Classic Covers: The Good Things Autumn Brings

“Geese in Formation Over Marsh” by Paul Bransom

This 1930 cover by artist Paul Bransom (1885-1979) is a striking example of art found in The Country Gentleman magazine, a sister publication to The Saturday Evening Post for many decades. In fact, the Post launched the career of Bransom as a well-known wildlife illustrator with the purchase of some of his paintings for 1907 covers. We will have a feature on this artist soon.

“Missouri Moon” by E.P. Couse

Not all of the art was on the covers. Like The Saturday Evening Post, The Country Gentleman magazine featured works of fiction. This beautiful illustration by E.P. Couse was in the September 1942 issue. The story was “Missouri Moon” by MacKinlay Kantor and deals with a Native American threat on the plains. The caption reads, “These ladies and gentlemen are forting up, m’sieur. You shall remain until all danger is gone.”

“Dog with Pheasant” by J.F. Kernan

American illustrator J.F. Kernan’s wonderful art graced most major publication of the 1920s-’30s—The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s, Outdoor Life, and, of course, The Country Gentleman among them. This beautiful cover is from November 1934.

“Flower Bouquet” by Kay

Again, browsing inside the magazine, we found a section called “Country Gentlewoman” where the rural ladies had their say. This gem was in a 1940 article called “A Home-Grown Thanksgiving Dinner” where it was suggested that “a house bright with flowers, autumn leaves, and colorful fruits sets the stage for a happy day.” The artist signature is simply “Kay.”

“Lady on a Stool” by Manning De V. Lee

I couldn’t resist this stylish lady illustrating a September 1936 article called, “The Good Things Autumn Brings.” “Here is the quince,” the author writes, “greenish in color, hard, dry, and quite inedible when raw. But after preserving, it becomes reddish amber in color and has a flavor that only a quince preserve can have. It seems that nothing less than magic could make such a change. What happened to turn the inedible quince into a delicious preserve?”

“Boy Stealing Apples” by J.F. Kernan

A 1923 cover by J.F. Kernan shows another one of “the good things autumn brings”—a harvest of sweet, ripe apples! The only problem is the boy ignored the “No Trespassing” sign, and the farmer is raring for justice.

“Harvest Moon” by Phil Lyford

Speaking of harvest, there is nothing like a bright harvest moon hanging low in the sky. This October 1934 cover by artist Phil Lyford shows that springtime is not the only season for romance.