Christopher Robin Skipping: two studies for 'Hoppity' in 'When We Were Very Young'

Details

ERNEST HOWARD SHEPARD (BRITISH, 1879-1976)
Christopher Robin Skipping: two studies for 'Hoppity' in 'When We Were Very Young'
signed twice with initials 'EHS.' (lower left and lower right), inscribed 'Hoppity' (lower centre, overmounted) and further inscribed 'When we were very young' (lower left, overmounted), and further signed and inscribed 'Please return to / E. H. Shepard / Shawley Green [crossed out] / Guilford [crossed out] / WOODMANCOTE / LODSWORTH / SUSSEX' and stamped 'Original to be returned' (on the reverse)
pencil, pen and black ink, with white paint, on a prepared board
9 ¼ x 11 ¼ in. (23.2 x 28.5 cm.)

Provenance

with Walker's Galleries, London, August 1956, where purchased by The Carpenter Family, Minnesota, and by descent in the family.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Emily Pilling Senior Sale Coordinator

epilling@christies.com +44 (0) 207 389 2151

Lot Essay

These two joyous illustrations of Christopher Robin skipping relate to A. A. Milne's poem Hoppity in his 1924 publication When We Were Very Young. They were executed soon after the publication of the First Edition, for use in the song book when the poems were set to music.

The poem reads:

Christopher Robin goes
Hoppity, hoppity,

Hoppity, hoppity, hop.
Whenever I tell him
Politely to stop it, he
Says he can't possibly stop.

If he stopped hopping, he couldn't go anywhere,
Poor little Christopher
Couldn't go anywhere...
That's why he always goes
Hoppity, hoppity,
Hoppity,
Hoppity,
Hop

More from Valuable Books and Manuscripts

View All