Ellen Jane by Frances Margaret Fox, Illus. Dorothy Gregory Hardcover 1924 Lovely

Description: ELLEN JANE written by Frances Margaret Fox and illustrated by Dorothy Lake Gregory. Copyright 1924 by Rand McNally and Company, Chicago & NYC. First Edition. Second printing. Hardcover in great condition. Pencil inscription dated 1930 on inside cover page with bookseller tiny notations of price $35 and condition - “bright copy” (photo). 104 pages with 4 colored full-page illustrations. Measures 8” x 5.75”. Decorative Binding. Condition: Near Fine. Dorothy Lake Gregory (illustrator). Four lovely color plates. A very nice gift conditon. Trace edge wear at the spine ends and corners, else very good or better in blue cloth with gilt lettering and borders, color design on front board. No dust jacket. An attractive, bright, well-preserved copy of a beautifully illustrated antique children’s book. “Dorothy Lake Gregory (1893–1975) was an American artist best known for her work as a printmaker and illustrator of children's books. She took art classes in public school and at the age of fourteen began making drawings for a New York newspaper. She studied art in Paris in her late teens and thereafter took classes at Pratt Institute, the Art Students League of New York, and the Cape Cod School of Art. Her career as a professional artist began with her participation in an exhibition of paintings at the Art Students League in 1918. Her first book illustrations appeared three years later. She first showed prints in an exhibition held in 1935. She continued as artist, illustrator, and printmaker for most of the rest of her life employing throughout a different style for each of the three media. In 1956, a critic contrasted the "cubistic" painting style of that time with the book illustration style for which she was better known, saying he had heard gallery-goers incredulously remark, ‘But she can't be the same Dorothy Lake Gregory.’” “Frances Margaret "Madge" Fox was born in South Framingham (Mass.) on June 23, 1870. She was the only child of James and Frances S. M. (Francks) Fox. Mrs. Fox died twelve days after Madge was born. Madge was abused by her father physically and psychologically. As a result of her fear of men, Madge never married. Between 1880 and 1883 her family moved to Mackinaw City (Mich.) where James worked as a railroad agent. Eventually, her family gave her to the neighbors, the Joslyns. Madge and several generations of Joslyns remained close throughout their lives. Madge attended primary school in Mackinaw City and, later, the Michigan Seminary in Kalamazoo (Mich.). Returning to Mackinaw City she formed a "kindergarten," becoming in effect the area's first primary teacher. Madge also taught in other local schools, including Levering (Mich.), and worked as a secretary in Bay City (Mich.). Madge formed a Sunshine Club for young children where she told her stories. Author William Thomson (1824-1898) was so impressed by her stories that he "commanded" Madge to write and not waste her talent. She then began writing. Her stories vary greatly in topic but were based on either her first hand experience or interviews of others, including the Joslyn children, or from her research. The vast majority of her stories are non-fiction. As an adult, Madge spent most of her winters in Washington, D. C. While there, she researched at the National Archives, Library of Congress, and Smithsonian Institute. She also talked with retired diplomats, politicians, and military men about their lives and interesting experiences they had seen and witnessed. She visited national monuments, for example, with specialists to understand the monuments and sculptures, American patent models to understand flypaper and sewing machines, the military to document American army mules, the National Zoo to write about the animals and keepers there, and the main D. C. Post Office to research Owney, the well traveled postal dog. She ws granted regular access to national archival collections. Many of her stories were initially published in religious (sabbath school) and secular magazines for children. Her Little Bear stories were particularly popular and were eventually published as separate books by Rand McNally & Company. She was a nationally recognized authors from at least the 1920s through the early 1950s. Her non-fiction books about birds and the migration of flowers to the U.S. were very popular with adults. The Clarke has 63 and the Library of Congress has 38 of her books in their collections. Madge was also responsible for selecting the historically significant downtown street names in Mackinaw City, at the request of the City Commissioners. By 1955 Madge moved to Detroit due to ill health where she was near the Joslyns. She died on March 1, 1959. Her ashes were deposited in the Straits by Alan Joslyn who presented a collection of her signed books and photographs to the Mackianw Women's Club library, now the public library in Mackinaw City (Mich.). (This information is from the collection.) Her home, Happy Landings, still stands in Mackinaw City (in 2008).” Please do not hesitate to ask any questions.

Price: 50 USD

Location: Morgantown, West Virginia

End Time: 2025-01-28T21:48:04.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.38 USD