Like many Sixties kids books were just as important as toys at Christmas [only Selection Boxes seemed more important but only for a few delicious minutes!]. Only one of my original books survived the ravages of adolescence, Jason and the Golden Fleece, which my Mum bought at Zodiac Toys [covered previously ont' blog here and here]. Fortunately many of my Sixties tomes are still possible to find in Charity Shops and Boot Sales, something I've been doing for many years as it's such a blast looking through them again [sad, I know]. One of my favourite re-acquisitions is The Finding Out Book of Battles published by Purnell in the 1960's. The descriptions of the events are enthralling but the real treasures are Ron Embleton's instantly recognisable illustrations, which I just love. There's just something about the symmetry he achieves overall and a mastery of painting legs, boots and shoes! For me Embleton and soldiers are inextricably connected together and his art gave me a childhood passion for military medals, insignia and ranks fuelled by musings as to whether a Field Marshall was senior to a First Sea Lord or if a Five Star General outranked a Rear Admiral!
As a postscript to this bloglet, it's wonderful to see that Ron Embleton's art is actually available to purchase online. Now where's my Credit Card!
what about some Wicked Wanda from Penthouse ? She was always my favourite Ron Embleton work of art!
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ReplyDeletePenthouse, WOTAN? And you a married man!
ReplyDelete*Toad shakes head* ^_^
Woodsy, there's nothing sad about collecting books from childhood - never feel you have to apologise to anyone for that! ^_^
And I love your description of the momentary imperative assigned to Christmas Selection Boxes. I found there was always one in them I didn't like and left for my dad to eat - possibly Spangles, if memory serves.
Wow, I had that exact same Jason and The Argonauts book too and it was from Zodiacs!
ReplyDeleteI remember I loved the art work inside too!
We had a Zodiacs in the next town to us and sometimes on a Saturday we would go over to do shopping and as a treat we would go to Zodiacs at the end of the trip, after all the boring stuff was done like Sainsburys and looking for new trousers or shoes...god did I hate that!
Zodiacs was brilliant...got a Thomas Salter chemistry set from there one Saturday...I was one happy bunny until I stained all my mum's white sink with some concoction (not in the instruction booklet) and then had to use it outside and wash everything with water taken out from the kitchen in a watering can.
I found a complete Thomas Salter Chemistry Set a couple of years back at a boot sale and sold it almost immediately on Ebay. Think a lot of people remember 'em. I can see mine like it was yesterday - bluey green copper sulphate, alum powder, cobalt, litmus papers and iron filings that went everywhere! It's wonder we didn't blow up our folks' houses!
ReplyDeleteI loved Iron filings!
ReplyDeleteMy dad used to work in a steel works and used to bring me home bags of them.
I never tired of sprinkling them onto my little meths burner!
There were also a couple of experiments that passed an electrical current through some solutions and you were meant to use batteries. I used to use my transformer from my train set on an extension lead to the garden instead and I can remember the solutions bubbling and frothing like crazy.
I have often wondered how close to death I came using the mains electricity with those chemical solutions with such abandon!
I;d never have got another toy in my life if my parents had found out!
My favourite "conventional" experiments were the one with Copper Sulphate (I think) growing crystals and the "Chemical Garden". Wouldn't mind doing the Chemical Garden again.
Thanks for the memories Woodsy.
This was the book that began a lifelong interest in military history. This was my favourite book during my childhood mainly due to the gloriously detailed illustrations. I particularly recall the detail regarding Genghis Kahn's army being the most mobile up until the blitzkrieg and the picture of the knights at Crecy or Agincourt (I can't recall which) which I copied as a young boy. A real treasure.
ReplyDeleteThanks Unknown. Great memories of a great book. I adored it as a kid too.
DeleteBattle of Arbela was a particularly ruthless illustration in FOBoB.
ReplyDeletePicture of British troops drifting over No Man's Land during Somme offensive very poignant as well...
Yes, they are brilliant illustrations.
DeleteI had this book as a kid and read it so much the spine fell apart and the plastic covering disintegrated. I am now minded to go check out Abebooks and see if it's available for less than a mortgage ...
ReplyDeleteHope you manage to pick one up Conrad.
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