Cox established a reputation for funny animals and verse used in children's books and commercial advertisements alike. In 1883 the leading children's magazine "St Nicholas" introduced his Brownies - and the key to his fame and fortune. In his first Brownies story, "The Brownies' Ride", his Brownies borrow a farmer's mare to go for a ride and return it unharmed before sunrise. Children responded enthusiastically and over next 30 years many more stories in "St Nicholas" gave Cox and the Brownies world-wide fame. Cox also wrote thirteen Brownies books, the first one being the 1887 title "Brownies - Their Book". The Brownies stories are meant to be read aloud. There are many characters in each picture and children can follow their favorites. In all Brownies stories, the characters show "a child-like curiosity and sense of fun; the democratic comradeship of a leaderless band in a parentless world; and investigation of the contemporary world and its mastery through some sort of technology". The Brownies show creativity, skill and hard work - there is no pain or crime in their stories.
 | Palmer Cox Book “Queer People with Wings and Stings” by Palmer Cox, author of “The Brownies”. Book is in fair condition with some edge wear and a broken back. There is no date listed in the book. |
 | Palmer Cox Book “Palmer Cox’s Brownies”. Series No. 160. Printed by M. A. Donohue Company. Book is in fair condition with some edge wear, paper pulls and a broken back. There is no date listed in the book. $20 |
 | Palmer Cox Book “Palmer Cox’s Funny Animals.” Series 160. Printed by M. A. Donohue and Company. This is not a hardback. Book is in good condition with some edge wear and two torn corner pages. There is no date listed in the book. |
 | “The Brownies Around the World”. Published by Saalfield Company. Latest copyright is 1894. Book is in fair condition with a rough binding and missing spine cover. The pages are bright. $29.50 |
Dinah Maria Mulock Craik. 1826–87, English author. She is best known for the moralistic novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856) and for the children's classics The Adventures of a Brownie (1872) and The Little Lame Prince (1875).
 | Dinah Mulock Book “Adventures of a Brownie” by Mulock. Printed by Hurst and Company. Book is in good condition with minor edge wear. Floral décor spine. Measures 4.5” x 6”. There is no date listed in the book. |
 | Dinah Mulock Book “The Adventures of a Brownie” by Dinah Mulock. Printed by Educational Publishing Company. Very good condition with a nice cover. There is no date listed in the book. |
Nathaniel Moore Banta (1867-1932). He was an author of 27 books, including the "Brownie Books" for children and many books about nature and bird life. His first book The Brownie Primer was published in 1905. These books were widely used as supplemental texts in area schools.
 | Moore Banta Book “The Brownie Primer” by N. M. Banta. Book is in fair condition with some edge wear. There is no date listed in the book. |
 | Moore Banta Book “Bush Little Brownies” by N. Moore Banta. Printed by Grosset and Dunlap. Copyright 1923. Book is in fair condition with some edge wear and the cover barely hanging on. $10.00 |
The Dionne quintuplets (more appropriately referred to as the Dionne sisters by the remaining quintuplets) (born on May 28, 1934) are the first identical quintuplets known to survive their infancy. The sisters were born just outside Callander, Ontario, Canada in the village of Corbeil. The chances of having identical quintuplets are one in 57 million. The Dionne girls were born two months prematurely with the assistance of Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe and two midwives, Madame Legros and Madame Lebel. Their father, Oliva, already poor with five previous children (a sixth, son Leo, died of pneumonia shortly after birth), was approached by fair exhibitors two days after the quintuplets were born, who wanted to display his children on tour once they were healthy enough. Reluctantly, after speaking to his wife, Elzire, he signed a contract. He made a deal with the Century of Progress Exposition, a World's Fair being held in Chicago, to use the money to feed and clothe his instantly expanded family. The babies would live in a facility specialized for them on the fairgrounds. (At the time it was entirely usual for prematurely born children in incubators to be displayed at fairs.
 | Dionne Quintuplets Dionne Quintuplets 1937 advertising calendar for J. C. Nissley and Son Garage Hardware Lincoln Nebraska. Photo dated 1936. Fair condition measuring 11” x 8”. Born 1934. Contains information page. |
 | Dionne Quintuplets Dionne Quintuplets childs metal dish. Each of the quintuplets is named on the rim: Emilie, Cecile, Annette, Yvonne and Marie. Very good condition. |
 | Brownies Mustache Cup. Given as a gift in 1897. Small chip on rim. Twelve brownies playing tug a war. There is a card inside that reads: Dec. 1897 Independence Kansas, O. H. Clemmer, Given OHC by Aunt Luna H. |
 | Another view of the above cup. |
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Updated 11/27/07 by Dr. Rick Bewley (drbewley@hotmail.com)