Beschreibung:

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 Two unpublished letters both addressed to Ernest Hodder-Williams (Chairman of Hodder & Stoughton, Rackham's publishers), from "16, Chalcot Gardens, South Hampstead",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 . .