Green Tiger Press
IndustryPublishing
Founded1960
FounderHarold Darling, Sandra Darling
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington

Green Tiger Press was an American publishing company known for producing reproductions of illustrations from old children's books and creating children's and gift books.[1] The company was founded by Harold and Sandra Darling in the mid-1960s.[1]

Early history

Before establishing Green Tiger Press, Harold Darling had previously set up The Sign of the Sun bookstore and The Shadow Box film theatre.[2] Those businesses became the Unicorn Theatre and the Mithras Bookstore located in La Jolla, California.  Sandra, a literature graduate who later pursued painting, designed film programs and posters for the Unicorn Theatre.[2]

Origins

Green Tiger Press started as a postcard business specializing in reproductions of out-of-print illustrations by artists such as Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Warwick Goble, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Boutet de Monvel.[1][2] Sandra's suggestion to reproduce these illustrations led to a positive response, prompting the couple to move the business to larger premises and expand their offerings to include hand-tipped notecards, matted prints, and books.[2] The press also began accepting manuscripts and commissioning artists to create books like The Book of Unicorns, which included a combination of old illustrations, newly commissioned pieces, and text written by Harold.[2]

Publication history

Green Tiger Press published books such as All Mirrors Are Magic Mirrors, which emphasized.[3] The press also released award-winning children's books, including The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Alexandra Day, which received recognition at the Children’s International Book Fair in Bologna, Italy.[2] The press's popular series, The Good Dog, Carl, was based on an idea found in an old book, while 'The Night Rainbow' by Cooper Edens became one of  their best-selling works.[2]

In 1986, Green Tiger Press was acquired by Simon and Schuster.[4][5] The Darlings continued with their stationery line and founded Laughing Elephant Publishing, focusing on gift books and paper products.[3] The Darlings later reacquired Green Tiger in 2010, and the press continues to publish children's books.[3]

Present day

Chev and Benjamin Darling, the second generation of Darlings, founded Laughing Elephant Gifts and Books, respectively.[3] Laughing Elephant Gifts, located in Seattle, Washington, specializes in unique gifts using vintage images from the Laughing Elephant and Green Tiger Press archives.[3][6] Laughing Elephant Books, run by Benjamin Darling in San Diego, California, focuses on publishing children’s and gift books featuring vintage illustrations and designs from the archives.[6][3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gifford, Mary-Elizabeth (1990-08-30). "Green Tiger Is Alive and Purring in New Home". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Green Tiger Press – a true tale of the publishing business | San Diego Reader". www.sandiegoreader.com. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Werris |, Wendy. "Images Still Drive Laughing Elephant Press". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  4. ↑ "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Green Tiger Press Sold". The New York Times. 1990-12-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  5. ↑ "SIMON & SCHUSTER BUYS SAN DIEGO FIRM". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  6. 1 2 "About". Laughing Elephant Books. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.