What a fun find! This is the 1952 De-Luxe Edition of the Platt & Munk Co. Birds to Paint Kit by Fritzi Brod.

This is a complete set which includes:

- No. 165 Birds to Color Booklet from 1951 which includes a color plate and description of 32 birds that are instructive for the larger size pages of those birds.

- 32 8 1/2" x 11" facsimile drawings of the birds included in the book. These are to be completed with the enclosed paint palette. (3 are partially painted, the remainder are yet to be completed)

- Watercolor Paint Palette in bright blue metal holder. There are 50 watercolor paint palettes, three tubes of paint and one paint brush. The colors are all labeled and the box indicates Made in England.

All the pieces are in very nice structural condition. There are age and usage marks, especially the background and edges of the box. The top two corners are torn on the box, but the base of the box is quite strong structurally. The Birds to Draw booklet is in really nice vintage condition as well as the paint palette. I am not sure of the quality of the colors of the paint after 60+ years but I suspect they would still be quite vibrant. The original price sticker of $3.00 from Marshall Fields is on the box as well.

This is quite a rare set to find in such complete condition and would be fun for a bird lover who appreciates vintage vibes!

My research indicates:

Fritzi Brod (1900–1952) was an Austro-Hungarian Empire-born American artist. Her work is included in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art, Washington and the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Dimensions:

Box - 11" x 9" x 1 3/4"
Paint Palette - 9 3/4" x 6 1/2"
Booklet - 6 1/2" x 5 1/2"