One of the leading lots of The Fine Sale on the 7th December is an original illustration for Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows by Ernest Howard Shepard, one of the most iconic of children’s illustrators.
Lot 162 - Ernest Howard Shepard, 'Swaggering down the Steps'
The drawing, having been in private hands since it was acquired by the family of the current owner 69 years ago, was recently rediscovered hanging on the stairs of an East Anglian country house. This was one of those wonderful and exciting eureka moments of discovery, when you hope that what you’re really seeing in front of you is what you think it is.
Titled ‘Swaggering down the Steps’, the illustration depicts Mr Toad sauntering down the steps of Toad Hall full of pomp and excitement over his perspective new purchase – ‘a shiny new motor-car, of great size, painted bright red (Toad’s favourite colour)’ only to be confronted by his disapproving friends come on a mission of mercy to rescue poor Toad from himself and his addiction for motor-cars. As we all know this scene ends unhappily with Toad having been placed under house arrest by his friends, escaping captivity and stealing a car in which he wreaks havoc as ‘The Terror of the Highway’ and is subsequently sent to jail for his actions.
The Wind in the Willows has had multiple editions over the years since its first publication in 1908 but it’s from Shepard’s wonderful illustrations of 1930’s and beyond that we really associate the characters. Drawings such as these rarely come to the market especially having been hidden from view for so long. During his later years Shepard was to witness his drawings, especially those from the Winnie-the-Pooh books sell for considerable sums of money, yet of the almost 100 books that he illustrated the drawings for The Wind in the Willows were said to have been Shepard’s favourites.
The picture carries a presale estimate of £8,000 - £12,000.
To view the catalogue entry for lot 162, please click here
Auction: The Fine Sale, 7th and 8th December 2022
Location: Cheffins, Clifton House, 1-2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 7EA
For further information contact the Fine Art Department on 01223 213343, fine.art@cheffins.co.uk