An incomplete set of eleven table mat illustrations from 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'

Many of Beatrix Potter's creations, such as Peter Rabbit, began as characters in illustrated letters or greetings cards. On 4th September 1893 Potter wrote to Noel Moore, the child of her former governess who was recovering from scarlet fever, saying:

"I don't know what to write to you, so I shall tell you a story about four little rabbits whose names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter...".

The tales of Peter Rabbit's mischievous scrapes, his cheeky and adventurous attitude and his boundless energy resonate across generations of readers and have secured his position as one of the most illustrated icons of the Twentieth Century.