Richardson, Frederick

A very fine collection of 42 original gouache drawings on board, many with panels of printed text attached, (most 17 1/2 x 13 3/4 in.; 445 x 349 mm; through some larger), some with sticker of publisher P. F. Volland (1920) in the lower left corner; condition varies, but most generally in very good condition.

A very fine collection of 42 original gouache drawings on board, many with panels of printed text attached, (most 17 1/2 x 13 3/4 in.; 445 x 349 mm; through some larger), some with sticker of publisher P. F. Volland (1920) in the lower left corner; condition varies, but most generally in very good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

An important archive of the work of American illustrator Frederick Richardson.  Richardson (1862–1937) began his career as a book illustrator with drawings for L. Frank Baum's Queen Zixi of Ix in 1903.  He went on to illustrate several of Baum's books and to do work for magazines and textbooks.  His most profitable association, however, was with the publisher P. F. Volland in his hometown of Chicago.  Most of the illustrations in the present collection were done for the Volland edition of Mother Goose, compiled by Eulalie Osgood Grover, and published in 1915,  Richardson's illustrations proved extremely popular and the book was reprinted many times.  The bulk of the drawings in the present collection were done for Mother Goose.  The other illustrations in the collection were done for other Volland books and have a small Volland sticker dated 1920 in the lower left corner of the drawing.  In addition to Mother Goose, Richardson illustrated Aesop's Fables, Pinocchio, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and other works for Volland up to the time of his death in 1937.