Chessie and her kittens,
Ruth Carroll
Hardcover
(J. Messner, March 15, 1937)
First edition. The second of two children's books based on the famous cat mascot of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. The original image, which appears as the front pastedown and part of the cover art for this book plus the addition of two kittens, was derived from an etching by Viennese artist Guido Gruenwald. The image first appeared in an advertisement in the September 1933 issue of Fortune magazine with the slogan "Sleep Like a Kitten and Wake Up Fresh as a Daisy in Air-Conditioned Comfort". The advertisement caught on and many Chessie items became available, including this book. This story continues from Chessie. She lives with her boy and his family, she is all grown up and has two kittens of her own named Nip and Tuck. Naturally Chessie and the kitten have a railroad adventure! Pictorial endpapers and illustrations on nearly every page. Boards are very slightly soiled and faded with a spot on the rear lower edge. Previous owner's name on the free front endpaper. The endpapers are scuffed near the foredge. Text pages nice and bright. The dust jacket is worn with tattered edges, lower half of rear panel missing, worn through at front flap edge about halfway up from the bottom. not paginated. cloth with front pastedown, dust jacket. large 8vo.