2024 Florida Antiquarian Book Fair Program

There’s more to Dr. Seuss than the Cat in the Hat

By T. Allan Smith

Theodor Seuss Geisel, who was to become a most beloved children’s writer and illustrator, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the time, it was a thriving little city on the banks

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florida antiquarian book fair of the Connecticut River. That was on March 2, 1904 – 120 years ago.

On Saturday, during the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair this year, we’ll celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with a cake, singing Happy Birthday, and visits from The Cat in the Hat and his companions, Thing 1 and Thing 2. They’ll probably be up to goodnatured mischief. Fairgoers are welcome to have their pictures taken with the guest Seuss characters.

Many fans of Dr. Seuss may not realize that the genius who gave us The Cat in the Hat and The Grinch and produced more than 60 best selling children’s books that sold 600 million volumes around the world, was also an accomplished advertising cartoonist and a talented filmmaker. What follows is some of that fascinating story.

First edition, 1957

Theodor’s grandfather was a German immigrant who brought his family to America before 1870. The family was successful in the beer making business. Their brewery was named Kalmbach and Geisel. Eventually, it was nicknamed “Come back and guzzle” by local fans. Prohibition destroyed march 2024

the family’s livelihood but they recovered. Theodor’s father became the parks supervisor of Springfield.

During World War I, 14-year-old Theodor was a Boy Scout and sold war bonds to help raise money for the war effort. It was an important activity for the family because it clearly established the Geisels’ loyalty. His grandfather is said to have bought $1,000 worth of war bonds, making his grandson among the top sellers in Springfield. Ted and nine other lads were to receive personal awards from former march 2024

Ted Geisel in 1957.

florida antiquarian book fair

President Theodore Roosevelt for their efforts. The 10 young scouts were on stage to receive their awards but someone gave the former president only nine medals. When he got to Theodor Geisel, the gruff Teddy Roosevelt barked, “What’s this little boy doing here?” The humiliated lad was quickly whisked off stage. The incident contributed to Geisel’s lifelong case of stage fright.

Ted, as he was called, enrolled in Dartmouth College in the class of 1925. Ted had drawn sketches from childhood but it wasn’t until he went to Dartmouth that he began to find his niche. He was attracted to the college humor magazine, the Dartmouth Jack-0-Lantern, and in time worked his way up to the editor position. And, of course, his humorous cartoons were published regularly in the magazine. Ted was quite happy with how things were going.

It was Prohibition, and drinking alcoholic beverages was illegal. Ted and several of his friends were caught drinking bootleg gin in his dormitory room.

As might be expected, that didn’t sit well with the school administration. As punishment, it was decided that he would lose all extracurricular activities, including his position on the magazine.

Undeterred, however, Ted decided to continue to contribute cartoons to the magazine. He could no longer use his name on them so he decided to use his middle name, Seuss, which was his mother’s maiden name. No Dr. yet. That would come later.

Either the administration didn’t realize what was going on or chose to ignore it. In any case, Ted wasn’t stopped from doing his cartoons.

In his senior year at Dartmouth, Ted wrote to his father, bragging that he was to receive a fellowship for postgraduate study at Oxford University in England. His proud dad happened to mention that development to the editor of the march 2024

florida antiquarian book fair Springfield newspaper. The editor put it in the paper, so everybody in town knew about Ted’s good fortune. Unfortunately, the fellowship didn’t materialize. To keep up appearances, Ted’s father paid for him to go to Oxford anyway.

He entered, planning to earn a Ph.D. in English literature. While he was at Oxford, Ted met Helen Palmer, who was from New York City, and was at Oxford after graduating from Wellesley College, and teaching for three years at a high school in Brooklyn.

Helen and Ted were married in 1927. She was a major influence on his future. Helen realized early in their relationship that Ted shouldn’t pursue an academic career. Instead, he should put his art talent to work. She noticed that his notebooks were filled with what she called “these fabulous animals.” Ted said in an interview later that what he knew about animals he had learned when his father supervised the city park in Springfield, which had a zoo.

Helen began the effort to influence him to try cartooning to earn a living. She couldn’t have children so they both pursued their careers, she as a children’s writer and he as a cartoonist.

