Mon.-Sat. 11-6
Henry and Louise Moises, Proprietors
Members of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America
Founded in 1975
(Published Jacket cover for the book)
Collection of Original Art
By DON FREEMAN
for THE GUARD MOUSE (1967)
32 pieces: Sketches, paintings & drawings
The art is individually priced
Provenance: from the estate of Don Freeman. Authorized for sale by his son.
(See biographical sketch of Don Freeman at the conclusion of the collection)
Subject: The book was both written and illustrated by Freeman and published by Viking Press
in 1967. Don Freeman called these "concept drawings" or ideas for the story. The drawings
were later reworked and refined for the published art work. However, these early ideas for the
illustration are remarkably close to the final art.
Story: The book is about Clyde, a guard mouse, whose duty it is to stand outside of Buckingham
Palace to "keep small creatures from creeping through the openings along the Palace wall". He
wears the same uniform as the Grenadier Guards and they treat him with great respect. When his
mouse relatives come from New York, Clyde takes them on a tour of London, but not before he
places his tiny cousins in his fur hat for safe keeping. When he returns his fur hat has gone
missing. There is an all out search by guards, police and Scotland yard. The hat is found with the
tiny mice safe inside and all ends well. The tour of London takes in all of the great sites and is
colorfully represented in the "concept drawings".
The collection:
The photo attachments are scans of the major portion of the artwork, but in most cases the artwork is greater than the image shown. GO TO BIOGRAPHICAL SECTION top1. PHOTO Earliest concept for cover design: Watercolor & graphite. 3 5/8 X 5 3/4 inches. Closely matches the final design. Signed within the design "Don Freeman" $450.
2.PHOTO Concept drawing for pages (2 & 3): the two page title page spread. Graphite, ink & watercolor. Touches of Gouache. 9 X 15 inches. On drawing paper. Showing the guards in front of Buckingham Palace and the Guard Mouse along the wall. With sketched in title lettering, author's name & publisher. Estate Signature stamp.$1200.
3.PHOTO Concept drawing for pages 8 & 9: Graphite & India ink on tissue paper. 6 X 14 inches. Showing the guard mouse with his sword raised. $350.
4.PHOTO More detailed concept drawing for pages 8 & 9. Watercolor with some text hand written in graphite on board. 12 ½ X 18 inches. Image size 9 X 15 inches. Shows guard mouse with sword raised and the images of the mouse family approaching in the fog. Before the guard mouse recognizes his relatives, he acts the role of the guard, and asks that they identify themselves.$950.
5.PHOTO Concept drawing from pages 10 & 11: Graphite and red ball point pen on tissue paper. 8 ½ X 14 ½ inches. Spot of red ink on edge. Shows guard mouse dropping his sword to greet the mouse family from N.Y.$200
6. PHOTO Concept drawing for pages 12 & 13. Graphite on tissue paper. 6 ½ X 14 ½ inches. Right lower corner of sheet missing (not affecting the drawing)On the page 12 side, the guard mouse is starting to remove his hat. On the 13 side, the small mice are in the hat. $300.
7.PHOTO Early watercolor sketch for pages 12 & 13 with text in pencil. 7 X 13 inches. On board. Here color is suggested for the sketch on tissue (item no.6) $600.
8.PHOTO Sketch in blue & red pen & ink for pages 14 & 15. 6 X 15 inches. On tissue paper. Creasing to right hand side of paper. Main figures are in the sketch without the background detail.$250
9.PHOTO Sketch in watercolor & gouache for page 15. Watercolor on paper with some text in pencil at bottom. 11 X 14 7/8 inches. Shows three mice running for the double-decker bus. Estate signature stamp.$950.
10.PHOTO Concept drawing. In pencil & black ink for pages 16 & 17. On tissue paper. 10 ½ X 16 ½ inches. With bus on the left and detail of bus driver on the right. Estate signature stamp.$450.
11.PHOTO Concept drawing for page 16. Watercolor, gouache & graphite with some text in pencil. "The driver of the bus knew Clyde..." Trafalgar Square. 11 X 16 inches. On watercolor paper. Showing the double decker red bus in a street scene. Estate signature stamp.$1200.
12.PHOTO Concept drawing for page 16. Watercolor & gouache on yellow paper. 8 X 10 ½ inches. Slightly different idea from item no. 11- this drawing has a motor scooter on the left side of the large red double decker bus, which actually appears in the final published drawing. $950
13.PHOTO Concept drawing for pages 18 and 19 .Fountain with mouse in red ,pastel and pencil.Image size 8 1/2 in by 11".On white paper . $450.00
14.PHOTO Sketch in gouache & watercolor for Pages 18 & 19 of double decker bus behind the fountain. with lions & statue of Lord Nelson. On yellow paper 8 ½ X 11 inches. $850.
15.PHOTO Detailed sketch in red pen on tissue for Pages 18 & 19 showing the statue of Lord Nelson, Children feeding pigeons, the lions, and the mice in the foreground. 8 ½ X 15 ½ inches. Piece off of top edge.$200.
16.PHOTO Sketch in gouache on watercolor paper for Pages 18 & 19. 11 X 15 inches. Girl feeding the pigeons, fountains, mice. Estate Signature stamp$950.
17. PHOTO Advanced sketch in gouache with some text in pencil for Pages 18 & 19. 15 X 19 inches. Image slightly smaller: 11 X 16 ½ inches. On board. In this image, the lion dominates and Lord Nelson has been eliminated. Estate Signature stamp. $1200
18.PHOTO Concept gouache for Pages 20 & 21 with some text in pencil. 15 X 19 on board. Image size: 11 X 16 ½ inches. The mice riding in an empty vegetable barrow going through Covent Garden Market. The word "Sketch" is written by Freeman below the painting. Estate Signature stamp.$1200.
