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Original artwork, of page 16, for the book Here Comes the Parade, written by Kathryn Jackson with illustrations by Richard Scarry, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1951.

Better known for his animal characters and the Busytown series, Richard Scarry (1919-1994) was one of the most prolific authors and illustrators of 20th century 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.

In Here Comes the Parade, depicting the beloved Macy's Thanksgiving parade in downtown New York City, Scarry's illustrations are sketched in pencil, colored with gouache and outlined with pen and ink. This annual celebration ushers in the busy Christmas holiday season and Scarry includes a vast array of participants, including a policeman, vendors, performers, bands, spectators and of course the giant balloons. The balloon figures include well-known book characters from The Wizard of Oz, as well as more recent popular TV figures such as Howdy Doody and Mickey Mouse and his friends.

The book’s subject represents one of the basic concepts supported by the progressive education movement, which encouraged literature celebrating the “here and now”—everyday life experiences—and aimed to tell stories about real events.

This music box disc was made by Lloyd G. Kelley, successor to the Regina Music Box Company, in Hanover, Massachusetts, 1950s. It is Regina Disc #1225 – “Push Dem Clouds Away” by Percy Gaunt. This disc is playable in a Regina Disc Music Box that can accommodate a 15-1/2” diameter disc.

This disc features the following patents:

U. S. Patent #417649, dated December 17, 1889, by Oskar Paul Lochmann for a music plate for mechanical instruments.

U. S. Patent #500374, dated June 27, 1893, by Gustav A. Brachhausen and Paul Riessner for a note-plate for music boxes.

WANN radio DJ “Hank” used this name tag during the 1950s and 1960s in Annapolis, Maryland. The purple fabric name tag in a pin-back rectangular brass frame is printed “HANK.” A purple ribbon hanging from the brass frame is printed “WANN/DIAL/1190” in gold lettering.

WANN (1190 AM) was a radio station based out of Annapolis, Maryland that primarily served the area's growing African American community. Morris Blum founded it in 1946, and it broadcast to the entire mid-Atlantic region. The station was home to disc jockey Charles "Hoppy" Adams starting in the early 1950s. Adams hosted weekly events at a local African American only beach, Carr's Beach, which were popular with the area's youth population.

WANN continued to program gospel, rhythm and blues, and public affairs features until 1992 when the station changed to a mainstream country format with the catchphrase “Bay Country 1190.” Around 1998, the station changed ownership and became WBIS, broadcasting a News Talk Information format.

Original artwork used for page 11 of the book, Doctor Squash the Doll Doctor, written by Margaret Wise Brown with illustrations by J.P. Miller and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1952.

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.

Oscar Peterson. side 1: Three O'Clock in the Morning; side 2: All the Things You Are (Mercury 8923), from the album, Oscar Peterson (Mercury C106).
78 rpm.

The cover art for this album 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, Clef, 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 14, for the book Here Comes the Parade, written by Kathryn Jackson with illustrations by Richard Scarry, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1951.

Better known for his animal characters and the Busytown series, Richard Scarry (1919-1994) was one of the most prolific authors and illustrators of 20th century 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.

In Here Comes the Parade, depicting the beloved Macy's Thanksgiving parade in downtown New York City, Scarry's illustrations are sketched in pencil, colored with gouache and outlined with pen and ink. This annual celebration ushers in the busy Christmas holiday season and Scarry includes a vast array of participants, including a policeman, vendors, performers, bands, spectators and of course the giant balloons. The balloon figures include well-known book characters from The Wizard of Oz, as well as more recent popular TV figures such as Howdy Doody and Mickey Mouse and his friends.

The book’s subject represents one of the basic concepts supported by the progressive education movement, which encouraged literature celebrating the “here and now”—everyday life experiences—and aimed to tell stories about real events.

Lu Watters and his Yerba Buena Jazz Band. side 1: Sage Hen Strut; side 2: When the Saints Go Marching In (Mercury 11051), from the album, Lu Watters Jazz (Mercury C-103).
78 rpm.

The cover art for this album 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, Clef, 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 21, for the book Howdy Doody's Circus, written by Edward Kean with illustrations by Liz Dauber and Don Gormely, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1950.

During the 1940s and 1950s, Don Gormley created drawings for the popular Dell comic book series, Dell's Four Colors, that included Disney characters like Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Porky Pig as well as the popular cartoon character Oswald the Rabbit from 1942-1962. Additionally, he illustrated characters created by Walter Lantz, including Mr. McGoo and Andy Panda.

Liz Dauber's art career included working in several mediums, including illustrations, painting and magazine cover art. In her early years, she created colorful cover art for the popular New York women’s fashion magazine Mademoiselle. Married to Gregorio Prestopino, a painter of the Ashcan school, she and her husband were part of the planned community called Jersey Homesteads. Established by FDR during the Depression, this cooperative effort was meant to foster industrial, agricultural and artistic endeavors that served and enriched the community. Her illustrations for Howdy Doody's Circus was her sole effort for Little Golden Books, but she went on to illustrate several children and young adult books that featured topics about history, folklore and biographies. Her emphasis on juvenile literature also included books for the Scholastic Young Reader series and the Ginnie books.