The top-priced lot in yesterday's auction of 20th Century Illustration at Swann Galleries was Lot 229, a pen and ink by Ernest H. Shepard for A.A. Milne's beloved 1928 children's classic, House at Pooh Corner. It brought $47,500.
This picture illustrates a line from Chapter Three, "While Piglet was dreaming this happy dream, and Pooh was wondering again whether it was fourteen or fifteen, the Search for Small was still going on all over the Forest." The characters Rabbit and Owl are depicted prominently as they seek out their friend Very Small Beetle, called "Small" for short.
The drawing is signed by Shepard in ink in the image, titled in pencil "Their Search for Small" in the lower margin, and signed again on the back, in brown ink, with: "Ernest H. Shepard / Shamley Green/ Guildford."
Labels: 20th Century Illustration, A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard, House at Pooh Corner, piglet, Very Small Beetle, Winnie-the-Pooh
