In the 'a' binding

Component identifier:

Item 57(e)

Content Summary:

With long inscription across the end-papers: 'Dear Harry Chaplin: The coloured illustration 'The Swank' was the first coloured drawing sent to A, as a specimen, as it were, of what was intended. I was staying at Toolangi at the time, and had turned one of the old saw-mill huts into a studio...After I'd sent the drawing George Robertson sent me wire: 'An illustration like this would sell even a Dennis poem'. Dennis didn't like it too much...and it was not long before the Myer Emporium, as a catch line to draw customers to their corsets and other clothes, advertised and sold the book for 2/6, the cows! after which Reads of Prahran advertised the same book for 1/6, more cows! So The Glugs of Gosh hung fire...Then slowly, very slowly, it began to sell, until at present you can't buy a copy. While the Glugs was being got ready to print, Henry Lawson sent George Robertson a telegram complaining about some book of his being held up, and asked: 'Is it because of the Bugs of Bosh' and George Robertson wired back; 'No, the Slugs of Slosh'. Den got the word 'glug'* from the sound the coach horses made when they pulled their hooves out of the thick Toolangi clay in the road. Hal Gye, January 1952'.

Hal Gye designed the end-papers for all issues of this book.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The collection was purchased from Harry Chaplin in 1981.

Names:

Chaplin, Harry F.

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