Vernon Grant

Q: I have five nursery rhyme prints and can’t find any information about them. They are marked “Vernon Grant” in the corner. Who was he?

A: Vernon Grant (1902-1990) was an artist who did illustrations for magazine covers, wrote and illustrated children’s books, and did advertisements. He was born in South Dakota and moved to California as a teenager. Grant did “chalk talks” on the vaudeville circuit to pay for his education at the University of Southern California and the Chicago Art Institute. After graduation he worked in Los Angeles as a commercial artist and taught art. He moved to New York in 1932. In 1933 he created the characters “Snap!” “Crackle!” and “Pop!” for Kellogg’s Rice Krispies. Prints like yours featuring Snap! Crackle! and Pop! were offered as Kellogg’s premiums for 49 cents and proof of purchase in 1938. There were six nursery rhymes illustrated–Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, Jack Be Nimble, Little Jack Horner, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater. A single print sells for about $10. A set of six framed prints sold recently for $75.

Vernon Grant (1902-1990)