Tuesday, November 27, 2007

More, And Better, Rudolph


If you liked the previous Rudolph cover I shared with you, then you'll love this one. I believe this is the original 78 RPM RCA Victor release of the Paul Wing story. There's a copyright notice on here from 1939 for Montgomery Ward, and an assignment to Robert L. May from 1947. I'm not entirely sure of the exact year on this one, but '47 or '48 is certainly not out of the question. It was in terrible shape, and I didn't do a lot to fix it up. It's still got some great artwork, and there's a few great bits of Rudolph's story printed inside. It's hard for me to imagine a time when Christmas didn't automatically involve Rudolph, but here is an artifact from that period. For the search engines, this is Paul Wing With Russ Case And His Orchestra-Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (RCA Victor Youth Series Y-353), story by Robert L. May, Music by George Kleinsinger.


9 comments:

  1. Does the album cover say who the artist is? I *think* it's Richard Scary. We have an old Little Golden book of the Rudolph story with illustrations by Scary. The bunnies have his signature lines above and below their pupils.

    When we dig out the Christmas books, I'll scan a copy to compare.

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  2. Hey Rob In Maine! Good to hear from you again. I couldn't find an attribution on the cover anywhere, but I did find some initials in the art on the front. It's in the lower right corner of the tombstone shape Rudolph is standing in. JTS I think it says, although the JT runs together, making it look as much like a pi symbol as the letters JT. There's also a note on the back advertising a Rudolph book from Maxton Publishers, NY. Perhaps someone can dig that book up...

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  3. Richard Scary is attributed to the Golden Book illustrations which match the cover Ernie has posted:

    http://www.antiqbook.com/boox/barn/013633.shtml

    Paul F

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  4. I don't think this looks like Richard Scarry stuff. The eyes are a bit different. Looks more like the way artists back then tended to draw reindeer, but I could be wrong.

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  5. Nope. Not Scarry. It's close enough that it looks like his work. I guess there is only so many ways a cutsie reindeer can be drawn.

    Here are some scans from our book:
    http://web.mac.com/rcarignan/iWeb/Heath/Scarry%20Rudolph.html

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  6. That last bit of the address should be:
    Scarry%20Rudolph.html

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  7. LeRoy in Mich just came uponthis 2 record set from inlaws the cover is in better shape and is still bound.just some rub marks around the edges. the 78's inside have no. 45-5156-A side and b side and 45-5157-a and b does this give some idea when produced

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  8. Lee /Mich I have come upon this same 78 album set w/2 records in it. It apears to be in better shape than yours and is still bound with alittle rubbing on the edges. the records inside are in really good shape, they have the no.s 45-5156-a&b and 45-5157 a&b sides. does this give you any idea when this was produced?

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