The Brownies

The Brownies is a series of publications by Canadian illustrator and author Palmer Cox, based on names and elements from English traditional mythology and Scottish stories told to Cox by his grandmother.

[1] Brownies are little fairy- or goblin-like creatures who appear at night and make mischief and do helpful tasks.

[4] The first proper story, The Brownies' Ride, appeared in the February 1883 issue of the children's periodical St. Nicholas Magazine.

[4] With the rise in popularity of the Brownie characters, these were used in many venues of merchandising, such as games, blocks, cards, dolls, calendars, advertisements, package labels, mugs, plates, flags, soda pop, a slot machine, a bagatelle game and so forth.

George Eastman applied the brand name in promotion of Kodak's "Brownie Camera", but Palmer Cox reportedly never received any money from Kodak for the commercial use of his work.

A Palmer Cox Brownie from Brownies Around the World (1894)
Palmer Cox, Brownies at Home - Twelve Vignettes, c. 1893, NGA 56973 [ 3 ]
1895 sheet music. Typically of unauthorized merchandising of the era, the appearance of the Brownies characters is similar to but slightly different from Cox's drawings.