A Plank Bridge by a Pool

NORMAN THELWELL

A Plank Bridge by a Pool

First published in 1978

by Eyre Methuen Ltd

DESCRIPTION

(ii) + 158pp + (ii)

Book measures 255mm x 195mm approximately.

Nicely bound in full brown calf. Spine with five gilt-ruled ruled raised bands, with title and author in gilt. Top page edges in gilt. Series of illustrations and maps throughout. Both front and rear paste-downs and end-papers have illustrations.

This copy is signed by the author and is number 97 of a limited run of 200.

CONDITION

The binding is in overall excellent condition with virtually no signs of wear or damage. Internally the pages are in good bright condition.

Please note that this copy is an ex-public library copy and has a number of stamps, marks and numerals indicating such. These are mainly to the earlier pages

INTERESTING

Norman Thelwell (1923 to 2004) was an English cartoonist well known for his humorous illustrations of ponies and horses. Thelwell spent World War II in the East Yorkshire Regiment, having signed up at the age of 18 in 1941, and was art editor of an army magazine in New Delhi, India.

He took a degree at Liverpool College of Art, then in 1950, he took up a post teaching design and illustration at Wolverhampton College of Art, but gave this up to work freelance in 1956.

He became a contributor to the satirical magazine Punch, who first published his work in 1952, beginning a 25-year relationship that resulted in more than 1,500 cartoons, of which 60 were used as front covers. He also worked as political cartoonist for the News Chronicle from 1956 until the paper closed in 1960.

His first collection of cartoons, Angels on Horseback, was published in 1957.

Known to many only as Thelwell, he found his true comic niche with Pony Club girls and their comic ponies.

For the last quarter of a century of his life he lived in the Test Valley at Timsbury, near Romsey, gradually restoring a farm house and landscaping the grounds which gave rise in 1978 to his first factual book, A Plank Bridge by a Pool.

In the 70s, Thelwell also illustrated the front covers of the first six James Herriot books in the series.