Woof.
He’s a fine fellow for a Monday morning, isn’t he. I only wish I felt so well-groomed myself.
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that he’s by Tom Eckersley, and he comes from this:
The book was published in 1947 and is filled with really wonderful illustrations.
So much so that the pictures can really do most of the talking here. They have to in the book as well, because the text really is infernally dull.
There’s a mix of full-page illustrations like the ones above, with smaller insets as well. So penguins are available singly or in fives.
There are also a couple of very pleasing layouts too.
Although the book is post-war, the style very much reminds me of the air-brushed Eckersley/Lombers London Transport posters from the late thirties
Although these rather lovely fish could almost have come from an Eric Ravilious plate.
What’s also pleasing is that I’m not pointing you at something which is jaw-achingly expensive, although you do have the option of buying it from Sotherans for £138 if you like the pain. But it’s on Abebooks for between £15 and £20, which makes a pleasant change.
And if the dust jacket is missing, it’s not quite the crying shame it might be for some books. Because the board covers also feature this lovely cat.
Who might almost have come from this book. I wonder if the Eckersleys kept cats themselves?
Wonderful post. Thanks for share. May I post it in my blog?
What have you done! Just been to the Sotherans website and it’s gone! If you only you hadn’t put this on your blog it wouldn’t have gone so quickly! The great paradox of the internet – you can show me a whole new world of brilliant illustrations by Tom Eckersley but, by the expedient, so you show everyone else. I was obviously too slow. Still, I’m £138 better off and enjoyed the post immensely.
Sadly, I’m not really that influential. If I’m entirely honest, it had disappeared before I posted, but I found it in a Google cache. Still, there’s always Abebooks for that slightly less than perfect copy (like ours!).