Rawle Prints

A week or two ago I acquired two of the large prints (the Kalidahs and the Attack of the Fighting Trees) that were used in the local exhibition of Graham Rawle's artwork for The Wizard of Oz. This is the largest that these images have been printed so far, and they are a great deal of fun at this size (approximately 24" x 28") - the attention to detail is impressive, as the details are more easily seen!

In the scene with the fighting tree, Dorothy is wearing her Emerald City dress, which is white since leaving the city. She has the whistle around her neck for summoning the field mice, as well as a bracelet on her wrist which was a gift from the Winkies for destroying the Wicked Witch. Toto and the Lion are both wearing gold collars, gifts from the Winkies, and the Tin Man's ax handle is now gold - another Winkie gift. His jeweled oil-can can't be seen, and neither can the Scarecrow's gold topped walking stick, but the golden cap is lying on the ground where it has fallen during the excitement. You can even see the pins and needles of the Scarecrow's new brains poking out of the top of his head!

I just think the kalidah image is a riot and a clever solution for showing bears with the heads of tigers. I laugh every time I see it.

On Rawle's website, there is a fun blog entry from last April (here) showing his supposed screen tests for the doll to play Dorothy. The variety of hopefuls is pretty humorous!

Paintings

What would summer be without an Oz project to work on? Lately I've been having fun playing with a series of small (12" x 12") paintings based on characters drawn by John R. Neill. These are colorful, purely decorative and simply a lot of fun to do!




The three I'm showing are roses taken from an illustration in Tik-Tok of Oz. I utilized some of these same images back when I painted Neill characters on my dining room walls - they make a fun subject. It's another craft endeavor using an Oz theme - I do enjoy seeing what I can come up with!

Dodd

In 1897, Rand McNally published an edition of The Evolution of Dodd with a W. W. Denslow cover. This book is a rather moralizing chastisement on the state of public education of the time, particularly in rural areas. It's interesting to see how some problems (ratio of students to teacher, etc.) never seem to change! The copy I'm showing is worn, and bears traces of a library label on the spine, but with any luck I'll run across a better copy some day.

These Rand McNally titles can prove to be surprisingly elusive, and the variations that exist for some of the covers can add to the difficulties. In the case of this title, there is a later edition which uses Denslow's lettering on the cover and spine but no image.

This title is very similar to another published in 1897, The Romance of a Child. I've shown that book before, but here it is again for the sake of comparison. The fabric and ink colors, as well as the layout of the spine are the same, and the imagery of the figures on the spine are very closely related. I can't help wondering if Denslow was working on both of these at the same time!

Chicago 1933

Since L. Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in Chicago, and the Oz books were published there, it seems only appropriate that the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair would make use of Oz characters in the children's area called The Enchanted Island. This was basically an amusement park, and among the attractions were over-sized statues of favorite children's book characters, including the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman.

Here are a pair of postcards, the one above showing the entire park and the one on the left featuring the Scarecrow statue (or Strawman as he was called on the back of the card). In the lower left of the color card, the figures of the Tin Woodman and Scarecrow can be made out - both statues are in different poses than the finished structures. These statues were unique enough to be featured on a souvenir key sold at the fair - the Scarecrow can be seen standing on the left among the figures.

During the run of the fair, a puppet show written by Ruth Plumly Thompson and titled The Magical Land of Oz was performed by the Jean Gros marionettes - for more on Gros, see this blog entry: November 8, 2008. The Spring 1997 Baum Bugle contains an article about Oz at the fair by William Stillman, with additional images.

San-Kro-Mura

I've just picked up a vintage wallpaper catalog for San-Kro- Mura brand wallpapers. I'm guessing the name San-Kro-Mura refers to sanitary, chromatic and mural - colorful mural papers with a sanitary surface (easy to wipe clean). Anyway, the catalog is interesting because it includes an image of one of the panels from the Wizard of Oz paper designed by W. W. Denslow. The catalog only shows a small picture in black & white, but it's a fun reminder of the popularity of the story in the early 20th century - long before the MGM film! In this case, there was a set of six panels, featuring characters drawn by Denslow, relating to the 1903 Broadway musical. A set of verses beneath the drawings sum up the show. This paper was probably designed around the time of that success, although this catalog is from considerably later - it refers to the artist as the "late W. W. Denzlow" (mispelling his name with a Z). Denslow died in 1915, but this catalog could be from as late as the 1920's - there is no date indicated.

