Mary, Mary," by Florence Salter

Mary, Mary," by Florence Salter

1939

Chromolithograph

Published in 1939, this vintage book plate showcases a vibrant mid-century color lithograph by American children's illustrator Florence Salter paired with the classic nursery rhyme "Mary, Mary." The primary composition centers on a young, rosy-cheeked blonde girl kneeling in a garden, dressed in a pink gown with a matching bonnet while holding a bouquet of orange-and-white flowers and a blue cockle-shell. Curving around her is a stylized garden path lined with blue seashells and tiny silver bells on delicate stems, leading toward a stone wall background where five other young children stand lined up side-by-side. Beneath the lively scene, clear block typography presents the well-known five-line verse inquiring about the growth of Mary's contrary garden.

Originally featured within a large-format nursery book published by the Merrill Publishing Company, this plate beautifully captures the commercial aesthetic of late 1930s American children's media. Florence Salter was a highly sought-after mid-century commercial artist who became famous for her distinctively sweet, chubby-cheeked, and wide-eyed character designs that came to define children's books, puzzles, and ephemera during the era. This specific piece holds significant historical value because it reflects the shift away from the stark, didactic moral lessons of earlier Victorian children's literature, moving instead toward bright, purely whimsical entertainment intended to comfort and delight young children during the tail end of the Great Depression.

Dimensions: H 13”x 9 ¾”W

Condition: In very good condition