Friday, December 20, 2013

Disney History of Flight Ball (1958?)




Not really sure of the age of this but I love stuff about Disney and spaceflight and it is around 1956-1960. Anyway what could be better this time of year than a new (old) space toy? Part of the line of Kestral Disney inflatable pool toys.

I am suggesting that the images tell a story from early attempts at rockets and ballooning to a voyage to the Moon to modern individual rockets (with Donald, Mickey, Goofy, etc.) It makes me smile and certainly it was never intended to be around 50 years later.  Happy Holidays!!!









Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Future Travelers (1970)





DIG THAT CRAZY MOON MINING VEHICLE!

A Ukrainian rather than Russian children's space book. The translation is from the seller so it may also be closer to "travel in the future." It is about the vehicles we might find in the future. The design of the illustrations are really wonderful reminding me of World's Fairs, Thunderbirds, and other cool vehicles of the future.  Not as many space vehicles but jetpacks, moles, flying cars and other interesting modes of transport await.

Future Travelers. 15.5 x 22.8 cm. 120 p. 1970

The joy to me is in the design of the vehicles as well as the drawings at the beginning of each chapter.  Here are the chapters:













There are a number of black & white illustrations. Here are a few of my favorite vehicles:











Monday, December 2, 2013

Premiere Crosisiere Sur La Lune (1953)







A French re-printing of "By Spaceship to the Moon (1952)".  I had blogged about this book way back when I was starting out in 2009:
http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.com/2009/07/by-space-ship-to-moon-1952.html

So the arrival in my collection of the French reprint gives me a chance to share many more incredible illustrations from this book.

ORIGINAL BOOK:
Coggins, Jack and Pratt, Fletcher. Illustrated by Coggins, Jack. By Spaceship to the Moon. New York: Random House. (56 p.) 29 cm. 1952
 
TRANSLATION
Coggins, Jack and Pratt, Fletcher. Translated into French by Francois Musard. Illustrated by Jack Coggins. Premiere Croisiere Sur La Lune. Paris: Agence Francaise De Presse. 1953.
 
 

I find the paintings in this version were reproduced better than other copies so you can appreciate Jack Coggins beautiful artwork.

I personally consider this one of the greatest space art books available and since it was very popular copies only run $20-30. I recommend you find a copy for yourself if you love this early style of space ships.





The style of hardware in this book hearkens back to a boilerplate construction and this "moon buggy" is unique.


It is very much like "Conquest of Space" in illustrating the classic space progression and how people would land on, explore, and use the Moon.







 



 



I am also very fond of the exploration of the moon paintings: