Not on display

Children making cowslip balls

Illustration
ca.1890 (made)
Artist/Maker
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.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleChildren making cowslip balls (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Watercolour on card
Brief description
Watercolour drawing by E. Heatly, ca.1890; commissioned by Ernest Nister.
Physical description
Watercolour drawing on card of two girls and a boy making toys out of yellow flowers. On the left of the drawing a little girl dressed in blue with a blue hat throws a yellow ball made of flowers in the air. At her feet is a basket of yellow flowers. On the right of the drawing a boy dressed in red, white and blue with a blue hat and a girl dressed in a purple dress with a white hat make a chain of yellow flowers. In the background a wooden fence runs beside a tree. Mounted on card.
Dimensions
  • Mount height: 240mm
  • Mount width: 260mm
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • Bookplate on verso reads: 'From the Library of Anne Renier and F.G. Renier'
  • Initialled by Anne Renier in ink on verso: 'AR'
  • Inscribed in blue crayon on verso: '8197', 'XXII', '12/12' and '52'
  • Inscribed in pencil on verso: 'E. Heatly'
Credit line
Donated by Anne Renier and F.G. Renier.
Object history
Drawn by E. Heatly ca.1890 for an Ernest Nister publication. Bequeathed to the V&A in 1970 by Anne and Fernand G. Renier as part of the Renier Collection
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceCommissioned by Ernest Nister
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.304

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Record createdFebruary 26, 2008
Record URL
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