AN ENDURING MAGIC
81. A Birthday Treat FORTNUM, Peggy; [BOND, Michael]
82. Father Christmas BRIGGS, Raymond
[c.1974]. Original ink on paper drawing depicting Paddington Bear, in a paper hat, holding a balloon, drawn for (but not used in) Paddington on Top. 144 x 97mm (image size). Signed with initials. Accompanied by a letter from the artist detailing the provenance of the drawing. Excellent condition.. [43257] £6,000 In the letter which accompanied this drawing, dated 4 December 1975 Fortnum writes, “I have had to do another drawing of Paddington to replace one that damaged. Several try-outs will not be used, and I enclose one of these, hoping that it is sufficiently Paddingtonish for you to like it.” Peggy Fortnum was commissioned to produce illustrations for the first Paddington book in 1958 and continued to illustrate all of the original se- ries of eleven books until 1979. Her deft line drawings, now synonymous with Paddington, were described by the TLS as, “exquisite in its loose and nervous rhythm; she can create movement with what, out of context, would be a meaningless squiggle; she can suggest by a few doodles a storm-clouded sky or the hidden recesses of a candlelit room.” Original drawings of Paddington are very seldom seen in commerce. PROVENANCE: Peter Dolan (letter from the artist). LITERATURE: Paddington on Top (Collins, 1974). Unused, but likely to be drawn as an alternative for the heading for Chapter 4: A Birthday Treat.
Hamish Hamilton, 1973. First edition. Glazed pictorial boards in pictorial dustwrapper. Bookplate signed by Briggs to front past- edown. This story is told in 28 pages of full colour animation with a few words from Father Christmas as he does his rounds, “Blooming Christmas”.
Also pictorial title page and half title vignette in colour. A fine copy in a fine, bright dustwrapper. [46463] £450 A Christmas classic. Briggs de- picts Father Christmas as he’s rarely seen. “Blooming Christ- mas again, “ he mutters as he gets out of his nice warm bed. “Briggs’ Father Christmas is certainly a kindly white-haired old gentleman... but he is in- clined to be grumpy, is very fond of his cup of tea, loves to sing in the shower, and is thor- oughly human and endear- ing.” (blurb)
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