(Gruelle, Johnny) illustrator. THE LITTLE RED HEN GIFT BOX: LITTLE RED HEN HERSELF AND THREE POPULAR BOOKS FOR KIDDIES; COMPLETE WITH MINT CONDITION CELLULOID RATTLE TOY AS ISSUED. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, circa 1923. Cupples & Leon introduced their "All About Gift Box" line in 1923. Packaged in sectioned lithographed boxes with pictorial lids, each set contained three books, usually including one illustrated by Gruelle, and a celluloid character toy. The original retail price of these sets was $1.50 each.
The contents of the Little Red Hen Gift Box Set is as follows:
1) ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE SMALL RED HEN, illustrated by John B. Gruelle. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, (1917). 24mo - 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Gray paper covered boards with titles stamped in dark blue to front cover and spine, color pictorial paste-on within a stamped dark blue decorative border to front cover with no signs of handling or wear. Original publisher's dust jacket replicating the design of the book with the addition of publisher's advertisement to back panel, with minor wear to the corners and edges, two 1-1/8" long closed tears to the edges of the upper panel, both with cello tape repairs to verso, back panel and rear flap fold both with a 1" long closed tear, and overall somewhat dusty. 48 pp. 8 full page color illustrations by Gruelle. 3/4" long closed tear to lower edge of both FFEP and half-title page. The condition of the book is NEAR FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is GOOD.
2) ALL ABOUT THE THREE BEARS, pictured by L. Kirby-Parrish & Dick Hartley. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, (1914). 24mo - 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Brown paper covered boards with titles stamped in dark brown to front cover and spine, two color pictorial paste-ons within two stamped dark brown decorative borders to front cover with no signs of handling or wear. Original publisher's dust jacket in the same format as The Little Small Red Hen, with a 1/2" long closed tear to upper edge of front panel and a 1-1/4" long closed tear to lower edge of front panel for what is a bright, clean copy of the dust jacket. 48 pp. 8 full page color illustrations by Kirby-Parrish and Hartley. The condition of the book is FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is VERY GOOD +.
3) ALL ABOUT THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, pictured by Dick Hartley and L. Kirby-Parrish. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, (1914). 24mo - 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Tan paper covered boards with titles stamped in navy to front cover and spine, color pictorial paste-on within a stamped navy decorative border to front cover with no signs of handling or wear. Original publisher's dust jacket in the same format as the other two, with two closed tears to the upper edge of front panel, one 3/8" long and one 3/4" long, for what is a bright, clean copy of the dust jacket. 47 pp. 8 full page color illustrations by Hartley and Kirby-Parrish. The condition of the book is FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is NEAR FINE.
4) A 5-1/4" x 2" celluloid Little Red Hen rattle toy that is in pristine condition with no signs of handling or wear. The condition of the celluloid rattle toy is NEAR MINT.
5) Red paper covered two-part board box measuring 6-3/4" x 5-3/4" x 2" with a large color pictorial paste-on to the lid, with a tiny chip to the right edge of paste-on, wear to the corners and edges of the lid, and overall sunning to the red paper covering the box. The condition of the box is VERY GOOD. No copies of this "All About Gift Box" set located on WorldCat. EXCEEDINGLY RARE, and really a wonderful survival. # 001162
The contents of the Little Red Hen Gift Box Set is as follows:
1) ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE SMALL RED HEN, illustrated by John B. Gruelle. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, (1917). 24mo - 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Gray paper covered boards with titles stamped in dark blue to front cover and spine, color pictorial paste-on within a stamped dark blue decorative border to front cover with no signs of handling or wear. Original publisher's dust jacket replicating the design of the book with the addition of publisher's advertisement to back panel, with minor wear to the corners and edges, two 1-1/8" long closed tears to the edges of the upper panel, both with cello tape repairs to verso, back panel and rear flap fold both with a 1" long closed tear, and overall somewhat dusty. 48 pp. 8 full page color illustrations by Gruelle. 3/4" long closed tear to lower edge of both FFEP and half-title page. The condition of the book is NEAR FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is GOOD.
2) ALL ABOUT THE THREE BEARS, pictured by L. Kirby-Parrish & Dick Hartley. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, (1914). 24mo - 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Brown paper covered boards with titles stamped in dark brown to front cover and spine, two color pictorial paste-ons within two stamped dark brown decorative borders to front cover with no signs of handling or wear. Original publisher's dust jacket in the same format as The Little Small Red Hen, with a 1/2" long closed tear to upper edge of front panel and a 1-1/4" long closed tear to lower edge of front panel for what is a bright, clean copy of the dust jacket. 48 pp. 8 full page color illustrations by Kirby-Parrish and Hartley. The condition of the book is FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is VERY GOOD +.
3) ALL ABOUT THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, pictured by Dick Hartley and L. Kirby-Parrish. New York: Cupples & Leon Company, (1914). 24mo - 5-1/2" x 4-1/4". Tan paper covered boards with titles stamped in navy to front cover and spine, color pictorial paste-on within a stamped navy decorative border to front cover with no signs of handling or wear. Original publisher's dust jacket in the same format as the other two, with two closed tears to the upper edge of front panel, one 3/8" long and one 3/4" long, for what is a bright, clean copy of the dust jacket. 47 pp. 8 full page color illustrations by Hartley and Kirby-Parrish. The condition of the book is FINE. The condition of the dust jacket is NEAR FINE.
4) A 5-1/4" x 2" celluloid Little Red Hen rattle toy that is in pristine condition with no signs of handling or wear. The condition of the celluloid rattle toy is NEAR MINT.
5) Red paper covered two-part board box measuring 6-3/4" x 5-3/4" x 2" with a large color pictorial paste-on to the lid, with a tiny chip to the right edge of paste-on, wear to the corners and edges of the lid, and overall sunning to the red paper covering the box. The condition of the box is VERY GOOD. No copies of this "All About Gift Box" set located on WorldCat. EXCEEDINGLY RARE, and really a wonderful survival. # 001162