Illustrated manuscript of The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse by Beatrix Potter; Linder Bequest catalogue LB.1160.

Small dark green leather covered exercise book containing 30 ff, 7 of which are blank. Text written out on rectos on gold ruled lines. Watercolour illustrations stuck on versos. Illustrations are of a mouse in human clothing and various other insects and creatures.

61 page book with the following:

1) Inscription: 'For Nellie, with love & best wishes for A Happy New Year Jan 1st 1910.'
2) Blank
3) Title
4) Pasted in watercolour of mouse in four-poster bed
5) Manuscript text
6) Blank
7) Manuscript text
8) Pasted in watercolour of ladybird in foreground with mouse carrying a dust-pan and brush in background.
9) Manuscript text
10) Blank
11) Manuscript text
12) Pasted in watercolour of mouse carrying basket over arm wearing pink over-garment and cap, facing to the left
13) Manuscript text
14) Blank
15) Manuscript text
16) Pasted in watercolour of mouse holding a round wicker object, bee in the foreground all in oval vignette
17) Manuscript text
18) Blank
19) Manuscript text
20) Blank
21) Manuscript text
22) Pasted in watercolour of frog in purple dress coat, hands clasped together with thumbs pointing up. On rocking chair, facing left
23) Manuscript text
24) Blank
25) Manuscript text
26) Pasted in watercolour of frog in purple dress coat, thumbs together looking up as parts of dandelion float upwards
27) Manuscript text
28) Blank
29) Manuscript text
30) Pasted in watercolour of frog peering into a cupboard. Mouse looking on.
31) Manuscript text
32) Blank
33) Manuscript text
34) Blank
35) Manuscript text
36) Blank
37) Manuscript text
38) Pasted in watercolour of mouse with eyes closed facing downwards, in a rocking chair facing left
39) Manuscript text
40) Blank
41) Manuscript text
42) Blank
43) Manuscript text
44) Blank
45) Manuscript text
46 - 61) Blank

Linder Bequest [plus object number; written on labels on the same line as the object number]

Written and drawn by Beatrix Potter probably in 1909-1910 and given to Nellie Warne 1 January 1910. Acquired by the V&A from Leslie Linder (1904-1973) in 1973 as part of the Linder Bequest, a collection of ca. 2150 watercolours, drawings, literary manuscripts, correspondence, books, photographs, and other memorabilia associated with Beatrix Potter and her family.

Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) is one of the world's best-loved children's authors and illustrators. She wrote the majority of the twenty-three original Peter Rabbit books between 1901 and 1913. The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Frederick Warne, 1902) is her most famous and best-loved tale.

This manuscript notebook by Beatrix Potter outlines the story of The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse, published 1910. The notebook is inscribed to Nellie Warne the daughter of one of Potter's publishers, Harold, dated January 1st 1910. Some of Potter's best loved tales began life in picture letter form sent to various children of her friends and relations. There are eight watercolours depicting the mouse Mrs Tittlemouse's various animal, including many insect, visitors to her initially clean underground home. Twenty-one pages of text accompany the illustrations.

BP.598