Mabel Lucie Attwell Update, Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone Bibliography and some Bookish Events

For those of you interested in the outcome of my Mabel Lucie Attwell eBay auctions (see the original post here) I can report all the birthday cards are now sold. I was very sad to see them go but pleased that the high bids all came from the same lady in Australia. It's nice to know the collection will be staying together. Having sold six of the cards, I now feel it’s OK to keep the seventh (duplicate one) for my own collection.

A recent visitor to this blog asked how many Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone books are in circulation. See the question and my original J&AG post here. I’ve been asked that exact question several times in the past and decided it was time to do something about it.  So for 'Jessica' and anyone else interested in Janet and Anne, there is now a bibliography of 200+ books here. Many of the titles are out of print, but it should still be possible to find copies online or at book fairs/boot sales and the like.

A couple of bookish places you might like to visit;

Rumoured to be the inspiration for Pemberley - Mr. Darcy's home in Pride and Prejudice - Chatsworth House in Derbyshire is the setting for 'A Georgian Summer' on until the 29th August, 2013.

My favourite Jane Austen adaptation . Image from Pride and Prejudice (1995) wedding scene of Elizabeth and Darcy (c) BBC for Masterpiece

On 3 September 2013, the new Library of Birmingham opens to the public. Located in Birmingham’s Centenary Square, the library will hold a four-month discovery season of events to mark its opening.  Some of the library’s rarely seen collections will be on display. Among them are one of the world’s largest Shakespeare collections; an archive of silent movie scores and of most interest to me, the Parker Collection of Children’s Books and Games.  

The Parker collection is made up of pop-up and movable picture books, illustrated books and children’s games. Some of the finest children’s illustrators are represented, including Edmund Dulac, Charles Robinson and Arthur Rackham. Beatrix Potter, Mabel Lucy Attwell, Margaret Tarrant, Cicely Mary Barker and Ernest Shepard are also included.  In addition to the books, there are around 100 mostly Victorian educational games. Further information here

Last but certainly not least; if you are in Coventry over the next few weeks, I recommend a trip to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum. 

I visited last week and thoroughly enjoyed both the Quentin Blake and Alice in Wonderland Exhibitions. Quentin Blake is one of Britain’s best loved and most successful illustrators. This exhibition brings together 50 of his works commissioned by hospitals and health centres in the UK and abroad. It runs until the 3rd November so you still have plenty of time to go along.  

Looking in Wonderland displays a selection of the best illustrations by Sir John Tenniel for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice found there (1872) by Lewis Carroll. It was wonderful to see so many familiar characters displayed around the walls and even nicer to see lots of the original Alice books on display. Looking in Wonderland is on until the 8th September, 2013.

Thanks for calling in I hope you've enjoyed this 'bookish round up'.

Update July 2016; March House Books closed on my retirement in 2015, but I'm still here at my blog, and I'm happy you are too!