Collection of autograph letters signed : primarily London, primarily to Noel Moore, 1892 Apr. 11-1900 Mar. 3.

Collection in Focus: Beatrix Potter's Letters

The original ideas for many of Beatrix Potter's stories can be found in the manuscript picture letters she wrote to children of friends and family members.

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Record ID: 
127773
Accession number: 
MA 2009.1-12
Author: 
Potter, Beatrix, 1866-1943.
Date: 
1892 Apr. 11-1900 Mar. 3.
Credit: 
Gift of Colonel David McC. McKell, 1959.
Curatorial Comments: 

The original ideas for many of Beatrix Potter's stories can be found in the manuscript picture letters she wrote to children of friends and family members. Perhaps the most famous example is The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which began as an eight-page letter to Noel Moore, the five-year-old son of her former governess, Annie Moore. With Annie Moore's encouragement Potter borrowed back the letter, copied it out, and revised it for publication. At least six publishers rejected the book, but it was a huge success when the first trade edition finally appeared in 1902. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903), The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (1906), and other books in the Peter Rabbit series were based in whole or in part on her picture letters. In her opinion this was the secret of her success.
Her books retain the simple joy, subtle wit, and playful immediacy of impromptu private letters written for "real children" on subjects drawn from day-to-day experience with no commercial constraints and no thought of publication. Shown here are the twelve picture letters in the Morgan's collection. Eleven were addressed to Noel Moore, one to his younger sister Marjorie. Here one can see the earliest known picture letter along with later examples containing fanciful illustrations, comical vignettes, and narrative experiments that prefigure Peter Rabbit and other masterpieces of children's literature.

Description: 
12 items (56 p.) ; ca. 15-18 cm
Notes: 

High reserve.
Noel Moore (1887-1969) was the eldest son of Annie Carter, Beatrix Potter's last governess. He later became an Anglo-Catholic priest working with the poor in London's East End.

Summary: 

Collection consists of 11 letters to Noel Moore, and 1 letter to his younger sister Marjorie. Letters to Noel describe Potter's travels and give anecdotes about her rabbit Peter. One includes a very short story about a dog named Stumpy, and the letters are extensively illustrated with pen drawings of animals and scenes illustrating Potter's anecdotes. The letter to Marjorie references Potter's attempts to publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit and describes an outing to the British Museum. Letters have been described individually in 12 catalog records (MA 2009.1-12); see related records for more information.

Housed in: 
Blue cloth drop-spine box
Provenance: 
Gift of Colonel David McC. McKell in 1959.