Original Book Illustration Art

This east coast watercolorist and children's book artist illustrated and often also wrote a wide array of children's books from the 1930s into the 1960s -- including "Wilderness Pet," "Wiggly and Giggly the Little Twin Bears," "Whitetail: King of the Forest," "The Three Puppies," "The Small One," "The Nutcracker of Nuremberg," "The Bluebird," "The Night Before Christmas," "The Enchantment of Santa Claus," "The Christ Child," "Pussy Cat Talks to Her Kittens," "Polly Parrot," "Piccolino," "Is There a Santa Claus" as well as some "Dick and Jane Basic Readers." Offered here is the near-complete original illustration art for Smock's 1937 children's book "Jocko," written by Dorothy Winchell and published by Albert Whitman & Co. of Chicago. Represented here is almost the entire book, from front cover art through closing "The End" image -- lacking only 3-4 pages (front board graphic, frontispiece, pages 21 and 31). Most are in the form of ca. 10" X 15" heavy stock art boards, most with typeset text blocks, pagination and other typeset elements stripped in. All are beautifully inked in black and shaded in pale blue. There is a smaller form full-color title page and half-title page and sixth text page, these with the text portions entirely hand lettered. Very good. Stripped-in text blocks are usually slightly discolored from the rubber cement with which they were affixed; occasional light soiling and bit of occasional edgewear. Many original tissue overlays are present, and these are generally heavily chipped and sometimes partial given their delicate nature, though many contain pencilled coloring instructions, etc. Four drawings are present in oversize form (two 22" X 15", two 15" X 18½"). Overall quite attractive and quite displayable. Jocko the monkey is a fictional character seen in 19th century texts such as the 1875 short story "Jocko the Monkey" by Fanny P. Seaverns. The Steiff company issued a monkey stuffed animal named Jocko in the late 19th century, and various other Jocko the Monkey products have appeared over the years, from cookie jars to posters. There were a series of silent short films about Jocko in the 1920s, etc. -- all interesting predecessors to Hans and Margret Rey's "Curious George," which debuted in France in 1939. "Jocko" is the charming tale of "a bright little monkey" named Jocko and his owner, an organ grinder named Rollo. Through no fault of his own, Jocko gets lost and causes accidents and chaos all about him. He ends up the center of attention at a circus parade. Jocko is asked to join, but luckily Rollo finds him at the last moment and they are happily reunited. A delightful collection from the height of this illustrator's fame. It's most unusual to find the nearly complete artwork from an entire book of this period.