A trove of original letters and drawings from the creators of Winnie-the-Pooh, including first drafts, a stern reprimand from Pooh to an offending crossword, and a drawing of Pooh and Piglet in the snow, are set to be auctioned after being found in a carrier bag in a loft.
A remarkable collection of original letters and drawings from the creators of Winnie-the-Pooh is set to be auctioned this week after being discovered in a most unexpected place – a carrier bag in a loft. The trove belonged to the late Leslie Smith, founder of the publishing company Cressrelles . His company had taken over another publishing house previously run by the family of Frederick Muller , the original publisher of Winnie-the-Pooh.
This acquisition inadvertently left Muller's correspondence in Smith's possession. The letters, some unseen since 1926, were unearthed by Smith's children while clearing out their father's loft following his death in November 2023.Will Farmer, director at Fieldings Auctioneers handling the sale, received the material five months ago when the family were unsure of what to do with it. With the help of BBC Antiques Roadshow's Clive Farahar, they meticulously combed through the findings, having previously believed that all documents from this era had been accounted for. The unearthed archive contains a treasure trove of literary artifacts, including first-draft manuscripts of Milne's works such as his poem Wind on the Hill and an opening dedication for his 1927 poetry collection Now We Are Six. There's also a captivating drawing of Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet frolicking in the snow, and a stern reprimand penned by Milne on behalf of the beloved bear in response to an Observer crossword that referred to him as a “fabulous monster.” Milne noted to Muller that “Pooh strongly objects,” adding that the bear was threatening to visit the publishing house and make his position clear. The letters reveal glimpses of “creative tension” between Milne and Shepard, often mediated by Muller. Milne expressed dissatisfaction with Shepard's artwork, stating that “must do new drawings for April and September as the originals are very poor.” Milne also displayed moments of impatience with Shepard's tardiness, writing to Muller: “If Shepard has not done the new drawing yet, then he need not.” Shepard, on the other hand, appears to have been grappling with housing issues at the time, explaining the delay to Milne by saying, “I am doing my best to hurry on the drawings, but style is rather cramped by the blasted move, as you will see from the above address, has been accomplished.”Fieldings Auctioneers estimates the value of the various documents to range from £100 to £1,500. However, given the historical significance and rarity of these items, they could fetch substantially higher prices. In 2018, an original Winnie-the-Pooh map by Shepard sold for a record-breaking sum. Farmer reports that news of the discovery has generated worldwide interest from potential buyers, particularly in the UK and the US.Beyond the Winnie-the-Pooh material, the collection also includes correspondences from other celebrated authors, such as Enid Blyton and J.R.R. Tolkien. Blyton discusses advertising space with Muller, expressing her preference for her next book to be advertised on back covers. Tolkien, in handwritten postcards to Smith, delves into the intricacies of typefaces and arrangements for collecting an awards trophy. Simon Smith, who now runs Cressrelles, recalls his father describing Tolkien as someone with “incredible wit and humour, but the most atrocious man at meeting deadlines.” He hopes that the sale of these letters will generate enough funds to invest in an institution dedicated to studying Milne's work. The auction is scheduled for this Thursday, coinciding with the build-up to National Winnie-the-Pooh Day on January 18th.The inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh stemmed from a teddy bear belonging to Milne's son, Christopher Robin. The archive collection includes a birthday book filled with drawings dedicated to him by Milne and Shepard, providing a further glimpse into the creation of this beloved literary character
Winnie-The-Pooh AA Milne EH Shepard Letters Drawings Auction Literature Frederick Muller Cressrelles Enid Blyton JRR Tolkien
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