Described in the text as "Mister Murphy, the cook from France," this character is clearly a forerunner of Mr. Potato Head. The exhaustive site dedicated to the history and collecting of this beloved toy http://www.mrpotatohead.net/ does not mention the inventor's George Lerner's forebearers, Aunt Jo and Uncle George...
Aunt Jo and Uncle George. Kritters of the Kitchen Kingdom. (Kritterkraft Books) Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1922.
This appears to be what today's foodies call a heritage breed of bird without the modern factory-farm turkey's huge breast (it's actually a wild turkey). According to the plate's explanatory text, the turkey was brought from American to Europe by Jesuit missionaries in 1524 and was named after the country of Turkey from whence so many luxuries were imported.
The Illustrated Book of Natural History in Four Parts. Part I. Printed in Oil Colors by Henry B. Ashmead. Philadelphia: American Sunday-School Union, c. 1858.
This recipe (or elementary food sculpture) shows that Joost Elfers, Saxton Freyman, and Johannes van Dam were real Johnny-come-latelies when it comes to the art of playing with food.
Elizabeth and Louise Bache. When Mother Lets Us Make Candy. New York: Moffat, Yard and Company, 1915.
The Comic Adventures of Old Dame Trot, and Her Cat: Correctly Printed from the Original in the Hubbardonian Library. London: J. Harris and Son, 1820.
The Comic Adventures of Old Dame Trot, and Her Cat: Correctly Printed from the Original in the Hubbardonian Library. London: J. Harris and Son, 1820.
The Comic Adventures of Old Dame Trot, and Her Cat: Correctly Printed from the Original in the Hubbardonian Library. London: J. Harris and Son, 1820.
Aunt Jo and Uncle George. Kritters of the Kitchen Kingdom. (Kritterkraft Books) Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1922.
The Courtship, Merry Marriage and Pic Nic Dinner of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren. To Which is Added, Alas! The Doleful Death of the Bridgegroom. London: J. Harris and Son, 1820.
Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper. Illustrated with Elegant and Appropriate Engravings. London: J. Harris, 1808.
Grace Kasson & E. Tschantré, Jr. Tin Tan Tales: A Book for Children. London: Ernest Nister/ New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., [not after 1912, c1897].
Our apologies to the authors and illustrators of these children's books from whence these images have been wrested and placed in not entirely appropriate contexts!
Aaron Pickett, Andrea Immel, Dana Sheridan, and Jeff Barton
