The platypus story : publisher's dummy mock-up, 1958 / commissioned by Alfred A. Knopf

PXB 475

fonds

1958

Graphic Materials, Drawings

909676

6 drawings (1 album) - watercolour, pencil, colour pencil - 20.6 x 13.9 cm

Alfred G. Milotte (1904-1989) was a nature-film photographer. Along with his wife Elma Milotte he spent two years in Australia in the late 1950s working on wildlife films. The platypus story was set in Tasmania and based on material they compiled during their stay there

References:
The story of the platypus. / by Alfred G. Milotte. New York : Knopf, 1959

Hand-made, octavo-sized, and illustrated dummy mock-up for Knopf's 1959 edition, consisting of a dust-jacket, illustrated board, end-paper and pages.

The mock-up copy shows the layout of dedication page, title page, imprint, vignettes and composition of text, with pencil sketches of platypuses and other Australian native animals. The folding dust-jacket titled The platypus story by Alfred G. Milotte shows an illustration in gouache and watercolour of a platypus about to catch a small crustacean in it’s mouth. The cover of the mock-up book is titled The platypus: Australias wonder animal by Alfred G. Milotte and shows an illustration in pencil and coloured pencil of a platypus resting on a branch. The front end-paper contains an image in pencil and coloured pencil of a platypus burrow.

None of the vignettes, endpapers or dedication to Elma Milotte were used in the published version of the book

Copyright status:: In copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

The story of the platypus / by Alfred G. Millotte, illustrated by Helen Damrosch Tee-Van. New York : Knopf, 1959. Helen Damrosch Tee-Van illustrated the published version of this book however in this mock-up copy the illustrator's name is indiscernible