They spent a little time in Europe and Ted developed an idea for a cartoon series about Eminent Europeans, which he offered to Life magazine but the editors decided to pass on it. Ted had another idea that rattled around in his brain on the voyage back to the States. It was the rhythm of the boat’s engine that got stuck in his head during the eight-day crossing. That led to the rhyming story of a little boy and his walk home from school along Mulberry Street. (There actually was a Mulberry Street in Ted’s hometown, not far from his childhood home.)

However, the remarkable tale that we know as And To Think That I saw It All On Mulberry Street didn’t interest march 2024

First edition.

florida antiquarian book fair publishers immediately. It was a case of perseverance, Ted Geisel said in numerous accounts in interviews. He had to submit the idea to as many as 20 and perhaps up to more than 40 publishers (the number varied in different interviews) before he found one who would publish it. And even then, it was only chance that led to the opportunity. The story is told that Ted Geisel was walking down Madison Avenue, all out of sorts at the most recent rejection of Mulberry Street. He happened to encounter Mike McClintock, a friend from Dartmouth who had just been hired at Vanguard Press as an editor. Within hours they had a publishing agreement. After the success of the book, which was published in 1937, Ted Geisel would retell the story: “If I had been going down the other side of Madison Avenue, I’d be in the drycleaning business today,” he said. Another twist to the story: to show his gratitude, Ted named his character for his editor’s son, Marco. Ted contributed cartoons to a small humor magazine called Judge, and to other publications including Life magazine and the Saturday Evening Post. Judge offered him a job as a writer and editor. That was where, about six months after he started, that his first work credited as Dr. Seuss appeared. It was an inside joke about the degree he never earned at Oxford.

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In one of the cartoons that appeared in Judge, the story goes, Ted had incorporated the bug spray Flit, which was in popular use at the time. The wife of an advertising executive who handled accounts for Standard Oil of New Jersey (maker of Flit) noticed the cartoon at her hairdresser and showed it to her husband. In 1928, Standard Oil put Ted on the payroll to draw posters and cartoons for its brands. He worked with the company for 13 years.

During his time with Standard Oil, Ted coined the phrase “Quick, Henry, the Flit.” It became a national catchphrase.

One of the brands was Esso, which had service stations in many states after the breakup of Standard Oil in 1911. There’s a Ted Geisel-designed Esso jigsaw puzzle on display at the book fair.

He also did advertising cartoons for Ford Motor Company, General Electric, Holly Sugar, and other brands.

Ted also did political cartoons for the left-leaning new York newspaper PM. The isolationist attitude of some prominent Americans as Hitler’s troops were marching across Europe disturbed Ted Geisel, who advocated a more active approach to foreign policy. He skewered the aviation hero Charles Lindbergh, who was an outspoken isolationist before the war started, though he changed his stance after the attack at Pearl Harbor and Germany’s declaration of war on the United States. Ted drew him as Lindberg the Ostrich. Many examples of Ted Geisel’s non-Dr. Seuss work can be found and are highly collectible.

Although it wasn’t published until 1958, Dr. Seuss’ Yertle the Turtle represented Adolph Hitler, Geisel has said in interviews. The story deals with Yertle, the king of the pond, who stands on the backs of the other turtles in the pond so he can see beyond his kingdom and expand it. The story has been interpreted as a reaction against fascism during World War II.

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Ted Geisel coined the popular phrase, “Quick, Henry! The Flit”

This is an example of an Esso puzzle that will be on display at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair this year.

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Dr. Seuss was quite critical of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh’s stance on the developing world war.

As the war raged, volunteer Army Capt. Theodor Geisel reported for duty in California. He was assigned to director Frank Capra’s Signal Corps unit. Capt. Geisel worked with top animators Chuck Jones and Fritz Freleng in creating a series starring Private Snafu, soldier who cuts corners and endangers his fellow soldiers. In 1944, Geisel was promoted to major and worked on propaganda documentaries designed to spur troops to victory. One film, Our Job In march 2024

Ted and Helen Geisel wrote the screenplay for this Academy-award winning documentary based on a film Ted made during World War II.

florida antiquarian book fair Japan, was blocked by General Douglas MacArthur and was never shown.

