Fair Helena

 

"Fair Helena, who more engilds the night
Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light..."

This illustration is by Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) from A Midsummer Night's Dream (1908) by William Shakespeare. This is a reproduction on a notecard from the Green Tiger Press (circa 1980).

"Diana" by Arthur Rackham

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Edmund Dulac's "Queen of the Ebony Isles"

 

A haunting image of "The Queen of the Ebony Isles" by Edmund Dulac (1882-1953), created for Stories from the Arabian Nights....

Green Tiger Press Image of the Day

 

"Au Claire de la Lune"

from the French folk song... illustrated by Anne Anderson (active in the 1920's) for the book Old French Nursery Songs.

"Zenobia" by Warwick Goble

 

Another ethereal image that was reproduced by the Green Tiger Press during its heyday: "Zenobia" by Warwick Goble (1862-1943), an illustration for the Modern Readers Chaucer.

Queen Zenobia of Palmyra's story is recounted in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (The Monk's Tale). The regal young queen, flanked by leopards, carries a bow and quiver of arrows, wears a gem-laden crown, and strolls under the waxing crescent moon.

"The Fairies are Exquisite Dancers" by Arthur Rackham

 

One of my favorite images: "The Fairies are Exquisite Dancers", a vintage Green Tiger Press notecard with envelope, by Arthur Rackham (1867-1939), from Peter Pan Portfolio.

Pleasure Bright

 

This illustration is from the book The Brownies around the World (1894) by Palmer Cox (Canadian, 1840 - 1924). An impish Brownie holds a half moon and reminds us that "Every month brings pleasure bright, If the heart is only right...." This vintage Green Tiger Press Notecard would make a charming Valentine.

Teddy Bear Valentine, Black & White Version

 

The Green Tiger Press reproduced several versions of this charming Valentine in its heyday. Today the black and white version is being featured. Illustrator, costume designer, and cartoonist Albertine Randall Wheelan (American, 1867-1954) created this Teddy Bear Valentine image for St. Nicholas Magazine.

The Blue Bird

 

This illustration, "The Bird about to Fly Off" by F. Cayley Robinson (active 1910's), is from the book The Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck. It was reproduced as part of the Fairy Tale Notecard series by the Green Tiger Press in the early 1980's.

Teddy Bear Vintage Valentine

 

One of my favorite Green Tiger Press Valentines; this one is by Albertine Randall Wheelan, American artist, costume designer, and cartoonist (1863 - 1954).

Maid Maleen by Arthur Rackham

 

Maid Maleen Vintage Green Tiger Press Postcard by Arthur Rackham from a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm.

"The waiting maid sprang down first and Maid Maleen followed."

This illustration from "Little Brother and Little Sister" (1917) by Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was reproduced by the Green Tiger Press as a postcard.

Green Tiger Press Valentine

 

I've pulled a few Valentine images from my Green Tiger Press stash and will be featuring them on my blog and in my Etsy shop over the next week or so. Please enjoy!

Vintage Green Tiger Press Card, "He Claimed for His Bride"

 

Vintage Green Tiger Press Notecard with Poem Insert and Envelope, "He Claimed for His Bride", illustration by Florence Harrison.

A princely figure greets his love at a gate in the springtime. Fruit trees and tulips are in bloom, and bluebirds of happiness fly about the couple.

Here is a classic image by Florence Harrison, who was commissioned to produce illustrations for a sumptuous edition of Christina Rossetti's poems published by Blackie and Son in 1910.

This full-color image has been printed and tipped (glued) onto high-quality laid paper stock. The interior of the card is blank. The back of the card contains descriptive text giving details about the illustration in the lower left-hand corner. A matching envelope is included, as well as a poem insert page with a translation of a German medieval lyric. The poem is reproduced from hand-calligraphy.

You can find this and many other Green Tiger Press items in my Etsy shop.