The other papers shown in the catalog are also interesting. Among the nursery designs on the same page as the Oz paper are two examples taken from The Rhyme of a Run, a children's book written and illustrated by Florence Harrison, and published in 1907. The Oz paper was probably intended to be used as a frieze around a room, or as individually framed panels. I suppose the individual characters could also have been cut out and used as appliques over another paper.

Artistic wallpapering of the period seems to have involved a lot of steps, dealing with multiple borders and hand cutting details and appliques out of larger sheets to get effects like a pergola with blooming vines, or a tapestry hung on the wall. In order to apply appliques to the first layer of paper, the book recommends adding a cup of black molasses to the wallpaper paste! Having never dealt with wallpaper, I think I'll stick to paint.

Alice

This is a bit off topic as it has nothing to do with Oz, but I found it fascinating. Last night I went to an exhibit of paintings by William Holman Hunt (Victorian Pre-Raphaelite painter) and others of his circle, at the Institute of Arts. Among the paintings on display was a small panel by Arthur Hughes called Lady with the Lilacs, which had originally been in the collection of Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll).

I was immediately struck by how similar the girl in the painting was to Dodgson's own illustrations for Alice's Adventures Under Ground, the precursor to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I remember having once read that the author had a painting by Hughes in his collection that he possibly referred to when preparing his illustrations, but it was very fun to see the piece in question in person!

The painting was received in October, 1863, and Dodgson finished his illustrations in September, 1864. He didn't base his drawings of Alice on Alice Liddell, the inspiration for the book, but it certainly looks like he may have based them on this painting.

Along the Bosphorus

Last weekend was our local annual book fair. This was the 19th year, and I've attended every one - and I've managed to find a number of items over the years. There was a good amount of Oz related material this year, particularly a number of later reprints in dust jackets.

Here I'm showing a copy of Along the Bosphorus, which is yet another example of a Rand McNally cover design by W. W. Denslow. This is a much more delicate design than some of his other covers, and really gives an excellent sense of moonlight on the water. This copy doesn't bear his seahorse signature. The book is a collection of pieces written by Susan Wallace, the wife of Lew Wallace; he was a general in the Civil War, and the author of Ben-Hur. He was also U.S. Minister to the Ottoman Empire in the 1880s. Susan Wallace was an author of a few books as well, and several of the pieces in this book relate to this time period.

It's interesting to compare this cover to another title from 1898, A Cruise Along the Crescent. Both are set in exotic locales, and the covers have many similarities. Along the Bosphorus is more refined, but the same crescent moon and turrets can be seen in both examples. I think the exotic architecture brings to mind Denslow's illustrations of the Emerald City.

Shifting Sands

Shifting Sands, by Frederic Burton, is another novel published by Rand McNally in 1898 with a cover design by W. W. Denslow. The title feels prophetic, as the Shifting Sands became the name of one of the deserts surrounding the Land of Oz. I doubt that there is any connection between the two, but it's always fun to run across a coincidence of this sort. Tradition has it that L. Frank Baum's final words were "Now we can cross the Shifting Sands".

This is another example of Denslow designing a wrap-around cover. The image carries across the spine to the back, where a small couple stands looking out to sea. Denslow's ubiquitous seahorse signature is at the lower right on the front cover.

