Family & Social Life

Original artwork for the book, Nurse Nancy, written by Kathryn Jackson with illustrations by Corinne Malvern, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1952.

Raised in New Jersey, Corinne Malvern (1901-1956) was a child actress who, along with her sister, performed in traveling plays, vaudeville and movies. After an accident in her teens, Malvern was forced to give up her acting career and later attended the Art Students League of New York. Proficient in watercolor, pastel, pencil and ink and paint, she launched a career as a commercial artist, and was known for her fashion illustrations and magazine covers. Shortly after, she teamed up with her sister, a children’s author, and began drawing children’s books, including seventeen for the Little Golden Book series, including Doctor Dan, Nurse Nancy, How Big?, Susie’s New Stove, and 5 Pennies to Spend.

Some of the most popular Little Golden Books were early experiments in product placement. In addition to teaching basic first aid tips, Dr. Dan and Nurse Nancy books included junior size Johnson and Johnson Band Aids.

Doctor Dan the Bandage Man and Nurse Nancy represent examples of innovative display and marketing techniques. Simon & Schuster paired with Johnson & Johnson to promote the latter’s brand-name “Band-Aids” and targeted one of its likeliest consumers, children. Boys and girls would sport Band-Aids in colorful shapes of stars, hearts, circles and flowers, from samples included in the pages of the book, all the while learning the basics of first aid.

Original artwork for the book Lucky Mrs. Ticklefeather, written by Dorothy Kunhardt with illustrations by J.P. Miller, and published by Simon and Schuster in New York, New York, in 1951.

John Parr Miller (1913-2004) was a native New Yorker who initially worked in the model department of Disney Studios from 1934-1942. He created characters for some of the earliest Disney productions, including Pinocchio, Fantasia and Dumbo. His interests expanded to include children’s illustrations, and his first assignment with Little Golden Books was the artwork for the Little Red Hen, one of the original fifteen books published in 1942. Working in a simple somewhat abstract style, Miller utilized bold, sharp lines and bright colors to make his images appear more graphic than painterly.

Pee Wee Russell Jazz Ensemble. side 1: I'd Climb the Highest Mountain; side 2: Red Hot Mama (Disc 5055), from the album, Pee Wee Russell Jazz Ensemble (Disc 632).
78 rpm.

Album cover illustration was by David Stone Martin (born David Livingstone Martin, 1913-1992). Martin was an American artist best known for his illustrations on jazz album covers for labels including Mercury, Asch, Disc, and Dial. Many of his commissions were from Martin’s longtime friend, American jazz record producer and concert promoter Norman Granz (1918-2001).

Original artwork, of page 6 and 7, for the book Let's Go Shopping with Peter and Penny, written and illustrated by Lenora Fees Combes and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1948.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1919, Lenora Fees Combes pursued a career in art and writing. She graduated from the Cleveland School of Art where she studied painting and illustration and her work was exhibited at the Chicago Museum of Art in 1940. In addition to illustrating children's books, she worked as an interior designer, painted murals and designed wallpaper. Combes also worked for a time with CBS and contributed stories to children's magazines.

side 1: Celeste Holm with Oklahoma Orchestra. I Can't Say No; side 2: Alfred Drake and Howard da Silva with Oklahoma Orchestra. Pore Jud Is Daid (Decca 23286), from the album, Oklahoma! (Decca A-359). 78 rpm.

This album is from the 1943 Broadway musical Oklahoma!, with book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music by Richard Rogers. Oklahoma! opened on March 31, 1943 at the St. James Theatre and ran for 2,212 performances.

Original artwork, of page 38, for the book, Two Little Miners, written by Margaret Wise Brown with illustrations by Richard Scarry, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1949. Two Little Miners is part of the Little Golden Books Civic Series. These books introduced young children to the everyday working man, fundamental occupations and essential public service jobs such as policeman, fireman and postman.

Scarry's physical depiction of the two miners and some of the elements depicted in the home scenes are reminiscent of immigrants from southern Europe. According to the online resource, eWV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia, “individuals of Italian extraction constitute one of the most important ethnic groups in West Virginia’s population. Most of these Italian Americans date their connection with the state to ancestors who were recruited during the early years of the 20th century to serve the labor needs of West Virginia’s rapidly developing industrial economy. With more than 17,000 Italian immigrants in the state by 1910, they made up 30 percent of West Virginia’s foreign-born population.”

“The great majority of Italian immigrants were employed in the coal industry as pick-and-shovel miners. West Virginia mines were among the most mechanized in this country, but miners born in America or northern Europe generally operated the new machines and usually earned better money, while their counterparts from less favored regions did the handwork.”

Better known for his animal characters and the Busytown series, Richard Scarry (1919-1994) was one of the most prolific 20th-century authors and illustrators of children’s books. He attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston until he was drafted into the army during World War II. After the war, Scarry worked as a freelance artist and contracted with Simon & Schuster to work on the Little Golden Book series. His first illustrations appeared in Two Little Miners, a 1949 story written by Margaret Wise Brown. Scarry’s most popular Little Golden Book was Best Word Book Ever, published in 1963. He published more than 500 children’s books, most depicting animals who took on human characteristics.

Earl Hines. side 1: 57 Varieties; side 2: I Ain't Got Nobody (Columbia 35875), from the album, Hot Jazz Classics - Earl Hines (Columbia C-41).
78 rpm. Both tracks were originally recorded in 1928 and released on Okeh 8653. This album was released in 1944.

The cover art for this album was made by Alex Steinweiss. Alexander “Alex” Steinweiss (1917-2011) was an American artist and graphic designer. He was the first art director of Columbia Records, expanding the use of album covers and cover art. Steinweiss created album cover art from 1938 to 1973.

Five Pennies to Spend, by Miriam Young with illustrations by Corinne Malvern and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1955.

Raised in New Jersey, Corinne Malvern (1901-1956) was a child actress who, along with her sister, performed in traveling plays, vaudeville and movies. After an accident in her teens, Malvern was forced to give up her acting career and later attended the Art Students League of New York. Proficient in watercolor, pastel, paint, pencil and ink, she launched a career as a commercial artist, and was known for her fashion illustrations and magazine covers. Shortly after, she teamed up with her sister, a children’s author, and began drawing children’s books. She illustrated seventeen Little Golden Books, including Doctor Dan, Nurse Nancy, How Big?, Susie’s New Stove, and 5 Pennies to Spend.