Martin and Alice Provensen Christmas Cards

I came across these great silk screened Christmas cards by Alice and Martin Provensen on ebay. A successful husband and wife team, Martin and Alice Provensen illustrated many children's books over a long career in their distinctive and popular style. To read about the Provensen's, click here. All images are via ebay seller bview26.

Alexander and the Magic Mouse, Philippe Fix

Today's vintage children's picture book is another goodie illustrated by Philippe Fix, whose lush and highly detailed illustrations enhance Alexander and the Magic Mouse. I can't imagine any child not wanting to read a book about a older woman who keeps house with an alligator from China, a yak, a Brindle London Squatting cat and a Magical Mouse! 

Great vantage point on the above illustration. To view a previous posting I did on The Book of Giant Stories, illustrated by Philippe Fix, click here. There is a little bit of information about Fix, all I've been able to find to date. 

Alexander and the Magic Mouse

By Martha Sanders

Pictures by Philippe Fix

American Heritage Press, 1969

Weekly Reader Children's Book Club Edition

The Clean Pig, Leonard Wisegard

I found this book, The Clean Pig, on a recent thrift outing. It has many issues:

ex-library, writing in the book, a few tears and a couple loose pages, but it's hard for me to pass up a book by Leonard Weisgard, especially one that I don't have. It was less than a dollar plus it's perfect for scanning, so win-win. 

I really like the sepia colors in this book. Weisgard was a master at working with limited color schemes. His compositions are great also.

The Clean Pig

Written and Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard

Charles Scribner's Sons, 1952

To read about Leonard Weisgard, click here.

At Water's Edge, Charles Payzant

Today's vintage children's book, At Water's Edge, is from 1955. I really like these types of books where the layout and color scheme change from page to page, with the typography as well as the illustrations. It's creative, interesting and fun.

I have to apologize, this book was about an inch bigger than my scanner for a page spread, so there is a bit cut off, mostly on the right side.

Charles Payzant (1898-1980), was born in Nova Scotia, Canada. According to Sullivan Goss, Payzant worked in a watercolor medium that characterized the California Regionalist Movement in the early 20th century and contributed to innovations that shaped artists working in California at that time. 

To read more about Charles Payzant, click here.

At Water's Edge

By Terry Shannon

Illustrated by Charles Payzant

Sterling Publishing Co., 1955