Saturday, June 26, 2010

Vintage Children's Book Illustrator Margaret Ely Webb





One of my favorite things about selling vintage children's books and ephemera online is the opportunity to learn about these vintage treasures daily.  I just listed a 1918 Aldine Reader, Book Two.  The illustrator is Margaret Ely Webb.  I researched her work and life, and found that she was born in Urbana, Illinois in 1877.  She studied art in New York with both Cooper Union and the Art Students' League.  In addition to her beautiful children's book illustrations, she also wrote several art textbooks.  She settled in Santa Barbara, California, where she lived until she died in 1965.  I also found a truly beautiful example of her illustration on Flickr:  Little Red Riding Hood.  I love the detail in her art, and the splashes of red color with her crisp pen and ink illustrations.  Lovely!