;)
;)
;)
;)
Found: Land of Make Believe
This poster shuttles me right back smack into my childhood. I get that happy kid feeling every time I look at it, that combination of feeling the warm sun on the top of my head, the comfort of hearing my parents' voices at night in the car on a family vacation, the smell of library books or lilacs or mosquito repellent or buttered bread toasting in my grandma's oven.
It shows the geography of the land of make believe, with all the fairy tales and nursery rhymes staking their own places on the map...some of them in the middle of the action (the three bears coming back to their cottage, Simple Simon meeting the pieman) and others just labeled and left to the imagination (here lives Peter Pan, with an arrow pointing to a grove of trees).
detail of my copy of The Land of Make Believe
My grandma had this poster. So did Mrs. Pollard, the local lady who made hand-dipped chocolates in her basement. I was always a fan; my wishes came true when I was given mine a few years ago. I adore it. I started wondering about it, trying to trace the artist and story behind it & even the copyright to see if I could reproduce it myself & spread the joyous word of The Land of Make Believe. Mine was published in 1930 by The Child's Wonderland Co. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, but that information didn't lead me anywhere.
Well {choir of angels} I found it! This week I located a reproduction company who has the rights (sigh. I'm a little sad I didn't get them. But congrats to RDI). Their version is a bit brighter than mine. I kind of like the old-fashioned feel of the subdued colors (probably due to fading) more than the newer one but I'm so thrilled to locate the poster and learn more about the artist.
Jaro Hess was born in Czechoslovakia. He eventually settled (the newspaper article is cut off so I don't know the whole story) in Michigan and became a landscape designer. He submitted his oil painting Adventure in Storyland (its original title) to the Children's Literature division of the Chicago World's Fair, where it won prizes.
You can click here if you're interested in getting one for yourself ($65).
Here are a few details of the poster from the RDI website:
Everyone needs a wonderful moo-moo bird in their life. Which fairy tale/nursery rhyme is that? A few other unknowns from the poster: grandfather know-it-all, the high tower where the little lame prince was locked, the city of brass. Anyone know these? Anyone? Anyone?
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Reader Comments (12)
Yes, I much prefer your version. I like a good faded look to things like that. Very, very cool. I'd also like to know more about the woman who dipped chocolates in her basement. There's a story there, I can feel it.
I am sorry to say that I don't know anything about any of those nursery rhymes, though the one about the lame boy being locked up sounds particularly interesting.
I had the map poster hanging in my room when I was little. I've always wondered what happened to it. What a great little discovery...thanks for sharing!
I can't help you on the nursery rhyme either. I did google wonderful moo moo bird and no decent hits. Hmmm....suspicious.
I love finding the "lost" things of childhood. I have started picking up books I loved as a child. One of my favorite treasures is Girls Can Be Anything by Norma Klein in which Marina learns she does not have to listen to Adam. He won't define her. She will define herself. She can be a pilot; she does not have to be the "stewardess" because she is a girl. She can be a doctor if she chooses; she does not have to be the nurse. She can even be the President of the United States (is this the year?) It is more than the very 1970s, very New York feel to the text that I love - I love that faded blue linen-like cover that reminds me of being little. I love finding treasures of my childhood. I think I might have to "steal" some of the gold from yours... -D
Annie, I think the art work is whimsical and I'm glad you could find the poster which brings back memories of your childhood.
We had an illustrated poster entitled As the Saying Goes... Now you have you have got me thinking that I might like to have that again for old time's sake.
Thank you so much for this post, and for the various artwork in the right-hand side of your blog. I love to find new artists and you have introduced me to a few (I love Brian Kershisnik). I don't know how I linked to your blog (it was a few weeks ago) but I just wanted to come out of lurking and say thanks!
Sally,
Thanks for dropping by...I'm going to have to check out Brian Kershisnik. Stop by anytime!
Marty,
Small world! I love that you looked at this poster, too, when you were growing up.
D,
I'm going to have to look up that book. Very girl power!
Update: A friend e-mailed me the real scoop on the little lame prince story (which she heard growing up), so I've confirmed that fairy tale. Thanks, PW!
Jaro Hess!....What a great poster- I went to his website and after looking at the picture for a while I decided that the cave/hole that says "don't go in here" is awesome- imagination runs wild...not just for kids. About 10 years ago I developed a love for Thomas McKnight paintings......so peaceful, always a spot to imagine yourself in the attempt for an idyllic mental retreat.
Thank you for putting this online. Through the years I have periodocially tried to remember the name of the WONDERFUL poster/map that I spent so many hours pouring over. As a child this poster hung right next to my bed and as I laid there I could "journey" down the path and visit all the familiar characters. What a JOY to have it finally identified... and learn of a place to get a copy....
And I thought I was the only one!! I had this poster as a child and have dreamed about it ever since. I don't know what even happened to my first one, I think it got so damaged and eventually gave way to Fontzie posters. I have lived in Europe for ages and have even called the old toy store where I got it from over 30 years ago. They only had one copy left and weren't selling. On a recent trip to Berkeley I went to the store and wrote down the name of the company that produced it, but LOST the paper. So I tried Googling randomly and THERE YOU ARE! I am ordering today, thanks!!
I grew up with this map on my bedroom wall. No doubt it played some role in my later interest in writing fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and RPGing.
It's an amazing amalgamation of all the classic fairy tales!
Hey, that gives me an idea............
I have it