19.PHOTO Sketch in graphite on tissue for Pages 26 & 27. Showing the man with the umbrella Big Ben in the background. The mice are riding on top of the umbrella. 9 X 15 inches.$200.
20.PHOTO Detail sketch for Page 27. Watercolor & black pen. 9 X 12 inches. Paper. Showing a policeman directing traffic. $500.
21. PHOTO Sketch in pastels on un-used variant for Page 27. Showing Big Ben in shades of blue. 10 X 13 inches. Estate signature stamp.$850.
22.PHOTO Sketch in pastels on paper. For Page 27. Showing The Underground in the foreground, and Big Ben on the right with red bus. Estate Signature stamp.$450.
23.PHOTO Concept study watercolor on scratch board for Page 34. 12 1/4 X 10 ½ inches. Showing to passing tour buses with details of the faces of the riders. Signed "D. Freeman" lower right hand corner. This idea was not used in the final book. It was replaced by a simpler drawing of the mice jumping to the roof of a tour bus. Freeman's name and address in written in pencil on the back:" Don Freeman Devon Hotel 70 W. 55th St. N.Y.C. $1200.
This idea was not used in the final book. It was replaced by a simplified drawing of the mice jumping on to the roof of a tour bus without all of the complication of the riders' faces. The final drawing focuses more on the subjects of the story, but this painting is really a wonderful example of Freeman's style.
24PHOTO. Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Crayon. Trafalgar Square. 9 X 11 inches.
$200.00
25.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Pencil drawing showing mouse pointing.
8 ½ X 11 inches. $175.00
26.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19.Trafalgar Square. 8 ½ X 11.With small
figures in lower right corner. Pencil sketch. $175.00
27.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Paper. Rough pencil sketch with blue pastel, a
fountain. 8 ½ X 11 inches. $175.00
28.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Trafalgar Square rough sketch in Blue Pencil.
8 ½ X 11 inches. $75.00
29.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Blue & Red pencil sketch with mouse and
fountain. 8 ½ X 11 inches. $175.00
30. PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Charcoal sketch. Buildings, road, 3 vague
figures lower right. 8 ½ X 11 inches. $75.00
31.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Pencil sketch with red highlight. Pencil with
red highlight. Lion Statue and figure in lower right corner. 8 ½ X 11 inches. $175.00
32.PHOTO Original Concept drawing for Pages 18 & 19. Pencil sketch with mice sitting on ledge. 8 ½ X 11 inches. $175.00
END OF ENTRIES
Biography
Biographical Sketch of Don Freeman (August 11, 1908- February 1, 1978)
Author, Illustrator, Painter, Lithographer
Born in San Diego, California, graduated from Principia High School, St. Louis, Missouri and studied art under Joan Sloan and Harry Wickey at the Art Students League in New York City. His illustrations first appeared in New York newspapers and magazines. According to Freeman's own words.... "for many years I reveled in graphic reporting of the Broadway plays for New York newspapers. Having come from California as a dance-band musician, I managed to study art in the daytime while playing trumpet in night clubs. Gradually I was able to earn a living by sketching my impressions of Broadway shows for the Herald Tribune and the New York Times drama sections...Years later I was successful in enticing a girl I met in San Diego to come to New York and be my wife. Her name is Lydia and together we have enjoyed fully living in the city...The presence of our son Roy, probably had much to do with our enthusiasm for making up stories for young people. All our ideas seem to come directly from experiences we have had." A visit to London resulted in his writing and illustrating The Guard Mouse.Freeman illustrated works by William Saroyan, The Human Comedy (1943) & My Name Is Aram (1963); by Brooks Atkinson Once Around the Sun(1951), and by James Thurber, The White Deer (1945). He also wrote and illustrated several books for adults It Shouldn't Happen: An Army satire (1945) and Come One! Come All! (1949) a story of his arrival in New York.
Freeman's work as a lithographer of city life and human circumstances have been documented in many art reference books including Thomas Craven's A Treasury of American Prints. In 1988 The University Press of Virginia published The Prints of Don Freeman: A Catalogue Raisonneedited by Edith McCulloch, contains 145 illustrated entries. During World War II, Freeman created a series of paintings on Naval Aviation that are now housed at the Naval Art Collection in Washington, D.C.
He collaborated on a number of children's books with his wife, including Pet of the Met and Chuggy and the Blue Caboose. But his real forte was in writing and illustrating children's picture books including classics such as Beady Bear (1954), Fly High, Fly Low (1957) a Caldecott Honor Book, Norman the Doorman(1959), Come Again Pelican (1961), The Guard Mouse (1967), Corduroy(1968), Tilly Witch (1969), Inspector Peckit (1972), Bearymore (1976) and many more. All of his own books were published by Viking Press under the guidance of renown editor, Mae Massey. In addition to his own works, Freeman illustrated for many famous children's book authors including Margaret Wise Brown, Ann Nolan Clark, Edith Thatcher Hurd, Julia Cunningham and Astrid Lindgren. He is referenced in every picture book list as recommended reading and appears in all major authorities on children's books including Bader's American Picture Books: From Noah's Ark to the Beast Within. In 1999 PBS produced a children's program based on his work, Corduroy.
Most of his books are still in print. The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators have established a grant in Don Freeman's name.
His works are held by major art galleries and libraries including
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, San Francisco Fine Arts Museum,
The British Museum, University of Arizona Museum of Art, University of Minnesota, et.al.
He appeared in all issues of Who's Who in Art, from 1935 on.
In the last 10 years a number of his oil paintings, watercolors & prints
have been sold in major art auction houses in the United States.
VISIT THE BOOKSTALL'S HOME PAGE