Four Famous Just So Stories (Movable Boxed Set, 1942)
Author: Rudyard Kipling
Illustrated by: Feodor Rojankovsky
Publisher: Garden City Publishing Company, 1942
Complete boxed set of four hardcover volumes enclosed in a pictorial folding pop-up case. When opened, the case forms a diorama-like display with chromolithographed pop-up illustrations. Case dimensions: approximately 14 x 10 in. (35.5 x 25.5 cm) when closed.
Each volume (approx. 24 x 18 cm) is bound in cloth-backed pictorial paper boards with color-illustrated dust jackets and matching endpapers. Interior pages are unnumbered ([26] pp. per volume) and profusely illustrated with photomechanical color drawings by Feodor Rojankovsky, printed recto and verso. Each book opens with a decorative title page and includes a full retelling of Kipling’s tale with rich, whimsical images throughout. The set includes:
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How the Leopard Got His Spots
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How the Camel Got His Hump
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The Elephant's Child
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How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin
Condition: Box is sturdy and complete with a working pop-up scene in excellent condition, showing only light rubbing. All four volumes are fine, with bright jackets, tight bindings, and clean pages. An exceptionally well-preserved example of this desirable early American movable boxed set.
Collector’s Corner:
This set exemplifies the height of post-World War II American movable publishing, showcasing Rojankovsky’s vibrant illustration style—he later won the 1956 Caldecott Medal. While similar boxed formats were produced (e.g., Mother Goose Play Box), the Just So set stands out due to its larger folio size, artistic pedigree, and mechanical sophistication. Its rarity in fine condition with intact dust jackets places it among the most desirable Kipling and Rojankovsky collectibles.
About the Publisher: Garden City Publishing Company
Garden City Publishing Company was founded in the early 20th century as a subsidiary of Doubleday, Page & Company, headquartered in Garden City, Long Island, New York. Originally established to handle reprints of popular works in affordable editions, the imprint became known for making literature more accessible to a mass audience. Its connection to Doubleday gave it access to a wide array of titles and authors, and it frequently republished successful Doubleday titles in budget-friendly hardbacks and paperbacks.
By the 1930s and 1940s, Garden City Publishing began to experiment with more elaborate production formats. This included boxed gift sets and illustrated children’s books, often with distinguished illustrators such as Feodor Rojankovsky. The company’s 1942 release of Four Famous Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, complete with color-illustrated volumes and a mechanical pop-up case, reflects this creative period. These novelty editions were typically aimed at the holiday or gift market and positioned to compete with deluxe children’s imprints while remaining affordable.
Under the leadership of Robert Fair de Graff—who later played a pivotal role in American paperback publishing through Pocket Books—Garden City became known not only for its reprints but also for bringing literary and illustrated works to broader audiences through innovative packaging. Though the imprint was eventually absorbed into the larger Doubleday operation, its mid-century novelty titles, especially movable or mechanically enhanced editions, remain highly collectible today.
About the Illustrator: Feodor Rojankovsky
Feodor Stepanovich Rojankovsky (1891–1970), also known professionally as Rojan, was a Russian-born illustrator celebrated for his vivid contributions to children’s literature. Born in Mitava (then part of the Russian Empire, now Jelgava, Latvia), he studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He served in the Russian Army during World War I and fled the Bolshevik Revolution, ultimately settling in France during the 1920s.
In Paris, Rojankovsky gained recognition for his work with French publishers, particularly for his illustrations in Le Père Castor series, which emphasized nature, folklore, and animal themes. His distinctively warm, textured style—often combining pen and ink with soft watercolor washes—made him a natural choice for children’s books.
Rojankovsky emigrated to the United States in 1941, where he began a prolific collaboration with American publishers, including Garden City Publishing and Simon & Schuster. His illustrations graced the pages of numerous titles in the Little Golden Books series, notably The Poky Little Puppy, one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. He also illustrated deluxe editions such as Four Famous Just So Stories (1942), where his detailed animal illustrations and naturalistic sensibility complemented Kipling’s timeless tales.
In 1956, he received the prestigious Caldecott Medal for Frog Went A-Courtin’, affirming his place among the most influential illustrators of 20th-century children’s books. His work is admired for its technical skill, emotional warmth, and ability to depict animals with anatomical accuracy and charm.
References
Varshavsky Collection. “Just So Stories Series / Pictured by F. Rojankovsky.” Accessed June 22, 2025. https://www.varshavskycollection.com
(Provides format and illustration details for the Kipling volumes, including pagination, publication year, and binding specifics.)
“Feodor S. Rojankovsky.” Wikipedia. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feodor_Rojankovsky
(Notes the illustrator’s Caldecott Medal, biographical background, and publishing legacy.)
Marcus, Leonard S. Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way. New York: Golden Books/Random House, 2007.
(Provides an in-depth overview of Rojankovsky’s work with Little Golden Books and his American career.)
Bader, Barbara. American Picturebooks from Noah's Ark to the Beast Within. New York: Macmillan, 1976.
(Discusses Rojankovsky's influence on mid-century children's illustration and publishing.)
"Feodor Rojankovsky." Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938–Present. American Library Association. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors
(Confirms Rojankovsky’s 1956 Caldecott Medal for Frog Went A-Courtin’.)
“Feodor Rojankovsky (Rojan).” International Centre for the Picture Book in Society. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://www.picturebookinsociety.org
(Offers biographical details and a timeline of Rojankovsky’s international work.)
De Graff, Robert Fair. The Pocketbook: The Inside Story of America's First Paperbacks. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1955.
(Provides background on Garden City's connection to Doubleday and de Graff’s publishing strategies.)
"Garden City Publishing Company." Dictionary of Literary Biography, Vol. 46: American Book Publishing Record. Detroit: Gale Research, 1986.
(Historical summary of Garden City's origins, imprint role, and parent company Doubleday.)
“Garden City Publishing Co.” Library of Congress Authorities & Vocabularies. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr94030881.html
(Confirms formal identity and bibliographic history of Garden City Publishing.)
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All books are returnable within 10 days of receipt if not delighted for any reason.