RACKHAM, Arthur. Two unpublished letters both addressed to Ernest Hodder-Williams (Chairman of Hodder & Stoughton, Rackham's publishers), from "16, Chalcot Gardens, South Hampstead", discussing the new drawings and design work for the revised 1912 edition of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. In the first, dated 20 December 1911, of 5 pages, he rejects the idea of having an ornate border around his designs, and seeks to establish other qualitative differences between his own work and Dulac's: "As for a border round the drawings, I confess I do not like it. I prefer the Andersen ... with the inner border extended under the plate so that the plate appears mounted on a flat tint ... I would like to get a book that was not so heavy in the hand as either the Andersen or the Sleeping Beauty. I don't think there's any need whatever to try to make it a thick book ... And I should like tissues of a more sensitive substance than the rather unpleasant semi-opaque sheets ... I want it to feel nice in the hand, as well as look nice ... The Sleeping Beauty looks charming ... but feels a little harsh ... Another difficulty about a border for Peter Pan would be the varying sizes and shapes of the pictures. My desire would be that nothing should be put in as a decoration only -- but always adding illustrative interest as well as beauty. I confess that beautiful as Dulac's decorations are, I don't feel I want them in a book to get as intimate with as I like to think is Peter Pan's métier. Dulac's are delightful drawing room table books -- books with perfect manners. Peter Pan must be a little more unbending, though at the same time a little more polished than on his first appearance, when he was even a little awkward ..."In the second letter, dated 9 May 1912, of 4 pages, also referring to the 1912 edition of Peter Pan, he remarks: "the title-page pull is an illustration of what so often happens. Lines lose their value. I think the ink prints from the hollows of the block as well as from the surface only -- making all the lines of a blunt blotting-paper like character. I have marked the little fine hairs on a mouse's ear (at least they ought to be little fine lines) for you to look at. As printed here they are blobs ... I prefer a thinner paper. A surfaced paper is not necessary ... Forgive a long letter, but these initial matters need such careful attention -- or the damage is done beyond recall ... P.S. Both you and I are anxious that Peter Pan should run for ever." Also included in the lot is a proof of the title page to the new edition of Peter Pan with Rackham's copious pencil notes and alterations (See front cover illustration); a proof of a new drawing for the same work with Rackham's pencil notes and an attached sheet of notes; and a collection of 31 coloured plates by Rackham from Peter Pan. .

RACKHAM, Arthur. Two unpublished letters both addressed to Ernest Hodder-Williams (Chairman of Hodder & Stoughton, Rackham's publishers), from "16, Chalcot Gardens, South Hampstead", discussing the new drawings and design work for the revised 1912 edition of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. In the first, dated 20 December 1911, of 5 pages, he rejects the idea of having an ornate border around his designs, and seeks to establish other qualitative differences between his own work and Dulac's: "As for a border round the drawings, I confess I do not like it. I prefer the Andersen ... with the inner border extended under the plate so that the plate appears mounted on a flat tint ... I would like to get a book that was not so heavy in the hand as either the Andersen or the Sleeping Beauty. I don't think there's any need whatever to try to make it a thick book ... And I should like tissues of a more sensitive substance than the rather unpleasant semi-opaque sheets ... I want it to feel nice in the hand, as well as look nice ... The Sleeping Beauty looks charming ... but feels a little harsh ... Another difficulty about a border for Peter Pan would be the varying sizes and shapes of the pictures. My desire would be that nothing should be put in as a decoration only -- but always adding illustrative interest as well as beauty. I confess that beautiful as Dulac's decorations are, I don't feel I want them in a book to get as intimate with as I like to think is Peter Pan's métier. Dulac's are delightful drawing room table books -- books with perfect manners. Peter Pan must be a little more unbending, though at the same time a little more polished than on his first appearance, when he was even a little awkward ..." In the second letter, dated 9 May 1912, of 4 pages, also referring to the 1912 edition of Peter Pan, he remarks: "the title-page pull is an illustration of what so often happens. Lines lose their value. I think the ink prints from the hollows of the block as well as from the surface only -- making all the lines of a blunt blotting-paper like character. I have marked the little fine hairs on a mouse's ear (at least they ought to be little fine lines) for you to look at. As printed here they are blobs ... I prefer a thinner paper. A surfaced paper is not necessary ... Forgive a long letter, but these initial matters need such careful attention -- or the damage is done beyond recall ... P.S. Both you and I are anxious that Peter Pan should run for ever." Also included in the lot is a proof of the title page to the new edition of Peter Pan with Rackham's copious pencil notes and alterations (See front cover illustration); a proof of a new drawing for the same work with Rackham's pencil notes and an attached sheet of notes; and a collection of 31 coloured plates by Rackham from Peter Pan. .

Details

RACKHAM, Arthur. Two unpublished letters both addressed to Ernest Hodder-Williams (Chairman of Hodder & Stoughton, Rackham's publishers), from "16, Chalcot Gardens, South Hampstead", discussing the new drawings and design work for the revised 1912 edition of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. In the first, dated 20 December 1911, of 5 pages, he rejects the idea of having an ornate border around his designs, and seeks to establish other qualitative differences between his own work and Dulac's: "As for a border round the drawings, I confess I do not like it. I prefer the Andersen ... with the inner border extended under the plate so that the plate appears mounted on a flat tint ... I would like to get a book that was not so heavy in the hand as either the Andersen or the Sleeping Beauty. I don't think there's any need whatever to try to make it a thick book ... And I should like tissues of a more sensitive substance than the rather unpleasant semi-opaque sheets ... I want it to feel nice in the hand, as well as look nice ... The Sleeping Beauty looks charming ... but feels a little harsh ... Another difficulty about a border for Peter Pan would be the varying sizes and shapes of the pictures. My desire would be that nothing should be put in as a decoration only -- but always adding illustrative interest as well as beauty. I confess that beautiful as Dulac's decorations are, I don't feel I want them in a book to get as intimate with as I like to think is Peter Pan's métier. Dulac's are delightful drawing room table books -- books with perfect manners. Peter Pan must be a little more unbending, though at the same time a little more polished than on his first appearance, when he was even a little awkward ..."

In the second letter, dated 9 May 1912, of 4 pages, also referring to the 1912 edition of Peter Pan, he remarks: "the title-page pull is an illustration of what so often happens. Lines lose their value. I think the ink prints from the hollows of the block as well as from the surface only -- making all the lines of a blunt blotting-paper like character. I have marked the little fine hairs on a mouse's ear (at least they ought to be little fine lines) for you to look at. As printed here they are blobs ... I prefer a thinner paper. A surfaced paper is not necessary ... Forgive a long letter, but these initial matters need such careful attention -- or the damage is done beyond recall ... P.S. Both you and I are anxious that Peter Pan should run for ever." Also included in the lot is a proof of the title page to the new edition of Peter Pan with Rackham's copious pencil notes and alterations (See front cover illustration); a proof of a new drawing for the same work with Rackham's pencil notes and an attached sheet of notes; and a collection of 31 coloured plates by Rackham from Peter Pan. .

More from Illustrated Books

View All