Ted Geisel and his wife Helen used the film to create their screenplay for the 1947 documentary Design for Death, which won an Oscar. After the war, Dr. Seuss really came into his own. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, he published many of the titles that are familiar to most. Among them, If I Ran the Zoo (1950), Horton Hears a Who! (1955), The Cat in the Hat (1957), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957), Green Eggs and Ham (1960), One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (1960), The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961), The Lorax (1971). Then came The Butter Battle Book (1984) and Oh, The Places You’ll Go (1990).

Adolph Hitler inspired the main character, according to Dr. Seuss.

And, of course, there have been the television specials, the television series, the feature films, and a Broadway musical.

All from the genius of a man who thought he wanted to earn a Ph.D. in English literature.

By now the tall red and white striped hat, and the red bow tie are ubiquitous in American culture, as are the mischievous, blue-haired Thing 1 and Thing 2. But there was so much more to the story, and now we know some of it. march 2024

WELCOME TO THE BOOK FAIR

The book lovers’ paradise.TM

1 Richard Mori Books

Children’s Illustrated & Series, Americana, Modern Firsts, Boy & Girl Scouts, Sports, Counter Culture, Cookbooks, General

2 Intergalactic Trading Photoplays, Movie & TV Books

3 Lighthouse Books, The Old Florida Book Store, FABA, ABAA, ILAB

General Antiquarian, emphasis on Florida History, Americana, Caribbean History, Military History; Children’s Books; Maps

4A Old New York Book Shop, ABAA, ILAB

General Antiquarian

4B Crow Hop Rare Books

Midcentury Americana, African Americana, Popular Culture and American Social and Cultural Movements, Archival Collections, Photography, and Photo Albums, Vernacular and Manuscript Material, and Other Unusual Paper Ephemera

5 Liberty Book Store, FABA, ABAA, ILAB

General

e.

BOOKS•MAPS•PRINTS

EPHEMERA•PHOTOGRAPHS

6A A-Book-A-Brac Shop, FABA

Art, Architecture, Medicine, Photography, Hunting, Firearms, Fishing, Military, First Editions, General, Appraisal Services

6B One of a Kind Collectibles

Autographs, Documents, Photography, Books

7 Inklings Book Shoppe, FABA

General stock, Modern first editions, Vintage paperbacks, Space race-era, Sci-fi/ Fantasy, and early 1900s Children’s Detective Series

8-9 Ken Kocab Paper

American Ephemera, Maps, Newspapers

10 Back in Time Rare Books, FABA, ABAA, ILAB

General

11 Kenneth Leininger

Early Printing, Americana, Bibles

12-13 Glover's Bookery, ABAA, ILAB

General Scarce, Rare and Antiquarian Books

14 The Book Chaser, FABA

Florida & the South, Special Bindings & Unique Editions of Every Subject; Plus Book Binding Services, Repairs and Custom Design Bindings

15 InkQ Rare Books LLC

General Antiquarian, Literature, Illustrated, Books on Drugs

16 Yesterday's Books

General Stock

17

Vivian Moore Bookseller, FABA

General Stock, emphasizing: Florida, Americana, Children’s, Civil War, Ephemera

18 Books 4 Ewe Rare Books

Modern First Editions

19

Good Books in the Woods

Modern Literature, Hunting, Exploration

20 Ed’s Editions, LLC, ABAA, ILAB

General, Antiquarian

21 West Side Book Shop, ABAA, ILAB

Travel & Exploration, Literary First Edition, Americana

22 Wilson Warneld, Bookman

23 Little Button Rose

Literary First Editions, Alcott, Hemingway, etc.; Vintage Children’s

24 Riverow Bookshop, Inc., ABAA, ILAB

General

25 Solaria Bookstore, FABA

Vintage Sci-Fi Fantasy

26 Cardtique

Victorian Ephemera, Valentines, Trade Cards

27 The Ridge Books

Southern, African American, Music, American Edge, Native American

28 Doyle’s Books

Modern First Editions

29 Camelot Books & Gifts Inc., FABA Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

30 Kurt A. Sanftleben, ABAA, ILAB

Ephemera and unique original source Americana: personal narratives, diaries, work journals, correspondence, photograph albums, scrapbooks, and similar items

