The Flower Babies' Book [First Edition] [In Original Publisher's Box] [M. T. 'Penny' Ross]

Scott, Anna Miller

Published by Rand McNally & Co., Chicago, 1914

About this Item

A SPECTACULAR SURVIVOR OF THE EDWARDIAN 'FLOWER CHILD' GENRE, FEATURING THE WHIMSICAL ANTHROPOMORPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF M. T. 'PENNY' ROSS. This first edition is preserved in its elusive original pictorial box, a rarity for children's books of this period which were typically handled to destruction. Ross-a mentor to Walt Disney and collaborator on 'Buster Brown'-brings a pre-animation vitality to these botanical personifications, making this a foundational crossover piece for both Disney and botanical art collectors. KEY FEATURES +++ Visuals: Densely illustrated throughout with Ross's signature 'Baby' characters dressed as garden blossoms. +++ Binding: Original Moiré-backed pictorial boards with matching illustrated endpapers. +++ Content: Whimsical botanical verses designed to introduce children to nature through fantasy and personification. +++ Associated Names: Illustrated by M. T. 'Penny' Ross, a key figure in early Chicago illustration and a future Disney set designer. +++ Imprint: First Edition, First Printing. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., 1914. +++ Rarity: Uncommon in this condition; significantly scarce with the original publisher's box. CONDITION: Very Good in a Good Box -- Bindings are tight and square; text is clean with light, even age-toning. Moderate shelf handling wear includes rubbed corners. The original box remains intact, showing typical rubs and age-fading but serving as an exceptional protective and bibliographical artifact. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE -- M. T. 'Penny' Ross was a titan of the early 20th-century Chicago art scene, working alongside R. F. Outcault and later serving as one of Walt Disney's first professional co-workers. His 'Babies' series for Rand McNally (which included 'Flower Babies', 'Animal Babies', and others) helped define the 'Cute' aesthetic that would eventually become a cornerstone of American animation. Ross's ability to imbue botanical subjects with human personality predates the 'Silly Symphonies' and reflects the high-Edwardian fascination with 'Nature Fakers' and nursery-room botany. 'The Flower Babies' Book' was published during a transitional era in children's literature, where educational goals were increasingly wrapped in high-art fantasy. For a collector, the survival of the box is the primary draw; it suggests this copy was likely a 'gift' item that was shelved and admired rather than used in a nursery, preserving the delicate Moiré back and the vibrancy of the cover label. SUBJECTS: Botanical Art, Anthropomorphism, Early Disney History, Chicago Illustrators, Nature Study, Edwardian Children's Books, Children's Literature, Illustrated Book, Botanical Fantasy. No Dust Jacket, As Issued in the Original Box.

Seller Inventory # 21610

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Flower Babies' Book [First Edition] [In Original Publisher's Box] [M. T. 'Penny' Ross]
• Publisher: Rand McNally & Co., Chicago
• Publication Date: 1914
• Illustrator: Illustrated by Penny Ross.
• Edition: First Edition, First Printing.
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 3 pounds
• Seller catalogs:
  • LITERATURE [Many Sub-Catagories]
  • LITERATURE: CHILDREN'S BOOKS