A warm Depression-era holiday image from the enduring ‘Uncle Wiggily’ children’s series, featuring the gentleman rabbit Uncle Wiggily and Nurse Jane gathered beside a brightly lit Christmas tree.

Originally issued as an illustration in ‘Uncle Wiggily’s Story Book,’ this image captures the comforting domestic fantasy that made the series a staple of American childhood through the first half of the 20th century.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Original color print illustration after Lansing Campbell, removed or separately presented from the 1939 Platt & Munk publication. Professionally matted. Matted size measures 11 x 14 inches; visible print approximately 5.5 x 7 inches. Caption within image reads: ‘“Merry Christmas, Nurse Jane!” answered the bunny.’

CONDITION: Near Fine. Print presents cleanly with strong color saturation and an attractive display appearance. Light, even age-toning. Matte remains clean and serviceable with minor handling wear visible at extremities. The print itself shows light expected age wear with no major distraction visible in the presented image.

DETAILS
+++ Title: ‘Merry Christmas, Nurse Jane!’ answered the bunny.
+++ Illustrator: Lansing Campbell
+++ Author / Source: Howard R. Garis, ‘Uncle Wiggily’s Story Book’
+++ Place: New York
+++ Publisher: Platt & Munk Company, Inc.
+++ Date: 1939
+++ Format: Matted original color print
+++ Matted Size: 11 x 14 inches
+++ Print Size: Approx. 5.5 x 7 inches
+++ Illustration: Full-color Christmas scene featuring Uncle Wiggily and Nurse Jane

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
+++ Classic ‘Uncle Wiggily’ Christmas imagery
+++ Brightly colored interwar juvenile illustration
+++ Strong nostalgic holiday display appeal
+++ Anthropomorphic rabbit characters in domestic setting
+++ Decorative crossover interest for Christmas collectors
+++ Attractive ready-to-display presentation.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT —
Howard R. Garis’s ‘Uncle Wiggily’ stories occupied a major place in early 20th-century American children’s publishing, blending gentle adventure, morality, and fantasy into short episodic tales aimed at younger readers. Lansing Campbell’s illustrations helped define the visual identity of the series for later generations, particularly through brightly colored editions issued by Platt & Munk.

This Christmas scene presents the idealized holiday interior so central to American children’s imagery of the 1930s: decorated tree, toy-filled floor, warm lighting, and anthropomorphic animal characters functioning as stand-ins for domestic family life. The image works equally well as children’s literary illustration, nostalgic Americana, or seasonal decorative art.

Price: $45.00