Flop The Platypus
Story by Timothy Kay
Drawings by Rufus Morris
Published by A Colour Production: Sydney c1946
Early & Scarce Australian Childrens Publication In Original Pictorial Covers
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Flop the Platypus is a delightful early Australian children's picture book written by Timothy Kay and illustrated by Rufus Morris, published in Sydney by Colour Productions and printed in Australia by Colourtone Pty Ltd. Although undated in the book itself, bibliographical sources date the publication to 1946, placing it firmly within the particularly interesting flowering of Australian children's publishing during and immediately after the Second World War. The title is recorded in specialist bibliography as Muir 3869, and contemporary research into Australian children's literature likewise dates Flop the Platypus to 1946.
The story follows Flop, a very young platypus, as he ventures from his mother's nest and begins discovering the unfamiliar world outside. Kay combines Flop's adventures with accessible natural-history information, explaining to young readers the platypus's appearance, habitat, feeding habits and unusual characteristics. The result is an appealing mixture of story and education centred upon one of Australia's most distinctive native animals, representative of the strongly Australian themes increasingly embraced by locally produced children's books of the 1940s.
A particular feature of the book is the work of Rufus Morris, whose striking illustrations include large full-page colour plates alongside expressive monochrome drawings. His bold, almost poster-like treatment of the Australian bush and wildlife gives the book considerable visual appeal, particularly the superb yellow pictorial front board depicting Flop emerging through the reeds. Specialist records describe the volume as an oblong quarto of approximately 29 unnumbered pages with both colour and black-and-white illustrations. An attractive and increasingly uncommon example of mid-1940s Australian juvenile publishing, retaining its wonderful original cloth-backed pictorial boards and offering appeal to collectors of Australian children's books, natural history, Australiana and illustrated books."
Light wear with some staining/fading etc to original covers as shown. No inscriptions present. Binding is excellent with no loose pages. A nice copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
