CONTINUED PUBLIC INTEREST BRINGS SECOND PRINTING OF REISSUED CLASSIC 1896 VERSION OF 'THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Continued public demand has prompted a second printing of an 1896 version of the classic childrens story of Christmas Eve, The Night Before Christmas, or a Visit of St. Nicholas." The books initial 1000 copies sold out within a few weeks after release in early November, prompting the State Historical Society of North Dakota to order the second printing of another 1000 to meet the continuing public interest.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              Contact: Mark Halvorson or Rick Collin
January 17, 2003                    (701) 328-2666

CONTINUED PUBLIC INTEREST BRINGS SECOND PRINTING OF
REISSUED CLASSIC 1896 VERSION OF 'THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

   BISMARCK -- Continued public demand has prompted a second printing of an 1896 version of the classic childrens story of Christmas Eve, The Night Before Christmas, or a Visit of St. Nicholas."

   The books initial 1000 copies sold out within a few weeks after release in early November, prompting the State Historical Society of North Dakota to order the second printing of another 1000 to meet the continuing public interest.

   It is the first in what is hoped will be a series of reissues of classic works in the collections of the states history agency.

   The 1896 original book in the agencys collections was printed by a photographic process known as chromolithography, or full-color printing. The chromolithography process produced the artists illustration directly onto a zinc plate, with oil colors then being applied to the plate. This process was introduced John and Edmund McLoughlin of New York, through their company, the McLoughlin Brothers. By 1870, the McLoughlin Brothers operated the largest color printing company in the United States. The company became the leading publisher of richly hand-colored paper toy books as well as games, alphabet cards and valentines, mostly priced between 12 and 25 cents.

   Image Printing of Bismarck digitally scanned the original book, which is in poor condition, and then electronically cleaned up its damaged pages.

   The republished work is from the Ida Thompson collection of the State Historical Society. Thompson was a Bismarck, North Dakota native who also gave the Society an example of the menu prepared for Christmas 1907 at the Northwest Hotel, Bismarcks finest lodging at the turn of the last century.

   The State Historical Society also has several other chromolithograph printed books for
children and adults in its collections. It is considering as its next reissue an 1888 edition of Little Red Riding Hood, also published by the McLoughlin Brothers.

   A hugely popular childrens story, The Night Before Christmas" was written in 1822 by Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) as a Christmas gift to his children. The image popularly recognized as Santa Claus was created by Thomas Nast, an illustrator for Harpers Weekly. He first drew Santa Claus for the cover of the magazines 1862 Christmas issue, which featured a centerfold illustration memorializing the sacrifices of the Union during its darkest days of the Civil War. This first image of Nasts Santa in the issue dated January 3, 1863 appeared as a kindly figure representing Christmas, and was entitled, Santa Claus in Camp." Nast was also the creator of many other familiar symbolic images, including the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey and Uncle Sam.

   The republished book is available at the North Dakota Heritage Center Museum Store in Bismarck, and select book stores throughout the state. For more information or to order copies, call North Dakota Heritage Center Museum Store manager Rhonda Brown at 328-2822 or email at rhbrown@state.nd.us . The book costs $12.95 plus North Dakota state tax, plus $2.50 for shipping/handling the first copy, and $1 for each additional copy.

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