Mother mouse saving her children from a mouse-trap thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Mother mouse saving her children from a mouse-trap

Drawing
ca. 1890 (drawn)
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.

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Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMother mouse saving her children from a mouse-trap (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Ink and opaque water-colour on paper
Physical description
Ink and watercolour drawing depicting three mice and a mouse trap. A 'mother' mouse in female clothes grabs the tail of a little mouse who is enticed to enter a mouse trap with the sign 'Entrance free cheese for nothing'. In the mother mouses's other paw she holds a baby mouse.
Dimensions
  • Image width: 16.5cm
  • Mount height: 23.5cm
  • Mount width: 27.5cm
  • Image height: 13cm
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'From the Library of Anne Renier and F.G. Renier' (Bookplate label stuck onto the back of the mount.)
  • 'AR' (Inscription in ink on the top right hand corner of the back of the mount.)
  • '192' (Inscription in blue pencil on the back of the illustration.)
  • 'XVII' (Pencil inscription on the back of the mount.)
  • '12/12' (Inscription in blue pencil on the back of the mount)
  • 'NS' (Inscription in blue pencil on the back of the mount.)
  • '2039' (Inscription in pencil on the back of the mount.)
  • '7039' (Inscription in ink on a label on the back of the mount.)
Credit line
Donated by Anne Renier and F.G. Renier.
Object history
Bequeathed to the V&A in 1970 by Anne and Fernand G. Renier as part of the Renier Collection.
Subjects depicted
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.237

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Record createdDecember 1, 2005
Record URL
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