31 Grayshelf Books, ABAA, ILAB

Modern First Editions, Science Fiction, Horror

32 Toadlily Books, ABAA, ILAB

Occult, Natural History, Books about Books, LGBTQI, Illustrated, Cookbooks, General

33 Gilbert Trading Company

Fiction, Texana, History, Movie Memorabilia (movie lobby cards, sheet music, etc.), Mysteries, Books of the South, Sports

34A A. Parker's Books Inc., FABA, ABAA, ILAB

Art, Fine Bindings, Literature

34B Book Bazaar, Inc., FABA

Modern First Editions, Sets, History

35 Copperfish Books, FABA

General, Florida, Classics, Children’s Ephemera

36 Shelf Indulgence, FABA

Collectible Science Fiction & Fantasy

37 Bob Lakin Books

Fiction, Vintage Juvenile, Signed Books

38 Grayshelf Books, ABAA, ILAB

Modern First Editions, Science Fiction, Horror

39 New World Maps, Inc., FABA

Original antique and collectible maps, prints, and atlases, with an extensive inventory of transportation-related folding maps, travel brochures, and paper ephemera

40-41 Bookleggers Fine Books, ABAA, ILAB

Quality Books in all Categories – General Antiquarian

42 Kings Arms Rare Books

18th/19th Century Fine Bindings

43 Imperial Fine Books Inc., ABAA, ILAB

Leather bound Sets, Fine Bindings, Children’s, Churchill, Fine & Rare Books

44 Courtside Books

Modern First Editions

45 First Folio, ABAA, ILAB

Fine Bindings, Illustrated, General Rare Books

46 Dale Steffey Books, ABAA, ILAB

General Antiquarian

47 Wiggins Fine Books, ABAA, ILAB

First Editions, Signed Books, Fine Press, Book Arts, Maps, and Ephemera

48 The Book Block, LLC, ABAA, ILAB

Appraisals, fine and rare books including illustrated books, literature, private press and fine printings & bindings

49 Bromer Booksellers, ABAA, ILAB

Rare and beautiful books from fine printing and binding, to miniature and children's books

50 The Family Book Shop, FABA

General, books of all interests

51-52 Blind Horse Books, FABA, ABAA, ILAB

Travel, Exploration,Geography and Other Noteworthy Books

53 Heartwood Books and Art, FABA, ABAA, ILAB

First Editions, Mystery & Detective Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror & Supernatural Fiction, Popular Fiction, Vintage Pulps, Original Illustration Art and Illustrated Books

54 The Accidental Bookseller, FABA, IOBA

Interesting & Uncommon Books, in all subjects with specialties in signed books, modern first editions, poetry, economics, American history

55 Bernard E. Goodman, Bookseller

Modern First Editions, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Ephemera

56-57 Tall Stories

Science Fiction, Burroughsiana, Vintage Military. Mystery & Detective, Fiction, Fantasy Art, Art Books

58 Old Editions Book Shop, ABAA, ILAB

General Antiquarian

59 Books of the Ages

Children’s, Illustrated, Tasha Tudor, Pop Ups, Caldecott and Newbery Award Winners, Series, Tolkien

60 A Thousand Words

General Antiquarian

61 Michael Laird Rare Books, ABAA, ILAB

Bindings, Early Printed Books, Illustrated Books, Manuscripts, Oriental Books

62 Andy Meek, Inc.

Interesting Americana, American Social History, Books, Photographs, Ephemera

63 Locke & Hartfield

Vintage Books, Science Fiction, Military History, Children’s, Rare Prints

64 Sean Donnelly, Bookseller, FABA

Signed Books, Modern First Editions, Mystery & Science Fiction, Americana, Ephemera

65 Tennyson Williams, Books & Fine Art

General Antiquarian, Photographs, Stereoviews, Autographs, Original Art on Paper

66-67 Foster Books, FABA

Children’s Illustrated & Series, Juvenile Series, Biography, Music, Modern Firsts, Signed Books

68 The First Edition Rare Books, ABAA, ILAB

U. S. Political History, Signed Books, Limited Editions, Military History

69 Between the Covers, ABAA

Literature, Poetry, Americana, African-Americana, Women

70-71 William Hutchison Books

General

72 Rio Verde Co. Rare & Collectible Books

Children’s Books; Illustrated

73 Michael Tormey Books

Mysteries of the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s; Books into Film; Literary High Spots