Queer Visitors

Sunday Press has produced an impressive volume of the Queer Visitors from the Land of Oz comic pages from 1904-1905. The pages are presented in full color at their original size, which really helps capture the vitality of the vintage pieces. I've always been amazed at the tiny size of the type used for L. Frank Baum's stories, but of course that left more room for the illustrations! These are some of the most ephemeral of Oz items, and it's great to have a sturdy version that will hold up to some handling - antique newsprint is delicate! The inclusion of additional material, like the full run of W. W. Denslow's Scarecrow and the Tinman comic page, is a welcome bonus. http://www.sundaypressbooks.com/index.htm

An interesting point on the original comic pages is the way they were presented by different newspapers. Decorative headers and additional borders were sometimes used, adding to the overall appeal of the pages. The Philadelphia North American was the originator of the page, and their presentation was quite simple, with the addition of an illustrated header. Apparently different papers did different things, resulting in different appearances.

Hidden Faces

John R. Neill created many dazzling illustrations for the Oz series. He was also known for hiding faces in a number of his drawings, adding another level of fun to the books. I think one of his cleverest examples is in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, from 1908.

In the drawing used for the tailpiece of Chapter 7, (on page 94 in the first edition), we are shown the carriage carrying the travelers through the Black Pit of the Mangaboos. When looked at closely, the right side of the pit reveals silhouette profiles of Zeb, Dorothy and the Wizard, carved out of the rock! They can be a little more difficult to distinguish in some later printings. This is just another example of Ozzy details!

Return to Oz

A couple months ago on eBay, several artifacts from the 1984 Disney production of Return to Oz were put up for auction. I didn't acquire any of the items, but I was very intrigued by a piece of the set that was offered. In the film, there are several close up shots in the ruined Emerald City. One of these shows a statue of a lion holding a scroll with the intertwined OZ logo. Apparently, there were two of these original lions which survived the film. One was auctioned - the second had met its demise some time earlier in a garden, where the weather took its toll.

Seeing the interest stirred by this piece, the seller had the good sense to look into the possibility of having some additional lions made from the original. In the end, 10 lions were produced and I'm now the happy owner of one. The new pieces were cast in resin rather than concrete, and consequently were of lighter weight and a bit easier to deal with than the original. As this was being shipped from England, less weight was a help in holding down costs!

Denslow's Mother Goose

Here's another wonderful piece that doesn't belong to me, although I have seen it in person. The photo is from an auction house listing from quite a while ago - I'm afraid I've forgotten which one!

This is a clockwork display for Denslow's Mother Goose. It is wound with a key, and the head nods while the beak opens and closes. It dates from around 1901, the year that W. W. Denslow's book was published.

I saw this at a New York Book Fair several years ago, in Justin Schiller's booth. It's a very unique piece, believed to have originated at a Chicago department store. It's the only one of its kind known, and really a lot of fun! I like to think of this as an interesting precursor to L. Frank Baum's clockwork man, Tik-Tok - even though there's no real connection between the two.

Graham Rawle

Friday night was the opening of the local exhibition of Graham Rawle's illustrations for The Wizard of Oz. The show is being held at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and features large prints of various illustrations from the book. Some of the images are over six feet wide, and are very impressive at that size! The prints were produced at the college, and unfortunately the show will not be traveling.

Oz Club member Jane Albright flew in for the opening, and club founding member Ruth Berman also attended. Graham Rawle signed books and was generally available to wander through the gallery and answer questions - it was a very fun time. Limited edition prints were available of four different scenes from the book, and four small pinback buttons were handed out. These feature Toto in the poppy field, Mr Joker from the Dainty China Country, a Quadling Guard, and the Soldier with the Green Whiskers from the Emerald City.

The gallery certainly got into the spirit of things by assembling a refresh- ment table of cupcakes that looked like the poppy field with a tall tornado traveling through. A plexi case held the actual figures of the main characters from the story - Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion and Wicked Witch of the West. Another case held some of the various tiny beaded flowers which were made by Graham's wife and used in the landscapes; it was a unique opportunity to see the small scale of the original pieces in comparison to the large photo illustrations on the walls.

The exhibit is on display until June 28th. If anyone happens to be in the area, I recommend it!
http://www.grahamrawle.com/index.html

General Jinjur

This illustration from The Marvelous Land of Oz has always been one of my favorites. I would love to see the original if it still exists!

