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This original artwork, for pages 2, 4, 5, 9, 15, and 20, was used for the book Come Play House written by Edith Osswald with illustrations by Eloise Wilkin. This book was published by Simon and Schuster in New York, New York, in 1948.

A Graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Eloise Wilkin (1904-1987) studied illustration. In her early years she worked as a freelance artist in New York City, illustrating schoolbooks for children learning to read, paper dolls and puzzles. She was married and raising a family in upstate New York when she started working from home creating illustrations for Little Golden Books in 1946. A prolific illustrator, Wilkin's work is easily identifiable for her adorable images of children with round faces and rosy pink cheeks. It is reported that she modeled her characters on her own family members and friends. Her beautifully detailed settings and backgrounds demonstrate her meticulous research and attention to detail. Her depiction of the idyllic home and family life reflected the post war optimism of the 1950s. She worked for Little Golden Books until 1984 and continued to design dolls for Vogue and Madame Alexander.

A stalwart Catholic, Wilkins was much attuned to the awakening social conscious of the 1960s. In 1964, the National Urban League, headed up by Whitney Young, brought attention to what he considered a fundamental omission on the part of the juvenile publishing world who he accused of racial stereotyping. Indeed, there were no children of color depicted in this vast category of books, but Eleanor Wilkin was one of the first illustrators to include an integrated classroom in We Like Kindergarten.

Original artwork, of page 12, from the book Howdy Doody's Lucky Trip, written by Edward Kean with illustrations by Harry McNaught, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1953.

In addition to Howdy Doody's Lucky Trip, Harry McNaught illustrated several Little Golden Books, including the Wizard of Oz series from the 1950s, the popular Animal Babies and several Big Golden Books on nature and science. More recently, he created the images for two Little Golden Books on the characters from the Muppets.

From 1947 to 1960, the Howdy Doody Show was the leading children’s TV program in the United States. The creator of the Howdy Doody character, “Buffalo” Bob Smith, first performed him as a radio character. When the show transitioned to TV, Frank Paris created the new puppet, but left the show (with the puppet) in 1948 to disputes over merchandising rights. Velma Dawson created the now ubiquitous Howdy Doody that debuted in 1949. This Howdy Doody became popular spokes character, hawking sponsored products on the show or in print.

Original artwork, of page 9, for the book New Brother New Sister, written by Jean Fielder with illustrations by Joan Esley, and published by Golden Press in New York, New York, in 1966.

Marjorie Joan Esley (1904-2000) was born in upstate New York and showed a proficiency for art at a young age. She attended the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute (now known as RIT) and the Grand Central School of Art in New York City. During her time at RIT she became close friends with a fellow student, Eloise Wilkin, who also became an illustrator for Little Golden Books. Esley, worked as a freelance artist illustrating children’s readers for school textbooks, as well as drawing for the Girl Scout Magazine and the Post. Esley contracted with Little Golden Books to work on New Brother, New Sister and Play Street, both written by Esther Wilkin, sister-in-law of fellow illustrator, Eloise Wilkin. In addition to her work as an illustrator, Esley went on to author and illustrate several books of her own.

The concept of the "here and now” as seen in New Brother, New Sister, was Golden Books attempt to introduce and link children to everyday life experiences. Promoted in home advice columns as well as advertisements, this book and others like The New Baby, were early attempts to help 2-5-year old children welcome the new sibling to the family. The theories behind progressive education stressed the need for intellectual, personal and emotional development in order to create a well-rounded individual.

This roller organ roll was likely made by the Munroe Organ Reed Company in Worcester, Mashachusetts, around 1880-1883. It was sold by the J. Howard Foote Company in New York and Chicago. It is a perforated Clariona roll, No. 19, 31 feet. The roll plays the following tunes:

Little Beauty Waltz
Bella Waltz
Home Waltz

John Howard Foote (1833-1896) was a musical instrument dealer with shops in New York City and Chicago. This Clariona roll (19) listed in an 1880s J. Howard Foote catalog, sold for $1.40.

This roller organ was likely made by the Munroe Organ Reed Company in Worcester, Mashachusetts, about 1882. It was sold by the J. Howard Foote Company in New York and Chicago. It is a Clariona model, Serial #988252, made of walnut with 14 brass reeds. This instrument plays 8" wide perforated paper rolls and operates by a hand cranked vacuum system. Printed on a paper label:

THE REED-PIPE CLARIONA

This instrument features the following patents:

U. S. Patent #73080 dated January 7, 1868, by Jonas Berger for an improvement in key-coupling for musical instruments.

U. S. Patent #203257 dated May 7, 1878, by Merritt Gally for improvements in musical instruments. Reissue #8856 dated August 19, 1879.

U. S. Patent #222030 dated November 25, 1879, by Merritt Gally for improvements in musical instruments.

U. S. Patent #236275 dated January 4, 1881, by Frank Stone for improvements in valve devices for organ-bellows.

U. S. Patent #252844 dated January 24, 1882, by Henry B. Morris and Lucien A. Brott assignors to The Autophone Company for improvements in mechanical musical instruments.

John Howard Foote (1833-1896) was a musical instrument dealer with shops in New York City and Chicago. This make and style of reed pipe clariona as listed in an 1880s J. Howard Foote catalog, sold for $8.00.

This roller organ roll was likely made by the Munroe Organ Reed Company in Worcester, Mashachusetts, around 1880-1883. It was sold by the J. Howard Foote Company in New York and Chicago. It is a perforated paper Clariona roll, No. 15, 19-3/4 feet. The roll plays the following tunes:

Watch on the Rhine
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp
Home Sweet Home
Yankee Doodle

John Howard Foote (1833-1896) was a musical instrument dealer with shops in New York City and Chicago. This Clariona roll (#15) listed in an 1880s J. Howard Foote catalog, sold for 90 cents.