74 Tippecanoe Antiques Trader, FABA

Women’s Studies, First Editions, Florida, Unusual Books, Early Papers & Prints

75 Caroliniana, ABAA, ILAB

Americana, Ephemera, Photographs, General Antiquarian

76 Wonderland Books

Children's, Illustrated, Newbery & Caldecott Medal Winners, Pop-Up & Movable

77 Four Winds Books, ABAA, ILAB

Children's & Illustrated, Horse & Dog Sporting, General

78A Americana Books, ABAA, ILAB

History, Travel, Exploration, Ephemera, General Stock

78B Kenneth Mallory, Bookseller, ABAA, ILAB

Art, Architecture, Photography, General

79 Underground Books. LLC, ABAA, ILAB

General, Scholarly Works in All Fields, Folklore, Women’s History, Humor, Esoteric, Print Curiosities, Bookish Gifts

80 K & S Fine Arts Maps, Books, Prints

81 Stand-Up Librarian Designs

Literary fashions and accessories

82 Scrapbook Creations

Specialized, one-of-a-kind scrapbooks of sporting and military events and eras

83 Florida Bibliophile Society

A congenial organization of book lovers, collectors, readers, buyers, sellers, and assorted eccentrics

L1 Seminole Wars Foundation

Non-profit corporation devoted to preserving sites and publishing material related to the Seminole Wars.

L2 Rob Smith, Jr.

Professional cartoonist, illustrator, author

L3 Manuscript Society

Welcoming all collectors of letters, manuscripts, and lovers of history.

CODE OF ETHICS

PREAMBLE

The Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association was formed to bring together persons involved in the selling of rare and out-of-print books, manuscripts, letters, prints, documents, and other written and printed materials.

As such, we are proud to be a part of a time-honored tradition whereby booksellers, private collectors and institutional libraries promote the preservation and protection of important literary and historical works which are our common heritage.

The mutual trust ordinarily found between antiquarian booksellers and their customers is an honorable tradition we seek to extend through our adoption of this Code of Ethics which sets forth standards and guidelines for members in transactions with both customers and one another.

Its intent is to advance the highest ethical considerations in our profession, to promote mutual trust amongst members, and to increase public confidence in our trade.

CODE OF ETHICS

1. Membership in the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association should signify commitment to high ethical standards and honest business practices. Each member accepts this premise and these guidelines.

2. Members will not misrepresent value in buying or selling. We recognize that there is a wide variance for pricing in the antiquarian book trade, and no absolute criteria for pricing exist. However, members will endeavor to follow generally accepted standards and practices when march 2024

florida antiquarian book fair appraising and pricing their own merchandise, or when they are providing similar services to others.

3. Members will provide prospective customers with all information known to them about any flaws or defects in material offered for sale.

4. Members will allow for a return of items purchased from them, with a full refund or exchange, if the customer discovers flaws or defects which were not previously noticed – if such return is made in a timely manner, and insofar as the seller is persuaded that such defects were present at the time of sale and were not occasioned after the purchase.

5. Members will make no alterations to material they offer for sale where such would tend to deceive customers as to the edition, state, or basic condition of such material. This does not preclude skillful cleaning or repair.

6. Members will not knowingly purchase material from others which they have reason to believe was stolen or may rightfully belong to another. Should such be offered, the bookseller will notify other members who may be similarly solicited. With sufficient cause, appropriate authorities should be notified.

7. If it is determined later that something acquired in good faith was wrongfully obtained or stolen by the party providing it, other members in the area should be advised to beware of the material offered by that person. Also, every effort should be made to see that such material is restored to its rightful owner.

8. Members will maintain a standard of excellence and honesty in their advertising and promotional claims which is consonant with their offerings, and which does not disparage their fellow members.

9. While recognizing they are competitors in the marketplace, members regard their professional and fraternal association as a bond of trust and mutual support, and will readily refer customers to one another as the situation warrants. Members will make available to customers the annual Directory of the Association.

10. These guidelines can and shall be used as a yardstick in consideration of applications for membership in the Association.

11. Members of the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association pledge themselves to do all that is necessary to maintain the good reputation generally enjoyed by antiquarian booksellers throughout the country.