Thursday, September 3, 2009

Palmer Cox and the Brownies

Today I wanted to review the main Palmer Cox Brownie books. As I mentioned yesterday there are nine of them.

All were published by The Century Company.

1. The Brownies, Their Book 1887
2. Another Brownie Book 1890
3. The Brownies At Home 1893
4. The Brownies Around the World 1894
5. The Brownies Through the Union 1895
6. The Brownies Abroad 1899
7. The Brownies in the Philippines 1904
8. The Brownies' Latest Adventures 1910
9. The Brownies Many More Nights 1913

The London publisher T. Fisher Unwin published the first eight books in the same year as the Century publication.



















Books #1,2,5,8, and 9 mainly came from previously published material in St. Nicholas. Books #3 and 4 came from previously published Ladies' Home Journal material. Book #6 came from the newspaper editions of the Chicago Inter-Ocean. Book #7 also came from newspaper material from the New York Herald.

Saalfield reprinted the first five books.

These books are oversized (10.25 x 8.5). Contrary to popular belief, they did have dust jackets originally. One is shown here.

Also worthy of note is one other series by Palmer Cox. These are the Queer People Books. There were four of them all published by Hubbard Bros. They are comprised of previously published works in either St. Nicholas or Harper's Young People.
1. Queer People with Wings and Stings 1888
2. Queer People with paws and Claws 1888
3. Queer Pole Such as Goblins, Giants, Merry Men and Monarchs
and Their Kweer Kapers 1888
4. Queer People with Paws, Claws, Wings, Stings and Many Without Either 1888

These books are 10 x 8.25. I assume they were jacketed but I do not have an example to show you.

Palmer Cox wrote and illustrated countless magazine articles and books. This is just a sampling.

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