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93 POTTER, Beatrix. Autograph letter signed (“Beatrix Potter”) to Miss Joy Shapland. 26 September 1913 “I have been drawing dozens of pigs!” An amusing autograph letter written by Beatrix Potter to a child, discussing her forthcoming book, The Tale of Pigling Bland . Written at the end of September 1913, this is one of the last letters written by Beatrix Potter before her marriage on 15 October, whereupon she became Beatrix Heelis. Potter acknowledges a photograph “and two nice funny pictures of Mrs Tittlemouse” she received. She notes “it is almost too late to say ‘thank you’”, but explains “I was very ill last spring”. She then states that she had thought there were no further books in the Peter Rabbit series, but has been drawing pigs (and provides three examples), and has accepted the requirements of her publishers (“I have been so tired of them, but the printers said all the little friends would be disappointed if I did not screw out my usual Christmas book”). Potter then gives her opinion of the forthcoming book (“I’m afraid it is not very good this time, but I have done my best”). Potter refers, presumably, to the photograph she had been sent and states her opinion that “if Mrs Tittlemouse were there, I’m sure she would want to kiss you and tickle you!” She provides details of her garden (including “six little spotty pigs in a stye”) and notes that she is “in London to see about printing”. Potter concludes with her opinion of The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse , and an insight into her celebrity status in Sawrey (“I am glad you like Mrs Tittlemouse, I am fond of her too, and I like going round with a mop and doing house work; but the children in the village where I live don’t call me that name – they call me ‘Peter Rabbit’!!”)
Four pages (single leaf, 178 × 230 mm, with single fold), addressed “c/o Messrs F. Warne & Co, 15 Bedford St., Strand, WC”, and dated. Together with envelope. Housed in a custom dark green quarter morocco slipcase with chemise by the Chelsea Bindery. Very good with some foxing, horizontal fold and minor tear at fold. Envelope lacking flap and foxed. £15,000 [156822]
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94 POTTER, Beatrix. Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes. 1922 A scarce signed copy First edition, signed by the author on the half-title. The second of Potter’s nursery rhyme books, this is a sequel to Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes . Signed copies of Beatrix Potter’s books are seldom encountered, especially in such nice condition. This copy has the book plate of the eminent collector H. Bradley Martin, and also Mildred Greenhill, with their bookplates on the verso of the free endpaper. Duodecimo. Original red paper covered boards with white lettering and colour onlay on front cover. Pictorial endpapers and colour plates accompanying the nursery rhymes. A near-fine copy, bright and crisp with just a touch of fading to the spine and a bump to base of spine. £5,000 [140787] 95 RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); BARRIE, J. M. “He passed under the bridge and came within full sight of the delectable Gardens”. 1906 A fine original watercolour Published within J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens in 1906. This watercolour shows the scene where Peter steers his
little nest-ship, built for him by the thrushes, into Kensington Gardens. This painting, along with all the other originals from the book, was exhibited by Ernest Brown & Phillips at the Leicester Galleries, December 1906, and has two exhibition labels on the verso: the Ernest Brown & Phillips label, and another printed exhibition label with the date and other details entered by hand, noting this as being sold to the Hon. Walter James (i.e. Walter John James, 3rd Baron Northbourne, 1869–1932). Barrie wrote enthusiastically of Rackham’s originals, which he had seen exhibited at the Leicester Galleries: “I like best of all the Serpentine with the fairies, and the Peter in his night-gown sitting in the tree. Next I would [ sic ] the flying Peters, the fairies going to the ball (as in the ‘tiff’ and the fairy on cobweb) – the fairies sewing the leaves with their sense of fun (the gayest thing this) and your treatment of snow” (Ray 329). Original drawing (179 × 258 mm) on paper, fine ink and watercolour, signed and dated (“Arthur Rackham 06”) top right, mounted, framed, and glazed (framed size 430 × 528 mm). Small chip to lower right corner of frame, few faint marks to mount, tape renewed around the verso of the frame where the watercolour has been removed for examination; excellent condition in the original frame. ¶ Exhibited: Leicester Galleries, London, December 1906, item 21. £47,500 [138694]
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
CHILDREN’S BOOKS & ORIGINAL ARTWORK
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