Archive of Original art work for 'The New Noah's Ark of Rare Animals'.
London: Nelson, Ca. 1963. An archive of original art work and the artist's research for a children's book, one of the first on the subject of conservation for children by the World Wildlife Fund on rare and unusual animals, some of which may become extinct.
Animals from all over the world are depicted with distribution maps, including many Australian animals such as the thylacine, wombat, bandicoot, kangaroo, koala, all depicted in their natural surroundings.
The large pencil mock up of the book (small folio size) includes the cover illustration featuring the giant panda Chi Chi which was living at the London Zoo in 1961. The panda was the inspiration for the World Wildlife Fund's logo, selected as a widely recognizable visual symbol.
In one layout the giant panda is surrounded by other unusual or endangered animals who are shown taking refuge on a new Ark (sans Noah). Another cover design features two giant panda eating stalks of bamboo; yet another shows the endangered animals taking refuge on a raft. Interior pages accompanied by annotations in the margins on the animals physical appearance & characteristics.
Helen Haywood (1907 - 1995) was an English artist and writer noted for children's book illustrations and her interest in natural history and anthropology.
The archive includes much research material and notes on the animals written by Haywood. An exercise booklet contains lengthy handwritten notes on each of the animals and their scarcity in the wild: "the Orang-Utan... It is thought that there are only about 5,000 left in their wild forests as greedy collectors shoot the mother Orangs & carry off the babies to sell to zoos & circuses".
Haywood's manuscript autobiographical notes describe her unusual childhood:
"Went to S. America as a child, where father, Arthur Haywood, was building the first trans Andean railway ... Lived in a small village in the Chilean Andes & began painting and writing at the age of six, being fascinated by the animals & birds of most remote part of the world.... Returned to England at 16 & published first book, "The Mouse That Ran" (F. Warne). Won a scholarship to Landsdowne (sic) College of Art. Worked for Maurice Inmans of New York & Robert Riviere & Son Bookbinders of Heddon St. London."
In the 1950s through 1960s Haywood illustrated over a hundred books, published by Thomas Nelson Ltd., and created a series of books based on the character Peter Tiggywig.
The archive includes: 36 pencil sketches of which 5 are in color; 23 pp of notes; 17 pp of World Wildlife Fund notes and 2 letters dated 13 June 1963 addressed to Miss Haywood and signed Ian S. MacPhail, Campaigns Director; one booklet of Haywood's manuscript notes (8vo, exercise book consisting of 37pp of handwritten notes on the animals, with 8 pp written on the verso of printed advertising sheets); one printed booklet disbound (pp 17 - 93 on prehistoric animals, annotated. Very good condition. Item #24790
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