  of some particular books.


I thought outside the box and was looking through a  box of  religous books when I found this. It is a Golden Pleasure Book, printed in Czechoslovakia, 1952. It is the same as the Little Golden Book version, except one page (two illustrations) are missing. I am not sure of the company...was it the English version of Little Golden Books I wonder?


And here is the gist. It is 60 years old and the paper is that lovely thick cardy, fabricy, paper that seems to absorb the inks and makes them all saturated looking. Look at the difference in a newer illustration and the original. (Well, you can't really see much on the computer screen, I admit, but when you seen them in real life, an obsessive person like me can get all gooey and weak at the knees!)

I read somewhere that the US has legislation in place to ban children's books prior to 1980 or so, as the ink contains high levels of lead. I used this excuse when I cut up the book. It is just so special, that it belongs on the wall!

3 comments:

  1. Good find Nick!
    Here's a secret - I have bought a few Little Golden books for you when I've found them in op shops over the last few months. I'm hoping to trade them for your vintage fabric expertise, i.e. con you into going through that huge box of material with me next time you're in SA. ARE you coming to SA anytime?
    Libby

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  2. Can't shed any light, but the illustrations do look gorgeous.

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  3. I do like how you do the Christmas Story bunting. Why do you do that? Are you religious? I grew up Catholic, but can't say that I'm religious now, but I find those pictures and the whole Christmas story so beautiful. I just love your bunting of Mary and baby Jesus ... See? I call him 'Baby Jesus'!

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