COLLECTION #218: Vintage Children's Friend Magazines from the '30s and '40s

I shared with you last week, some of my vintage LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon) magazines from the early part of the 20th century. Today, I have a collection of Children's Friend magazines from the 1930s and 1940s. The Children's Friend was the Church's publication for children, leaders and teachers. Today, it is called the Friend, and is one of the longest lasting publications in the USA. We always had the Children's Friend in our home growing up, and I remember it from even before I was old enough to read, since my older siblings had their copies. Later, when I became a professional illustrator, my first illustrations were published in the Friend, and I have contributed illustrations as recently as five years ago. So, it's always had a warm spot in my heart.

Typical of children's magazines of the era, the Children's Friend was filled with stories, puzzles, activities, arts and crafts, and photos of children far and wide, participating in church activities. Next week I'll share with you my collection of Children's Friend magazines from the 1950s and '60s.

For those of you who are LDS, you will note a photo and name of Mildred T. Pettit on the left photo on the page above: she is the composer of the children's song, "I Am a Child of God".

COLLECTION #213: Vintage Mormon Magazines

I've been picking up old LDS magazines for many years, they are all from the 20th century, dating from 1905 to the early 1960s. These particular magazines shown, date from 1905 to 1940, and consist of publications for children, young ladies, and teachers.

My first little grouping are the magazines geared toward the teachers, or Instructors. The original magazine was called The Juvenile Instructor, but it was changed to just The Instructor in the 1920s. These issues are full of wonderful lessons, articles, teaching helps, photos and activities, primarily designed for the young ones.

The next three are called Young Women's Journal, and this magazine was designed for young ladies of the Church, from ages 12 to 18. These issues are heavy on prose, light on photos or illustrations. It's interesting that two of the issues had the exact same cover design, spanning 15 years. So, it must have been that they used that same cover design, month after month, year after year, except for a change of color.  I'll bet those girls got bored! (But I love the cover art, very Art Nouveau!)

The last two are early editions of the Children's Friend. These issues are from 1915 and 1917, the same years my Dad and his only brother Kent were born. So it's fun to see what life was like back in that era. I have many more later issues of the Children's Friend, ranging from these, to the early 1960s. I'll features these at a later time.

As I was browsing through the 1923 issue of the Juvenile Instructor, I happened to notice, in the children's pages (where children submit their poetry, stories, and art) a landscape drawing by a 15 year old boy named Joseph C. Gibby. I recognized the name as a famous (well, in Southern California LDS circles in the 1950s) artist, who painted many murals for the church, and taught art in Southern California for many years. Looks like he had been developing his great talent since he was a young boy.

COLLECTION #112: Vintage Christmas Magazines

I love old magazines... it doesn't matter if they are from the 1920s or 1970s, they are so rich in history, popular culture, art and design. In my magazine stash are quite a number of December or holiday issues... I have them from every decade but the 1930s. (That's sad, because I LOVE the 1930s!)  Included in my collection are three December issues of the Children's Friend- a publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the early 1900s until 1970. I have lots of Children's Friends- my earliest one is from 1915. I love the sweet cover of the 1944 issue... you gotta love the wholesome children's faces, so happy and innocent. I also have the 1954 and 1958 issues.

The WWII era Boy's Life Magazine was published right after the war, but still has the flavor of the war, with a great military presence in its articles and ads.

Coronet Magazine from 1954

Better Homes & Garden from 1963, Good Housekeeping from 1970

Illustration from Coronet

Yummy treat & fabulous lighting from Good Housekeeping

Fabulous non-traditional Christmas colors, and oh-so-modern decor from 1963. Just like Mad Men!

I think this is where I get my advertising design sense... fabulous classic ad from 1963

I have a few women's magazines of the '50s, '60s and '70s: Coronet, Better Homes and Gardens, and Good Housekeeping. It's really fun to see the articles, and especially the crafts, food and home decorating ideas from the past. Awesome photos and illustrations!

My copy of Nature Magazine is the December 1924 issue, and I love the cool graphics and wonderful magazine layout and design.  There are lots of interesting articles about Christmas trees and plants, and winter activities. There's even an article about wooden toys!

An article in Nature Magazine, and the answer was "NO!"

Great Lincoln Logs ad from 1924

The last magazine in my collection, is a yearly publication from the early 1960s, called Christmas: An American Annual of Literature and Art. It's exquisitely designed, with amazing artwork and stories. Christmas was published annually by the Augsburg Publishing Co. in Minneapolis from 1931 until the 1980s.