1939 Children’s Book Week Walt Disney RKO Radio Pictures

Date: 1939
Artist: Disney, Walt 
Size (in): 29.875” x 22”
Size (cm): 75.9 x 55.9
Condition: B
Linen backed: Yes

This vintage original poster featuring the artwork of Walt Disney was issued for the 1939 Children’s Book Week and also promotes RKO Radio Pictures film adaptations of several great books.  The poster’s central image is Walt Disney’s whimsical rendering of Pinocchio along with Jiminy Cricket and Geppetto’s cat Figaro advertising Children’s Book Week from November 12 to 18, 1939.   The poster also features the cover images of nine great American novels which were planned or in development by RKO Radio Pictures at the time the poster was issued in 1939.   RKO Radio Pictures brought most of the book covers shown on the poster to the Silver Screen in 1939 and the early 1940s except for the Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe which was scraped and never released by RKO. 

Children’s Book Week was established in 1919 and continues yet today as the longest-running national literacy initiative in the United States.  Founders included Franklin K. Mathiews, chief librarian for the Boy Scouts of America, Frederic G. Melcher, editor for Publishers Weekly,  and influential pioneering children's book librarian Anne Carroll Moore who all shared a belief that children’s books and literacy were life-changing and critical during early and middle childhood and adolescence. 

This vintage original poster has been professional conservation mounted to a linen backing.   The poster had some separation and a tear without paper loss on the vertical fold line which were expertly repaired during linen backing process. The poster was folded as issued prior to linen backing and retains the original strong coloring. Interested buyers can contact us for photos of the poster prior to linen backing.  Overall condition is very good for this vintage original.