'Brown rabbit; red, blue & yellow eggs; two fowls' thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

'Brown rabbit; red, blue & yellow eggs; two fowls'

Illustration
ca.1900 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Ernest Nister (1842-1909) began his publishing career in 1885 when he acquired a lithographic workshop in Nürnberg and printed books for London publishers. In 1888 he became a publisher in his own right with offices at 24 St. Bride Street, London. He appointed the writer and editor, Robert Ellice Mack, as director.

Nister specialised in high quality colour printing for children in the last quarter of the 19th century. Movable books with various mechanisms became his speciality after 1890 (when be published his first stand-up book) but he also produced numerous picture books, annuals, poetry, nursery rhymes, calendars and greetings cards. He worked with a core of writers, including Clifton Bingham and Robert Ellice Mack, and illustrators, in particular Eveline Lance, Harriett M. Bennett, Edith A. Cubitt and Rosa Petherick.


Object details

Category
Object type
Title'Brown rabbit; red, blue & yellow eggs; two fowls' (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour on card
Brief description
Watercolour drawing by Charles Collins of a rabbit and two hens; commissioned by Ernest Nister; ca.1900.
Physical description
Watercolour on stiff card of a brown rabbit sitting beside three eggs (one red egg and one blue egg on the rabbit's left and one yellow egg on the rabbit's right) in front of a bush with two hens in the background. Initalled in bottom right corner: 'CC'. Mounted on card.
Dimensions
  • Mount height: 264mm
  • Mount width: 342mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • Initialled in bottom right of drawing: 'CC'
  • Inscribed in blue crayon on verso: 'XXX / 9360' and '26'
  • Inscribed in ink on verso: 'Brown Rabbit; red, blue & yellow eggs; two fowls / Ch Collins R.B.A.'
  • Inscribed by Anne Renier in ink on verso: 'AR'
Credit line
Donated by Anne Renier and F.G. Renier.
Object history
Drawn by Charles Collins, ca.1900 for Ernest Nister. Bequeathed to the V&A in 1970 by Anne and Fernand G. Renier as part of the Renier Collection.
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceCommissioned by Ernest Nister.
Summary
Ernest Nister (1842-1909) began his publishing career in 1885 when he acquired a lithographic workshop in Nürnberg and printed books for London publishers. In 1888 he became a publisher in his own right with offices at 24 St. Bride Street, London. He appointed the writer and editor, Robert Ellice Mack, as director.

Nister specialised in high quality colour printing for children in the last quarter of the 19th century. Movable books with various mechanisms became his speciality after 1890 (when be published his first stand-up book) but he also produced numerous picture books, annuals, poetry, nursery rhymes, calendars and greetings cards. He worked with a core of writers, including Clifton Bingham and Robert Ellice Mack, and illustrators, in particular Eveline Lance, Harriett M. Bennett, Edith A. Cubitt and Rosa Petherick.
Other number
Nister - Previous Renier Collection pressmark
Collection
Library number
RENIER.255

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Record createdFebruary 18, 2008
Record URL
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