Johnny Blossom — Zwilgmeyer/Poulsson, Pilgrim 1925

📖 Johnny Blossom by Dikken Zwilgmeyer, translated by Emilie Poulsson (The Pilgrim Press, 1925) — a beloved Norwegian children’s classic following the spirited adventures of a young boy in a coastal Norwegian village. This eighth printing includes four color plates by Florence Liley Young. This copy is a solid reading-grade example with intact plates and firm binding.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: Dikken Zwilgmeyer (1853–1913), Norwegian children’s writer
• Translator: Emilie Poulsson
• Illustrator: Florence Liley Young
• Publisher: The Pilgrim Press, Boston and Chicago
• Year: 1925 (Eighth Printing; original copyright 1912)
• Format: Hardcover, olive green cloth with pastedown illustration
• Pages: Not specified | ISBN: None (pre-ISBN era)
• Condition: Very Good minus (VG-) — full report below

THE STORY

Johnny Blossom (originally Lille Jan Bluhme, published in Norway in 1903) is the English adaptation of Dikken Zwilgmeyer’s most popular work outside her “Inger Johanne” series. The book collects linked stories about a curious, good-natured boy navigating everyday adventures — from encounters with a mischievous goat named Asta to schemes involving Aunt Grenertsen’s apple tree. Set in a small Norwegian coastal town, the stories capture the texture of early 20th-century Scandinavian childhood with humor and warmth that translates across cultures.

Zwilgmeyer had no formal education but showed early talent for painting and writing, studying under the noted Norwegian painter Christian Krohg. Her children’s books were printed in over 600,000 copies by 1903 and are regarded as a significant innovation in Norwegian children’s literature around the turn of the century. Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset, in her 1913 obituary, noted Zwilgmeyer’s dual identity as both a warm children’s writer and a sharper critic of society.

THIS EDITION

The Pilgrim Press published this American edition with Emilie Poulsson’s translation, which took some liberties with the original Norwegian text to make it accessible to American child readers while preserving Zwilgmeyer’s original spirit. The copyright was originally held by Luther H. Cary (1912), with this printing produced by The Jordan & More Press in Boston. This is the eighth printing, indicating sustained demand for the book in the American market through the 1920s.

COVER ART & ILLUSTRATIONS

The olive green cloth binding features a pastedown illustration on the front cover — a sepia-toned portrait of a young boy in cap, suit jacket, and shorts, hands in pockets with a curious expression. Florence Liley Young’s illustrations appear throughout, including a frontispiece plate titled “Tellef’s Grandmother” depicting an elderly woman with two children in an outdoor setting. Four two-color glossy plates are present: “One Day in Vacation” (children, goat, and rowboat), and “Johnny Blossom’s Christmas Presents” (a kitchen scene with a boy presenting a gift). The chapter headings feature decorative borders with stylized foliage and fruit. Two of the plates (pages 78 and 114) are detached from the binding and show chipping on their outer edges.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Zwilgmeyer’s books were among the most widely read Norwegian children’s literature of the early 1900s, and Johnny Blossom was the title that reached the broadest English-speaking audience
• Florence Liley Young was a prolific illustrator of children’s books and also illustrated Zwilgmeyer’s What Happened to Inger Johanne (1919)
• The full text is available on Project Gutenberg (eBook #64005), reflecting its enduring status as public domain children’s literature
• The book’s Norwegian title, Lille Jan Bluhme, connects it to the broader Scandinavian children’s literary tradition that influenced later writers

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? Eighth printing of the American edition, published by The Pilgrim Press in 1925. Original copyright 1912 by Luther H. Cary.

What condition is it in? Very Good minus (VG-) — all four original color plates present, though two are detached with edge chipping. Firm, square binding. Full report below.

Is this the first printing? No — this is the eighth printing from 1925. The first American printing was published in 1912.

FOR COLLECTORS

This is a representative example of early 20th-century American children’s book publishing — the kind of well-worn, frequently-read volume that was beloved enough to go through eight printings. The Florence Liley Young plates retain good color despite the detached state of two copies. A solid reading copy or shelf piece for collectors of vintage children’s literature and Scandinavian translation history.

Condition Report

Overall Grade: Very Good- (VG-)

All four of the original two-color glossy plates are here, however, the ones at pages 78 and 114 are detached and show some chipping on their outer edges.

Cover & Spine: Olive green cloth boards with a pastedown illustration on the front cover. The pastedown has minor scuffing and a small dark mark near the center. Minor rubbing to the edges and corners. Gilt lettering to the front board and spine is all but gone, barely discernible on the cover and not at all on the spine, spine a bit more tanned than boards.

Dust Jacket: Not present.

Text Block & Pages: The outer edges of the text block are lightly age-toned, more so at the upper edge. Internal pages are off-white/cream with minimal toning, still very legible. Occasional light finger soil on page margins, but text and illustrations remain clean and clear.

Binding: Square, firm, and structurally sound.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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