Faithful readers of this blog will know that I was in London last week, along with my husband Joe. We stayed with Margaret, Bradley and Clare. They were generous hosts and brilliant guides.
They fed our stomachs, eyes, hearts and minds.
It will take a while to digest everything!
We saw so much, including many wonderful old and new books.
Here are a few book covers and illustrations from the trip.
Old:
Older:
Newish birds from Edward Bawden (1903-1989):
And cats, also from Edward Bawden:
We took a side trip to Amsterdam where we saw some volksvertelsels (folk tales). Old…
and new (Beautiful Griselda illustrated by Isol):
Here are images from De Direntoen: a Netherlands edition of a book by André Hellé called Drôles de Bêtes, originally published in 1911 in Paris.
Back in London: old games at the Sunbury Flea Market.
This is just a taste of what we saw. Right now I am feeling jet-lagged, but replete.
How many miles to London town?
Four score and ten.
Can you get there by candle light?
Aye – and back again.
annadaltona
Bonny Becker
Julie Paschkis
Julie Larios
laurakvasnosky
Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Books Around The Table 
Lovely! I especially like the illustration of de krokodil.
He looks lit from within. Maybe he ate a lantern.
I was also caught by the crocodile! And also, of course, the Book of Beasts. And the Andre Helle! Beautiful edition.
Julie, it made me feel good just to look at this!
I want to open up Wren’s City Churches.!
Thanks!
What a feast, Julie!
Before I had even finished scrolling, that first Hellé had me searching – thank you!!!: http://amisdhelle.blogspot.com/
Wow -thanks for that link! Now it’s time to learn French.
My computer asked if it could translate the page for me. i usually never say yes, but I did this time and it actually worked!
thanks this is great
I had the most fun with the Ostrich–first of all, rollling “struisvogel” around on my tongue– and then trying to figure out what the text meant, since I know no Dutch.
Even when it’s almost the same it’s better in Dutch – krokodil and aap for example.
Thanks for the link, Julie. I love the book covers….
A feast. Thanks, Julie!
I thought the 3rd image from the top – the theatre scene – was sheer bliss! Could you please tell me what it actually is? Is it from a kids’ book, or is it an old toy theatre? (I collect these!)
Thanks, Julie – you have an excellent eye for the quirky and colourful!
Thank you! That image was an old toy theatre at the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam. The last image in the blog (with a mermaid) was also an old toy theatre. It was at the V & A Museum of Childhood in London. They had several really neat ones.
oooh! That was fun! My all-time favorite Dutch artist is Henriette Willebeek Le Mair. I have the Baby Diary put out by Philomel Books.
Thanks for the intro to H W L M.