posted: June 12, 2008

Just sharing this novel which I picked up in a local charity shop the other day for a couple of pounds.

Among all the other books, on the shelf, this spine really stood out

I have no idea who the designer was but  I'd like to shake his hand... if he's still alive that is.


The Day Khruschev Panicked
by George B Mair
1961 First Edition
Cassell & Co Ltd

posted: March 16, 2008

Kroniger recently forwarded me the link to this blogger Kavel Rafferty's collection of nice company record sleeves.

I usually overlook the boxes of these in junk shops but a I spotted this one recently in a local chairty shop and had to buy it.

It makes me smile.

The artist credit is C.V.V ... Maybe someone out there might know who this is?

posted: February 22, 2008

I'm pretty tied up with longer term projects right now so don't have much recent stuff to post right now.

Rather than neglect my drawger blog completely, I thought I'd post more about the things that inspire me or cool things I've dug up in charity shops...

I've been a big Scarry fan for a long time, but I hadn't seen his earlier stuff before... So I was pleased to find this LGB in a local charity shop

I have to say that being brought up proper-like, good manners go a long way in my book...and what better excuse to brush up...

Heres more scans from book for your reading pleasure:
Little Golden Book of Manners on Flickr

posted: September 13, 2007

I recently picked up a whole bunch of very cool 50/60s matchbook labels from East Europe.

Even though it was painstakingly boring, I've uploaded the best of them (about 90 in total) to flickr.  I've posted a few select images below and for anyone who is interested, here's the link to the rest of the gallery: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/linzie/sets/72157601961559416/

Anyways, I was feeling pretty inspired by the simplicity and limited colours on these and had a bash at doing some 2 colour photocopying with an old analog copier I picked up for all of £1.70 on ebay  ( I outbid the other bidder by a whole 20p)

It's a very basic and pretty tempromental machine, but you can get  different colour cartridges which you can swap the black one for.

I hear you can go to fancy copy shops to do this, but I've only seen full colour copiers...

The nice thing about working with photocopiers is that allows you not to be too precious and enjoy the "rough and ready" way your work comes out... which is a good exercise for me.

While I'd like to say it was a breeze, the prep time is massive due to the large element of trial and error involved... particulary when it comes to working in half tone and trying to work out the registration...

and my copier wins no prizes for speed.

Looking at it now, theres lots of things I'd do differently... but over I'm quite pleased... and I'm managed to recycle a whole lot of old manilla folders.

posted: August 16, 2007

I know it's a question you're asking yourself so here's a little quiz  courtesy of Readers Digest (c.1950) to help boost your ego.

I won't tell you my score, but let's just say there was no surprise second count.  Damn.  I think question 13 could have been the deal breaker ...

posted: April 14, 2007

I thought I'd share these stamps from Mongolia which I got in a lucky dip stamp assortment.

I know zip about stamps or collecting them but think they are pretty delicious and worth sharing.

posted: February 24, 2007

I picked this old childrens educational book up today in a local oxfam charity shop for 79p. 

Sadly there's no date or illustrator credited but thought I'd share a few of the interior illustrations as they are quite nice I think.

Following on from the discussion of the updated Richard Scarry book on A. Richard Allen's post, heres a few that might not make it into the 2007 edition...

posted: December 9, 2006

'Oh Great, here comes Linzie with lots more old crap to share'

I don't really collect old postcards, but I do seem to have bought a hell of a lot of them.  They are just one of those things that easy to find and cheap to buy.  I like the randomness of what you can find, and though it makes me feel a little bit sad/guilty the best ones are the ones that have actually been sent and show you a glimpse into someone life.

I've twice been to a local charity shop and picked up a stack of these 50s postcards... They were so cheap and the temptation was too great...

To be honest though, when I was about 10 I used to collect victorian birthday postcards which I hoping to hunt down when I go home over the holidays.  When other girls were spending their pocket money on My Little Pony, I used to spend the weekend with my parents staking out flea markets and antique stalls... It will be interesting to find my old collection and see what I considered cool then... I seem to recall I really liked the embroidered ones (oh dear!) from the turn of the century and would turn my nose up at anything post 1930...

I like this Notre Dame one... and it got a really nice matt finish... and even my beginners french is good enough to understand it

This little fellow cracks me up!

But I have no idea whats going on in this one...anyone?  Answers on a postcard please.. boom boom.  Man, I'm in the wrong business...

So, OK, I have just posted a whole load of stuff that I collect, but hell at least I feel it has a purpose now!

posted: November 25, 2006

This time last year the V&A had a great (but small) exhibit to celebrate 70s years of Penguin Books.

Paperback books of the same colour scheme were arranged in huge cases which looks pretty stunning.

Originally Penguin pbs had distinctive colour schemes:
orange / white - general fiction
green / white - crime fiction
maroon -  travel series
dark blue - biographies.

Some of the best covers come from the 50s and 60s, with really smart and sometimes bizarre graphic designs.

The great thing is that these books are pretty easy to pick up in charity shops.   The Pelican* subjects are often very dry and academic, but the covers really make up for it.

I picked up the book above yesterday for a few pennies in a charity shop where I live.

*Pelican Books  was an imprint of Penguin designed to "educate the reading public rather than entertain"

For anyone wondering about what to add to their christmas wish list the book to accompany the exhibition and Penguins birthday: Penguin by Design is available on amazon.

Also, heres one guy's nice 50s/60s collection on flickr :  Penguin Books

posted: November 24, 2006

I drive my friends to despair by dragging them into charity shops and car boot sales looking for 50s and 60s tat.

Tonight I scanned and uploaded a few recent childrens book finds.

more internal pages & covers Photos: Vintage Illustration: Kids

posted: September 22, 2006

While I appreciate that the 70s was the decade that gave us many great things (Abba, Platforms, Space hoppers, Wonder Woman... and me) when it comes to collecting old childrens books, I sort of lose interest after 1969.

However, when I found this book the other day in a local charity shop, it was so truly awful I just had to have it.   It's so bad, it's good!
By Ingeborg Westermeiner & Stefan Lemke (illustrator) 1973, Brockhampton Press