Nella Fontaine Binckley (1860-1951) Strikes Again, 1904-1909

Early in the 20th century, Nella Fontaine Binckley (1860-"1877"-1951) illustrated "clever books for clever people." The text to two of these books was credited to John William Sargent.

Pictured here: 

"To Womankind. 

Here's to all the women in all the earth . . . 
Bless their dear hearts, I love them all!" 

A glimpse of diversity well ahead of its time. Judging from the US Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night, still ahead of its time. Kalamazoo, Michigan is referenced, along with "Tokio." 

This homage to San Francisco reflects Nella's time spent in California. We see a representative of Chinatown, streetcars, a sailing boat and flowers. The Great Earthquake struck there in 1906. Nella was living on the East Coast by then. 

Nella's books advertised in a 1906 edition of Publisher's Weekly: Toasts for the Times in Pictures and Rhymes and Smoke and Bubbles. 

I received examples of Nella's illustrations from New Zealand, via this jaunty envelope. Even now, life imitates art and vice versa!

Here's a rather desirous little ditty: 

"A Toast to a Brunette."

I'll drain this cup

of brown delight

To lips of dawn

and eyes of night,

And dream those lips

may speak some day

All that the eyes

have seemed to say.

Today's Rune: Partnership.