Obscure Book of the Day: The Official Program from the 1953 Coronation

This is just so neat. Here we see an actual official program from the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. We found this in an antique store in Texas of all places!


Entitled, “The Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: Approved Souvenir Programme,” it is “Published by Gracious Permission of Her Majesty the Queen” by “King George’s Jubilee Trust.”

A verse by John Masefield, the Poet Laureate at the time begins the program alongside a beautiful portrait of the Queen. This is followed by a foreword by the Queen’s uncle, The Duke of Gloucester, photos of the Royal Family and a history of the Queen’s life.

The rest of the program includes maps, exact times and locations of events, the order of the ceremony, the participants, the celebrations to follow, and just about every other bit of information about the coronation that anyone could possibly want to know.

Let’s take a look inside…

Object of the Day: Punch Presents Quick Meal Coal Ranges, circa 1904

"QUICK MEAL"
DRAWING BOOK 
-------
This little booklet will amuse the Children. Let them
copy the pictures on the Tissue Paper.
--------

Punch and Judy 
          of olden times
     Are now the subject of
          our rhymes.
Punch’s appetite was
          great,
     So he ordered Judy to 

          cook a steak.

Now Judy, you know,
     had an old time
          stove,
     And to cook for
          Punch she often
               strove;
But Punch could not
     be pleasant or glad,
     And oft at mealtime
          he was mad.

One day, when he was
          in a fit,
     And Baby cried ‘till
          it was sick, 

Punch threw it madly,
          out of doors;
Poor Judy shrieked
          aloud, of course.

A Policeman came
          into the door,
      And Judy cried
          aloud some more;
But Punch could not
          be taken in,
     And swore the battle
          he would win.

He won the battle
          To be sure,
     But could not win
          Poor Judy more.
A bright idea popped
          in his head—
     “I’ll get a QUICK
          MEAL RANGE,”
               he said.

So when the Range
           was set up right,
     Judy worked with
          all her might,
And cooked, and
     cooked—morn,
           noon and night,
     You never saw such
           a pretty sight. 

Click images to enlarge.

This fanciful little booklet, complete with its original tracing paper inserts, was made to advertise St. Louis-based “Quick Meal Coal Ranges” and Gas ranges for the Ringen Stove Co. of Missouri. Since the booklet mentions the World’s Fair, we can guess that it was made after the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

This American company has cleverly featured Britain’s Mr. and Mrs. Punch and their baby. Punch, as you’ve just read, is annoyed by Judy’s slow range and tosses the baby out of the window. But, after gleefully smashing the Beadle, Punch decides he can make everything right by buying Judy a new range. And, actually, it does seem to do the trick.

I can’t tell you how much I love the illustrations in this booklet. They’re too wonderful, and I adore the look of utter joy with which Punch approaches everything he’s doing. He’s as happy with his meal of turkey and hams as he is just to throw the baby out of the window. And, that’s why we love Mr. Punch.

I’ve scanned most of the book for you. Enjoy the pictures. They’re quite a treat. You’ll see that some of the pages are covered by the original tissue paper. I’ve moved the paper out of the way in the next image.  I'm just surprised it was never drawn in.

Object of the Day: Punch Presents Quick Meal Coal Ranges, circa 1904

"QUICK MEAL"
DRAWING BOOK 
-------
This little booklet will amuse the Children. Let them
copy the pictures on the Tissue Paper.
--------

Punch and Judy 
          of olden times
     Are now the subject of
          our rhymes.
Punch’s appetite was
          great,
     So he ordered Judy to 

          cook a steak.

Now Judy, you know,
     had an old time
          stove,
     And to cook for
          Punch she often
               strove;
But Punch could not
     be pleasant or glad,
     And oft at mealtime
          he was mad.

One day, when he was
          in a fit,
     And Baby cried ‘till
          it was sick, 

Punch threw it madly,
          out of doors;
Poor Judy shrieked
          aloud, of course.

A Policeman came
          into the door,
      And Judy cried
          aloud some more;
But Punch could not
          be taken in,
     And swore the battle
          he would win.

He won the battle
          To be sure,
     But could not win
          Poor Judy more.
A bright idea popped
          in his head—
     “I’ll get a QUICK
          MEAL RANGE,”
               he said.

So when the Range
           was set up right,
     Judy worked with
          all her might,
And cooked, and
     cooked—morn,
           noon and night,
     You never saw such
           a pretty sight. 

Click images to enlarge.

This fanciful little booklet, complete with its original tracing paper inserts, was made to advertise St. Louis-based “Quick Meal Coal Ranges” and Gas ranges for the Ringen Stove Co. of Missouri. Since the booklet mentions the World’s Fair, we can guess that it was made after the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

This American company has cleverly featured Britain’s Mr. and Mrs. Punch and their baby. Punch, as you’ve just read, is annoyed by Judy’s slow range and tosses the baby out of the window. But, after gleefully smashing the Beadle, Punch decides he can make everything right by buying Judy a new range. And, actually, it does seem to do the trick.

I can’t tell you how much I love the illustrations in this booklet. They’re too wonderful, and I adore the look of utter joy with which Punch approaches everything he’s doing. He’s as happy with his meal of turkey and hams as he is just to throw the baby out of the window. And, that’s why we love Mr. Punch.

I’ve scanned most of the book for you. Enjoy the pictures. They’re quite a treat. You’ll see that some of the pages are covered by the original tissue paper. I’ve moved the paper out of the way in the next image.  I'm just surprised it was never drawn in.

Object of the Day: Punch Presents Quick Meal Coal Ranges, circa 1904

"QUICK MEAL"
DRAWING BOOK 
-------
This little booklet will amuse the Children. Let them
copy the pictures on the Tissue Paper.
--------

Punch and Judy 
          of olden times
     Are now the subject of
          our rhymes.
Punch’s appetite was
          great,
     So he ordered Judy to 

          cook a steak.

Now Judy, you know,
     had an old time
          stove,
     And to cook for
          Punch she often
               strove;
But Punch could not
     be pleasant or glad,
     And oft at mealtime
          he was mad.

One day, when he was
          in a fit,
     And Baby cried ‘till
          it was sick, 

Punch threw it madly,
          out of doors;
Poor Judy shrieked
          aloud, of course.

A Policeman came
          into the door,
      And Judy cried
          aloud some more;
But Punch could not
          be taken in,
     And swore the battle
          he would win.

He won the battle
          To be sure,
     But could not win
          Poor Judy more.
A bright idea popped
          in his head—
     “I’ll get a QUICK
          MEAL RANGE,”
               he said.

So when the Range
           was set up right,
     Judy worked with
          all her might,
And cooked, and
     cooked—morn,
           noon and night,
     You never saw such
           a pretty sight. 

Click images to enlarge.

This fanciful little booklet, complete with its original tracing paper inserts, was made to advertise St. Louis-based “Quick Meal Coal Ranges” and Gas ranges for the Ringen Stove Co. of Missouri. Since the booklet mentions the World’s Fair, we can guess that it was made after the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

This American company has cleverly featured Britain’s Mr. and Mrs. Punch and their baby. Punch, as you’ve just read, is annoyed by Judy’s slow range and tosses the baby out of the window. But, after gleefully smashing the Beadle, Punch decides he can make everything right by buying Judy a new range. And, actually, it does seem to do the trick.

I can’t tell you how much I love the illustrations in this booklet. They’re too wonderful, and I adore the look of utter joy with which Punch approaches everything he’s doing. He’s as happy with his meal of turkey and hams as he is just to throw the baby out of the window. And, that’s why we love Mr. Punch.

I’ve scanned most of the book for you. Enjoy the pictures. They’re quite a treat. You’ll see that some of the pages are covered by the original tissue paper. I’ve moved the paper out of the way in the next image.  I'm just surprised it was never drawn in.

Object of the Day: Her Majesty the Queen, a Book for Children, c. 1983

I recently found this attractive little book in an antique shop. To begin with, this book, like many British books printed in the Twentieth Century or before does not have a date of publication with the copyright information. I can deduce that it was printed after 1983 since it contains images of Princess Diana holding an infant Prince William.

This miniature book was printed for children by Ladybird Books, Ltd. Of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. Small in size with large type, it is clearly intended for readers about age 8-10. The text chronicles the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and is filled with many, color images of Her Majesty and the Royal Family. 

The book begins with a touching quotation from Jim Corbett who had accompanied then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on a trip to Africa in 1952. The princess had embarked on the journey knowing that her father, King George VI, was ill. His Majesty insisted that his eldest daughter, and heir to the throne, continue with the state visit despite his illness. During the journey, the princess and her husband were entertained in a log hut which was built in the uppermost branches of a tree. It was here that Princess Elizabeth learned of the death of her father. Corbett wrote in his journal:

“For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess…and climbed down from the tree the next day a Queen – God bless her.”

Starting with those words, young readers were taught about the life of the Monarch. Concise text and interesting photos led the reader through the interesting experiences of one of the world’s longest reigning sovereigns. Let’s take a look inside.