Peterkin

Philadelphia: David McKay, 1940. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine/Near fine. A picture book based on a cartoon Willy Pogany developed with his wife Elaine.

The animal illustrations, particularly, seem quite influenced by Walt Disney. Pogany, once an art director for Warner Bros., told the Detroit Free Press, "I have wanted to do cartoons for the screen for a long time" (03 Dec 1939). The Greenwood, Mississippi, Commonwealth described the cartoon project as completed: "Willy Pogany...has gone into the film field. His first film introduces a charming character in 'Peterkin', a mischievous faun whose mouth curls up exactly as Willy Pogany's does. Mrs. Pogany wrote 'Peterkin' and he'll be a series. Pogany stressed the 'sets' for his cartoon and achieved some striking effects" (11 Nov 1939).

No mention of the cartoon can be found on IMDB, so it seems likely that this book is all that remains, with 15 full-page color illustrations and many black-and-white spot drawings in the text. First edition? The book does not seem to have sold well, so there may have been only one printing. The bottom edge of the book has some shelfwear. This copy is in what is probably a remainder jacket with no price on the front flap (there are priced ads for other McKay titles on the rear flap). Copies are also seen with a $1.50 price. The jacket has minor wear at the spine ends and a couple of short tears, but it is much nicer than what is usually seen.