Here we see General Jinjur and her army of revolting girls (typical Baum pun!) conquering the Emerald City. Their glee is unmistakable as they set off to pry all the emeralds loose from their settings, and the chaos of the moment is nicely captured (including one poor girl in the far background who seems to have been flipped over with her feet in the air!) This drawing made me feel I had a real sense of what the Emerald City looked like, with the gate tower and the double stair, and the cluster of houses inside the city wall.

I've always liked General Jinjur. L. Frank Baum created an interesting mix of chorus girl and women's rights advocate in this character. She was clearly designed for presentation on the stage, and Baum shows his eye for theatrical dressing in his description of the multicolored uniform for Jinjur's army. I was always disappointed that she was only shown in one color plate in the book. A similarly gaudy dress is seen in Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls, for the patriotic Liberty Girls organization.

Although Jinjur is a satire, her avowed goal of setting a woman on the throne of the Emerald City does happen - except the new ruler is Ozma rather than herself. Her few appearances in later books show that she maintains her independent spirit, even if she's never the Queen she intended to be.

Graham Rawle Exhibition

I just ran across this, a little late but still in plenty of time to attend. An exhibition at my alma mater of Graham Rawle's artwork for The Wizard of Oz - this should be fun!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 7, 2009
THE WIZARD OF OZ: ACCORDING TO GRAHAM RAWLE
MCAD Gallery | Minneapolis College of Art and Design
May 22–June 28, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS—Explore the extraordinary imagination of acclaimed British artist and author Graham Rawle in the dazzling exhibition THE WIZARD OF OZ: ACCORDING TO GRAHAM RAWLE, opening Friday, May 22 in MCAD Gallery.
Inspired by his vividly re-imagined retelling of L. Frank Baum's original classic The Wizard of Oz (Counterpoint Press, 2008), this exhibition lifts Rawle's breathtaking illustrations from the printed page, presenting them in large scale for the first time anywhere.
Using handcrafted miniature sets, carved sculptures, found objects and other unusual materials (such as Pringles cans and spraypainted asparagus), Rawle's dynamic and oftentimes surreal illustrations include original characters and scenes that will be revelatory to those who are more familiar with the cinema classic.
Rawle's illustrations will amaze children and adults alike. They're endearing yet edgy, delightful yet dark—the same qualities found in only the most treasured and iconic children's fiction. THE WIZARD OF OZ: ACCORDING TO GRAHAM RAWLE is not to be missed!

Meet Graham Rawle in person!

Graham Rawle will join us from London to celebrate the opening of this remarkable exhibition on Friday, May 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. in MCAD's Main Gallery, located on the first floor of MCAD's Main Building. Copies of The Wizard of Oz will be available for purchase and signing by the artist at this event. Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet the artist and get up-close to his work!
Want a sneak peek?
Visit www.mcad.edu/oz for a gallery of some of the amazing images featured in the exhibition, along with a link to Graham Rawle's Web site and a specially animated short film that brings the book's characters to life.

Praise for The Wizard of Oz, illustrated by Graham Rawle

"[Rawle's] illustrations are vivid constructs that come alive in the strangest ways."
— The Los Angeles Times
"Rawle's freakingly cool images definitely [have] me wanting more. ... Trippy stuff."
— Cinematical

Phono-Movies

Today I'm showing something that is not in my collection, although it's some- thing I'd love to have!

This is an example of an early Oz toy, called a Phono-Movie. The concept is simple: a gadget attaches to a phonograph, with a jointed figure which dances to the music as the record rotates. In this particular case, two figures were included: a stereotypical African-American character, and the Scarecrow of Oz! The box states that the toy was patented in 1919, which was during one of the heights of Oz popularity — but I suppose this version with the Scarecrow figure could be from a later date. These pictures are from an old eBay auction, and I've also seen the toy listed in a book on vintage phonographs and related accessories.

