UNIQUE ART TREASURE FOUND IN BARN

“Under the junk, under the bunks and trunks, swings and things, live the Pingwings.”

Author and illustrator, Babette Cole, has found a unique collection of her illustrations from the legendry Oliver Postgate’s two first readers “The Pingwings” in her barn.

Oliver died on the 8th Dec. 2008. He was 83.

Babette’s first job after leaving Canterbury College of Art in 1973 was with Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. Working for B.B.C. Children’s Television, she helped to create T.V. storyboards, The T.V. Annual, film sets, puppet making and book illustration under their guidance for two years.

Her very first commission was to illustrate Oliver’s’ two books about The Pingwings (a T.V. series of 18 episodes).

Oliver told Babette to sit in the yard at Hillside Farm, where all the films were made such as Noggin the Nog, The Clangers, Bagpuss and The Pingwings and draw from life the entire world The Pingwings inhabited. All the illustrations in “The Flying Bird” and “The Marrow Boat” are done from life.

Joan Firmin, who knitted The Pingwing puppets gave them to Babette to draw from ”life”.

If you look at www.dragons-friendly-society.co.uk/pingdraft.htm (Opens in new window) you will see a clip of The Pingwings series from the 1960’s. Everything you see is reflected in Babette’s illustrations! The barn, where the films were made, Oliver and Peter’s studio, the donkey stable, Hillside Farm house, the ducks, the duck pond, it is all there. They are a unique archive!

Babette only heard about Oliver’s death the day after. She was in Jersey at the time visiting her old school chum Sarah Johnson. Her mobile phone rang at 7.a.m. It was B.B.C. Breakfast Television asking her to speak about Oliver and how he influenced her work.

This was a huge shock. She knew Oliver had been ill for a long time but did not know he had died.

Upon her return to her farm in Dorset she discovered the artwork for “The Pingwings” in a folio under the junk in her own barn! There are 49 black and white pen and ink illustrations.

Sotheby’s of London, the well know art auctioneers, contacted her to see if she had any illustrations from Oliver Postgate’s books for sale. They valued the illustrations at £2,500

BABETTE IS OFFERING THEM FOR SALE FROM THIS WEBSITE FOR £330 each PLUS V.A.T.PLUS POSTAGE AND PACKING.

This is a unique opportunity to buy a real investment and a piece of Children’s T.V. history.

Hurry, they are selling fast!

You can view the remaining illustrations for sale here.

Pay pal / Google Checkout or personal cheques accepted.