Green Tiger Press Contest Winner

 

Thank you, Ebby Puttence, for your recent comment and entering the Green Tiger Press notecard contest. You are the winner! I will be sending a hand-selected Green Tiger Press image to you shortly.

Jessie Willcox Smith & a Little Contest

 

 

 

 

One of the rare images from my Green Tiger Press archive is the one shown here by Jessie Willcox Smith, "Washing Day for Doll Clothes". The sentimental way in which she captures moments from childhood reminds me in this particular instance of the illustrations from the "Dick and Jane" readers that I grew up with as a child of the 1950's.

Vintage collectors know that often we try to collect the essence of our childhood, what we delighted in at Grandma's house, the favorite casserole dish of our Mom. I suppose my attraction to the Green Tiger Press images that led me to collect them close to a generation ago could be explained in that way. I love classic children's books and their timeless illustrations and have surrounded myself with them all my life.

What do you collect that reminds you of your childhood? Please leave a comment below and at the end of the week (next Sunday, August 23rd, 2009 at 11:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Saving Time), I will hold a drawing with a number generated at random.org and send the winner an image from my Green Tiger Press archive.

Hint: in addition to answering the question about your personal collections, please mention a favorite fairy tale or character from children's literature, and I'll do my best to select a Green Tiger Press card that complements that theme for the winner. Thanks, and happy reminiscing!

"She Wore the Star-Dress, which Sparkled at Every Step", by Arthur Rackham

"She Wore the Star-Dress, which Sparkled at Every Step", by Arthur Rackham, originally uploaded by confections.

This is one of my all-time favorite images by Arthur Rackham that was reproduced by the legendary Green Tiger Press.

The illustration was made for the Grimm's fairy tale "Little Brother and Little Sister" (1917).

This image inspires me--the voluminous sparkly gown, the woman with her long golden hair, the dancing slippers on the lower right--she could well be Cinderella getting ready for the ball.

Home is in My Mother's Eyes by Jessie Willcox Smith

Home is in My Mother's Eyes by Jessie Willcox Smith, originally uploaded by confections.

One of my favorites by Jessie Willcox Smith from my Green Tiger Press archives.

Clementine in Her New Crocheted Dress

Clementine in Her New Crocheted Dress, originally uploaded by confections.

I've been crocheting a bit more for my new Blythe dolls. I experimented with a cotton top a few days ago and then selected some variegated sock yarn for my next attempt.

This yarn (at such a small scale) created color blocks throughout the garment--a bit like a pastel mini-Mondrian dress. Clementine Louisa likes it nonetheless and actually has put her order in for more fun dresses to share with her sisters.

I'm going to knit a few, too.

"Secret Garden" by Jessie Willcox Smith

Secret Garden by Jessie Willcox Smith, originally uploaded by confections.

This is one of my favorite images printed by the Green Tiger Press back in its heyday. "Secret Garden" by Jessie Willcox Smith (1863 -1935) appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine in 1922.

This notecard was exactingly reproduced by the legendary Green Tiger Press in San Diego, California, in-house on a four-color Heidelberg printing press in the early 1980's. It displays all the attention to detail for which the Green Tiger Press was justifiably famous.

It is a reminder of childhood days and encourages me to cultivate my garden this spring.

Gardening by Jessie Willcox Smith

Gardening by Jessie Willcox Smith, originally uploaded by confections.

I've been delving into my vintage images from the Green Tiger Press lately in preparation for listing some in my Etsy shop. Jessie Willcox Smith's illustrations have always evoked nostalgia for childhood for me. This one is no exception. I am no gardener, I have no green thumb, but my Mother does. I see her in this image.

She and my father created many beautiful gardens at their various residences over the years. I will share images of them throughout the spring months.

When my Mom was visiting in March, we went to a favorite bookstore and I bought her a lovely gardening book with painterly photos of flowers--her joy.

I may have to dust off my Western Garden Book to see if I can make magic in my flower beds this season....