This might be a project that L. Frank Baum's eldest son Frank was involved with. Frank Baum did try to capitalize on his father's creations, but didn't seem to have much luck. His Oz Doll & Toy Manufacturing Company didn't succeed with a line of Oz dolls. Oz toys just don't seem to have caught on with the public; an earlier toy Woozy character produced by the family also failed.

Adaptations

I'm afraid I've been neglecting my blog entries, but it's been a hectic few weeks here. We've been moving our studio to a new location after being settled for 20 years, and I've spent more time transporting boxes and painting than anything else!

In 1961, Dick Martin illustrated adaptations of the first 4 Oz books for Reilly & Lee. I have three of these, but I'm missing The Wizard of Oz which seems to be the hardest to find. I've always had mixed feelings toward Martin's work, but these books are energetic and a lot of fun.

The illustration on the right shows Ozma entering the Nome King's ornament room, and is a good example of the colorful style used by the artist. The array of knick-knacks is amusing, and Ozma herself is wearing a slightly bizarre martial cockade of a headdress, very different from what is usually seen. These books were adapted by Jean Kellogg, who also adapted several of L. Frank Baum's Queer Visitors From the Marvelous Land of Oz comic pages for the book The Visitors From Oz. This was published in 1964 with Dick Martin illustrations as well.

I was struck by a drawing in Ozma of Oz of the Scarecrow egging the Nome King. It could be coinci- dental, but the overall layout of the illustration really calls to my mind the unused Dale Ulrey drawing for the same scene. I can't help wondering if Dick Martin was familiar with that piece - considering his connections with Reilly & Lee and the Oz enthusiasts of the time, it would be very possible.

Phoebe Tilson

Phoebe Tilson is another Rand McNally title with a W. W. Denslow cover design. This time around Denslow has created a delicate image, very different from some of the bold covers he came up with for this company. The simple drawing of a highchair, locket and closed window with cobweb and geranium plant wraps around the covers and spine of the book.
This is also an example of a cover without Denslow's seahorse logo, which makes me think it's a later printing.

This is also another title with a poster in the collection of the New York Public Library, shown at the right. It makes an interesting comparison since the poster focuses primarily on the figure of a woman, presumably Phoebe, and the book cover gives the impression of a deserted room. It makes a fascinating contrast. It's clearly the same window and geranium! I'll have to read the book to see how both images relate to the story.

Fifth of November

A while back I featured a W. W. Denslow cover for a book published by Rand McNally called The Fifth of November. I've recently picked up a second copy of this book. This one is a different binding state, as Denslow's seahorse signature is not on the cover. It can be seen on my first copy, (shown above on the right) on the left of the barrel design. I'm surprised by how many of these books seem to have removed Denslow's logo on later bindings/printings - I don't really understand why they would go to the bother.

This later binding is also of a lighter cloth color than the original. The stamping is in brown rather than a deep purple/red, and a small illustration of the headsman's mask and ax has been deleted from the back cover.

The original poster for this book, which I'm showing on the right, is in the collection of the New York Public Library and can be seen online in their digital collection. It's interesting to compare the differences between the poster and the book cover. The book very successfully combines the main elements of the poster into a single simple image.

Aunt Jane's Nieces - Again

A while back, I showed two variations of the cover of Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work. The first was the original cover which included a shield and blue printing, and the second was a later printing that modified the cover and eliminated those details. I've picked up another variation, this time a possible binder's error. Instead of using the At Work paste-down, the design for Aunt Jane's Nieces in Society has been glued to the cover. There are many unusual variations/mistakes of this sort in Reilly & Britton books, and it's always fun to run across fresh examples. I thought this would be appropriate for April Fool's Day!

According to The Books Collectors Guide to L. Frank Baum and Oz, this copy is a 6th printing and would date from around 1915. Label mix-ups of this sort did happen, and I would imagine they might be more prevalent in late copies of the Aunt Jane books if the publishers were using up whatever stock of labels they had on hand. When the company became Reilly & Lee in 1919, they quickly stopped using any cover labels on these titles.