Softcover
by NEILL, John R.
Softcover. Near Fine. A souvenir book created by *Wizard of Oz* artist John R. Neill for Arthur T. Vance, editor of the *Pictorial Review*, containing seven original illustrations by Neill and five photographs of the cruise. Five quarto sheets folded to make 20 pages. Approximately 7½" x 11". A handsome homemade souvenir "book," created from stiff gray paper, folded, and bound with a blue ribbon tie.
The cover is illustrated with a caricature of the Chief and lettered by Neill in pastels and ink. Laid down on the inside of the cover is a printed broadside: "Rhyme of the Cruise of Pandora II...," along with a list of the six men on board. The crew consisted of "Little John" R. Neill, Chef-extraordinaire; "Big John" W. Mitchell, Gunner's Mate; "Demi-John" R. Robinson, Jack of All Trades; "Thirsty Bill" Miller, Head Bartender; "Strats" [presumably the "Stats" (sic) of the front cover] Vance, Chief Engineer; and "Father" Vance, Captain and General Influence for Good.
John R. Neill was the children's book and magazine illustrator who was tapped to replace W.W. Denslow as illustrator of the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum. Denslow and Baum had a falling out after the first book, and Neill's work came to be synonymous with the series. The owner of the *Pandora II*, Arthur T. Vance, was Commodore of the Port Washington Yacht Club on Long Island. As editor of the *Pictorial Review*, a leading women's magazine of the early 20th Century based in New York City, Vance employed Neill to create numerous illustrations for Vance's magazine between 1913 and 1928. He must have prevailed upon Neill to create this souvenir book for Vance's son, recalling adventures on the Vance yacht.
The remainder of the book consists of five tipped-in photos of the crew, as well as seven original illustrations by Neill in various media: pen, ink, pencil, watercolor, and gouache. Except for the cover illustration (which is executed directly on the cover card stock), the other seven illustrations are approximately 5" x 6.75" on white paper stock and have been tipped onto the pages. The corners of the illustrations display some light bleed-through from the glue used to affix them, else the book is very near fine. Two of the illustrations have captions penned in the margins, "August 9th, 1915, after the Commodore," and "When Shelter Island needed Shelter."
The drawings are largely humorous and whimsical. The Shelter Island illustration shows a misfiring of a small cannon salute from the Pandora, ripping through the sail of a passing boat and then through the Shelter Island lighthouse. Another shows a crew member's head emerging from a scupper, light shining from his bald pate. Another shows seagulls perched on the empty liquor bottles as they are disgorged from the yacht. Perhaps the most appealing is of a young lady in a swimsuit, wild red hair streaming, water-skiing on a makeshift board. Laid in is the personalized handmade textile bookmark of Arthur T. Vance.
A fascinating and unique artifact displaying Neill's artistry and inventiveness. (Inventory #: 386337)
The cover is illustrated with a caricature of the Chief and lettered by Neill in pastels and ink. Laid down on the inside of the cover is a printed broadside: "Rhyme of the Cruise of Pandora II...," along with a list of the six men on board. The crew consisted of "Little John" R. Neill, Chef-extraordinaire; "Big John" W. Mitchell, Gunner's Mate; "Demi-John" R. Robinson, Jack of All Trades; "Thirsty Bill" Miller, Head Bartender; "Strats" [presumably the "Stats" (sic) of the front cover] Vance, Chief Engineer; and "Father" Vance, Captain and General Influence for Good.
John R. Neill was the children's book and magazine illustrator who was tapped to replace W.W. Denslow as illustrator of the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum. Denslow and Baum had a falling out after the first book, and Neill's work came to be synonymous with the series. The owner of the *Pandora II*, Arthur T. Vance, was Commodore of the Port Washington Yacht Club on Long Island. As editor of the *Pictorial Review*, a leading women's magazine of the early 20th Century based in New York City, Vance employed Neill to create numerous illustrations for Vance's magazine between 1913 and 1928. He must have prevailed upon Neill to create this souvenir book for Vance's son, recalling adventures on the Vance yacht.
The remainder of the book consists of five tipped-in photos of the crew, as well as seven original illustrations by Neill in various media: pen, ink, pencil, watercolor, and gouache. Except for the cover illustration (which is executed directly on the cover card stock), the other seven illustrations are approximately 5" x 6.75" on white paper stock and have been tipped onto the pages. The corners of the illustrations display some light bleed-through from the glue used to affix them, else the book is very near fine. Two of the illustrations have captions penned in the margins, "August 9th, 1915, after the Commodore," and "When Shelter Island needed Shelter."
The drawings are largely humorous and whimsical. The Shelter Island illustration shows a misfiring of a small cannon salute from the Pandora, ripping through the sail of a passing boat and then through the Shelter Island lighthouse. Another shows a crew member's head emerging from a scupper, light shining from his bald pate. Another shows seagulls perched on the empty liquor bottles as they are disgorged from the yacht. Perhaps the most appealing is of a young lady in a swimsuit, wild red hair streaming, water-skiing on a makeshift board. Laid in is the personalized handmade textile bookmark of Arthur T. Vance.
A fascinating and unique artifact displaying Neill's artistry and inventiveness. (Inventory #: 386337)