Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - February - 2007 Issue
Back to Childhood with Aleph-Bet Books
L. Frank Baum's Army and Navy Alphabets.
Here is one that takes offensiveness international. The book is Our Little Philippine Kiddies, part of the "Kids of Many Colors" series by Grace Duffie Boylan. These 1901 Philippine children look remarkably like grotesque American Black characterizations. This book doesn't limit itself to Philippine children, but also takes on American Blacks, pygmies, Arabs, Mexicans, and Indians. It's doubtful that Ms. Boylan meant any harm, but she sure could have used some sensitivity training. Item 90. $300. Incidentally, the 2000 film "A Rumor of Angels" is based on a later and very different Boylan book where she speaks of receiving messages from the great beyond after her son died in the First World War.
Here is a unique item. It is a nude drawing by none other than Dr. Seuss! Okay, I've made it sound a bit more risqué than it is. It is Seuss' drawing of Teenie Godiva looking a gift horse in the mouth. This illustration, in reduced form, was used in his book The Seven Lady Godivas from 1937. It is typical Seuss and this "Teenie" Godiva is quite overweight and will appeal to no one's prurient interests. Item 481. $50,000. Also offered is a series of Seuss drawings for This is Ann, the story of a mosquito published to humorously warn servicemen in World War II of the dangers of mosquitoes and malaria. Most feature the quite evil-looking Ann.
Here is an unusual item by "Flight Lieutenant Roald Dahl." The title is The Gremlins, and it tells of these creatures that plague pilots, of which Dahl was one (with the RAF). Although Dahl was British, the book was first published in 1943 in the U.S. by Disney. It was meant to accompany an animated film that was never made. Item 165. $3,850.
Speaking of Disney, here is a Disney book inscribed by Walt himself. It is the 1956 work Our Friend the Atom. It was written by Heinz Haber, a German astrophysicist who intelligently switched sides after the War. He received his training working on decidedly unfriendly uses for the friendly atom. Item 186. $4,750.
There are many more entertaining and collectible books within this wonderful catalogue. You may reach Aleph-Bet Books through their website, www.alephbet.com or at 914-764-7410.
