Western Costume Series and Asiatic Costume Series

Harrisburg, PA: The Pennyslvania Museum Extension Project, (1939). First edition. Loose_leaf. Near Fine. A rare and amazing collection of 109 hand-colored costume plates from the Western Costume Series and 23 plates from the Asiatic Costume Series for a total of 132 plates. Also included, and absolutely integral to the collection, is a complete matching set of single page typed/mimeos providing lucid descriptions of each plate. For an unknown reason one page is offered in duplicate, making a total of 133 pages. This collection of 265 loose pages came wrapped in what I believe to be an original stiff cardboard wrap-around binding, with a single cloth tie. The spine has a typed label. While Pennsylvania took the lead in producing a wide range of educational tools they also shared their efforts with other interested WPA state programs. The plates offered here are stamped with the New Jersey Works Progress Administration/Museum Extension Project label. Many of these plates have signatures in pencil to the verso which I believe to be the signature of the colorist. Also found in numerous plates are initials only, also presumed from the colorist. In a few instances the plates also bear a date to the verso - typically 1939 - explaining how I arrived at the listed date. On the interior of the rear panel of this card binding is a stamped statement - "Newark Board Of Education/Arts Department Workshop/ Marguerite Marquart, Director/Lawrence Street School, Newark 5, New Jersey." Each plate is 8 1/2" by 11". This collection now housed in a strong and attractive drop back box providing a very safe and secure environment. The Western Costume Collection is missing five plates out of a total of 114 - they are numbers 71, 82, 89, 90, and 113. The Asiatic Collection is missing 15 plates of what I believe to be a total of 48. Scharf and Schoyer, #858, WPA Museum Extension Project, 1935-1943 by James Findlay and Lillian Perricone, Broward County Library, Fort Lauderdale Florida, 2009 - pp 38-56.

Price: $7,500.00


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