F.Y. Cory Fairy Prints and Cards 
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The Artist:
"Fanny Y.
Cory --By Herself" was how The Critic magazine
captioned this self-portrait in its July 1900 issue.
Fanny Young Cory was born in 1877 and in 1895 an 18 year-old Miss Cory attended the Metropolitan school of Fine Arts in New York City. By the turn of the century, she was one of the best known illustrators in the country. She did covers and illustration for St. Nicholas, Life, Scribner's, Century, Harper's Bazaar and The Saturday Evening Post. She also illustrated many books including Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1902) by Lewis Carrol, and several books by Frank L. Baum, author of The Wizard of OZ. Who's Who of American Women listed F.Y. Cory in their First Edition, Volume One.
Fanny Y. Cory, after marrying Fred Cooney in 1904, resided on a ranch near Helena, Montana, while raising their three children. In the mid 1920s she moved into newspaper cartooning and by 1936, King Features Syndicate carried both her famous "Sonnysayings" and her "Little Miss Muffet" strip in newspapers throughout the country. She was listed in King Features' Famous Artists and Writers. As a diversion during this period of the late 1920s and early 1930s, Fanny Y. Cory painted in watercolor what she considered her finest work. We now call this collection the "Fairy Series" of which these reproductions are a part.
In addition to her other accomplishments, the popularity of her work led to the publishing of several books of her own and in 1951, Fanny Y. Cory was named "Mother of the Year" for the State of Montana. Soon afterwards she moved to Camano Island, Washington where she continued her cartooning career with King Features Syndicate until she retired in 1956 at the age of 79. This was after a 36-year run of "Sonnysayings" and a 20-year run of "Little Miss Muffet". The original watercolors in the "Fairy Series" were painted over 60 years ago and remained in the artist's private collection, unpublished until recently.
The Art:
THE BOOK: I am pleased to announce
that The Fairy Alphabet book by F.Y. Cory is now available. It is an exquisite
full color alphabet book with 26 full-page fairy alphabet designs complimented
by Fanny Y. Cory's own whimsical rhymes for each letter of the alphabet. This
is a quality, 9" x 11-3/8" hard-bound book that adults will love and
that children will want read to them and that they will want to read over and
over again to themselves. This book will become a cherished treasure in the
lives of the people who are fortunate enough to own it.
THE PRINTS: Twenty-four exquisite Fairy Series designs are available as high-quality 8-1/2" x 11" lithographic prints in a complete 24 print set for just $48.00. (plus 8.9% sales tax if you live in WA State) This makes each print only $2.00 –less than what a normal greeting card costs.
THE CARDS: Twelve different random designs (from twenty-four) are available in 4" x 5" card form, along with high-quality white envelopes, in an attractive, heavy-duty, clear-vinyl folder and included information on the artist. These cards are "non-occasional", blank on the inside and are folded --so there is ample room for you to include your own personal message to that special person. The open (unfolded) size is 5" x 8". When folded, the picture is on the front, the verse is on the back and the inside is blank. The sample shown is unfolded so you can see both the front and back. The price of this unique12-card packet is $8.00 (plus 8.9% sales tax if you live in WA State) --or about 67 cents a card! Shipping is $6.00 per total order. Send your order along with a Check or Money Order to the address below.
The Mail-in PRICE LIST/ORDER FORM: For The Fairy Alphabet book, the 12 card packets, the lithographic sets of the 24 art prints and the single art prints.
The History:
Minneapolis
Tribune - 1904 “THE ROMANTIC MARRIAGE OF F.Y. CORY”: This syndicated article, as it
appeared in the Minneapolis Tribune, May 1, 1904 on page 4. The accompanying photos could not be
provided because of the poor quality of the microfiche prints. The article
begins as: “News of the
culmination of a delightful romance comes from Montana. Of course, that means the marriage of the
hero and heroine. In this case the heroine is
especially distinguished by reason of the extent to which she has endeared
herself to many thousands who have never seen her. And the
romance is a welcome relief from the usual article supplied by this sedate and
uneventful age, being of the good old-fashioned kind, in which the hero rescues the
heroine from the very brink of death.
In short, this heroine is none other than Fanny Y. Cory, whose characteristic pictures of children and child life have delighted magazine readers for the last half dozen years. The charming pictures on this page from the pen of Miss Cory are from the recent files of Harper's Bazaar, and many of them were drawn to illustrate ''The Memoirs of a Baby," a delightful volume just issued by Harper & Brothers. Enjoy this epic tale of a talented, unbroken spirit in the body of a tiny lady who would not be denied --not by entrenched New York editors nor by a young and wild Montana frontier!”
FANNY’S WORLD – The Life and Art of Fanny Y.
Cory (Cooney) from MONTANA MAGAZINE 1988: In the May-June issue of Montana Magazine, the article
“Fanny’s World –The Life and Art of Fanny Cory Cooney” was written by Dave
Walter. This is another wonderful story featuring photos, F.Y. Cory art,
illustrations and cartoons.
GROWING UP –On a Montana ranch with pioneer
artist F.Y. Cory: Short,
revealing sketches of growing up with the pioneer woman illustrator,
cartoonist, wife and mother on a Montana ranch. The stories were penned by F.Y.
Cory’s daughter, Sayre Dodgson --except for the last story which was written by
F.Y. Cory herself while 91 years old. There are photos and a wonderful corral
watercolor painted by F.Y. Cory.
MONTANA MAGAZINE 1980: In the summer of 1980, Montana
"The Magazine of Western History", did a cover and 16 pages on Fanny
Young Cory. Bob Cooney, a legendary story-teller, cowboy, forester and son of
F.Y. Cory wrote the narrative. He had some help from Sayre Dodgson, his sister
and the daughter of F.Y. Cory. Enjoy this epic tale of a talented, unbroken
spirit in the body of a tiny lady who would not be denied --not by entrenched
New York editors nor by a young and wild Montana frontier!
THE BAUM BUGLE - including a partial list of books illustrated by F.Y. Cory: This reprinted article by Douglas Green from the Spring, 1973 Baum Bugle features information on F.Y. Cory who illustrated several of Frank L. Baum’s books. It features illustrations and photos from the original article. Of special interest to F.Y. Cory devotes is a partial but long checklist of the books that she illustrated.
The Shows:
MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY:
The Montana Historical Society has on loan in its possession and has featured the art of F.Y. Cory in periodic shows at their museum in Helena, MT. F.Y. Cory is also featured in a niche under the Montana State Capitol Rotunda in Helena. So, if you are in Helena during one of these occasional F.Y. Cory displays, you will have a rare chance to see the original Fairy Alphabet paintings along with other F.Y. Cory originals.
This page was created by Fanny Young
Cory’s grandson –Bob Dodgson
Email comments, questions to dodgsonr@yahoo.com
F.Y. Cory Publishers,
Inc.
21230 Damson Road
Bothell, WA 98021
