{"product_id":"johnny-gruelle-original-cover-drawing-little-brown-bear-1920","title":"Original Pen and Ink and Watercolor Drawing by Johnny Gruelle Published as the Cover for His Book \"The Little Brown Bear\"","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"11\"\u003e(Original Illustration Art \/ Juvenile Fiction \/ Picture Books) \u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Pen and Ink and Watercolor Drawing by Johnny Gruelle Published as the Cover for His Book \u003cem\u003eThe Little Brown Bear\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"12\"\u003eGruelle, Johnny. Chicago; New York; Toronto: P. F. Volland Company, (1920). The original artwork measures 13-7\/16\" wide x 8-5\/16\" high executed on a 14-3\/16\" wide \u003cspan class=\"citation-1568\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1567 citation-1568\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1566 citation-1567 citation-1568\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1565 citation-1566 citation-1567 citation-1568\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1565 citation-1566 citation-1567 citation-1568 citation-1569\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1565 citation-1566 citation-1567 citation-1568 citation-1569 citation-1570\"\u003ex 9-1\/8\" high\u003c\/span\u003e sheet of sturdy artist board. The margins preserve various authentic pencil printer's notations and pinholes. Accompanying the unique drawing is a twentieth edition copy of \u003ci data-index-in-node=\"330\" data-path-to-node=\"12\"\u003eThe Little Brown Bear\u003c\/i\u003e by Johnny Gruelle, alongside an original publisher's pictorial box, both of which features a mechanical reproduction of the identical cover drawing offered here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"13\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1561 citation-1562 citation-1563 citation-1564 citation-end-1564\"\u003eThe physical condition of the artwork is graded \u003cstrong\u003e(9\/10) - EXCELLENT\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003csup data-turn-source-index=\"7\" class=\"superscript embedded\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1561 citation-1562 citation-1563 citation-end-1563\"\u003eutilizing a standardized 10-point scale for photographic prints and original works of art, indicating mild condition issues that are \u003csup data-turn-source-index=\"8\" class=\"superscript embedded\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1561 citation-1562 citation-end-1562\"\u003ebarely perceptible to the naked eye). The vibrant watercolor washes and fine ink linework remain exceptionally bright and completely unaffected by the technic\u003csup data-turn-source-index=\"9\" class=\"superscript embedded\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1561 citation-end-1561\"\u003eal printer's annotations and pinholes confined strictly to the exterior margins. The \u003csup data-turn-source-index=\"10\" class=\"superscript embedded\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003ephysical condition of the book is graded \u003cstrong\u003eFINE\u003c\/strong\u003e (utilizing the standard antiquarian book grading scale for works on paper) for the accompanying twentieth edition volume, which presents in exceptionally crisp, clean structural condition. The matching original publisher's box is graded \u003cstrong\u003eNEAR FINE\u003c\/strong\u003e (utilizing the same antiquarian book grading scale), \u003cspan class=\"citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1548 citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1547 citation-1548 citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1546 citation-1547 citation-1548 citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1545 citation-1546 citation-1547 citation-1548 citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1544 citation-1545 citation-1546 citation-1547 citation-1548 citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-1543 citation-1544 citation-1545 citation-1546 citation-1547 citation-1548 citation-1549 citation-1550 citation-1551 citation-1552 citation-1553 citation-1554 citation-1555 citation-1556 citation-1557 citation-1558 citation-1559 citation-1560 citation-end-1560\"\u003epresenting as an uncommonly sturdy survival with only minor, routine shelfwear.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"14\"\u003eJohnny Gruelle’s Golden Age Volland Cover Art\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"15\"\u003eBest remembered as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, Johnny Gruelle was a premier force in the Golden Age of American illustration, known for his whimsical character designs and rich, fairytale landscapes. This striking piece represents the definitive cover artwork for \u003ci data-index-in-node=\"273\" data-path-to-node=\"15\"\u003eThe Little Brown Bear\u003c\/i\u003e, one of his most beloved titles produced during his highly celebrated relationship with the P. F. Volland Company. Volland was renowned for elevating children's picture books into works of art through their high-quality color printing processes, and Gruelle's covers were intentionally designed to be vibrant, warm, and instantly engaging. The drawing showcases Gruelle's characteristic fluid ink lines and masterful watercolor shading, capturing the gentle, storybook charm that defined his career and influenced generations of American children's literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"16\"\u003eProduction Margins and the Complete Triad Survival\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17\"\u003eAs a unique piece of commercial production art, the physical board retains a compelling archival history on its face, featuring the original crop marks, registration pinholes, and handwritten printer's directives used to guide the color separation and plate-making processes at the Volland press in 1920. While original illustration art from this era was frequently discarded by publishers or separated from its commercial context, this specimen survives in an elite triad: the unique original artwork, a remarkable copy of the physical book it adorned, and the scarce original publisher's box. Because these fragile illustrated boxes were almost universally discarded by original owners or succumbed to nursery wear, their survival alongside the original art is a noteworthy rarity in the antiquarian market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003e\u003cb data-index-in-node=\"0\" data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eTHIS UNIQUE, MASTERFULLY PRESERVED 1920 ORIGINAL COVER DRAWING BY JOHNNY GRUELLE, COMPLETE WITH BOTH ITS SCARCE NATIVE PUBLISHER'S BOX AND MATCHING VOLUME, REPRESENTS A PREMIER ARTIFACT OF TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION—REPRESENTING A CRITICAL ACQUISITION FOR INSTITUTIONAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS OR EXTRAORDINARY PRIVATE COLLECTIONS DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY OF ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION ART, AMERICAN PICTURE BOOKS, OR THE WORK OF JOHNNY GRUELLE.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e# 000984\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wallace \u0026 Clark, Booksellers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43494071500949,"sku":null,"price":8750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0459\/2589\/2245\/files\/littlebrownbearcover.01.20201016.jpg?v=1687027427","url":"https:\/\/wallaceandclark.com\/products\/johnny-gruelle-original-cover-drawing-little-brown-bear-1920","provider":"Wallace \u0026 Clark, Booksellers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}