Monday, April 25, 2011

At the market for old books


As noted elsewhere, I returned to the book market and haggled for three books: all children's books, one 1924, the next 1931, and finally 1953. This is the 1931 book which is illustrated by Marie Madeleine Franc-Nohain, born in 1879 and died in 1942. Buried beside her husband - who was a writer - in Pere LaChaise Cemetery. There are a range of her books available over the internet. There are over 20 books listed there. This was her fourth. Each page is an illustration with a short story. The page I have chosen here is a story about Robert taking his sister for a walk along with their dog, Mouton. Mouton is mocked by a bird on a high branch for being slow. Yet his masters only have feet. How fast would they be with wings.

3 comments:

diane b said...

I can see you reading these to Alanna (forgot the spelling) as soon as you are home

Julie said...

More so reading the pictures, DB. They are sooo Parisian - dated yes, but still reek of the olde-worlde. See those little wrought-iron loops around the grass in the park in the illustration? They are still everywhere.

Alannah ...

Joan Elizabeth said...

I am so glad you've posted one of the books .. I must admit to being intrigued to see what they were like. I have some of my parents childhood books that they received as Sunday school prizes in the 1920s but they are practically adult books and very moral not lovely picture books like this. Fortunately by they time I went to Sunday school picture books were all the go.