Children's book illustrations and sketches, ca 1958-ca 1969 / Margaret Horder

PXE 1708

fonds

ca 1958-ca 1969

Graphic Materials, Drawings

9585248

Approximately 60 drawings (1 box)

Margaret Horder (c.1903-1978), illustrator and commercial artist, was born in Burwood, Sydney. She studied at Julian Ashton’s Sydney Art School and worked for an advertising agency, before freelancing for Australian Woman’s Mirror, Home and Sun. She moved to London in 1929 where she worked for Oxford University Press, illustrating two books a year from 1936 to 1952, as well as illustrating for other publishers.

After the war she was asked to illustrate Nan Chauncy’s Australian tale They Found a Cave. Following the success of that book, she returned to Sydney and began illustrating for Angus & Robertson, developing a working partnership with author, Joan Phipson which resulted in seven successful children’s books, two of which were awarded Children’s Book of the Year. She illustrated five novels by Patricia Wrightson and three by Nan Chauncy, several of which won awards. After she stopped book illustrating in 1968, she continued to work for the New South Wales School Magazine until she retired. She died in 1978.
Ref: https://www.daao.org.au/bio/margaret-horder (accessed 20 November 2017)

The donor acquired the drawings from UNSW Library in 2002

Approximately 60 loose ink and pencil drawings on paper of various sizes, ca 1958-ca 1969. Drawings are titled, signed, and mostly dated by the artist. These working sketches for illustrations were produced for several award-winning children’s books by authors Nan Chauncy, Joan Phipson and Patricia Wrightson during the 1950s and 1960s. Margaret Horder researched her subjects before illustrating the books, embarking on sketching excursions to various locations. She visited Harold Park Raceway in preparation for 'I own a racecourse'. She sketched scenes of Ashton’s Circus at Rushcutters Bay for 'Threat to the Barkers', and sketched areas of Elizabeth Bay and Woolloomooloo for 'Down to Earth' by Patricia Wrightson. There is also a sketch of an old telephone from Joan Phipson’s Carcoar property Wongalong, which later appears in the book 'The Family Conspiracy'.

The collection is arranged in four folders within a box:
1. A publisher’s colour proof for the cover of 'Tiger in the Bush' by Nan Chauncy, and associated sketches, ca 1958
2. llustrations and sketches for 'The Family Conspiracy' by Joan Phipson, ca 1963
3. Illustrations and sketches for 'Threat to the Barkers' by Joan Phipson, ca 1964
4. Illustrations and sketches for 'Down to Earth' by Patricia Wrightson, ca 1965
5. Illustrations and sketches for 'I own a Racecourse' by Patricia Wrightson, ca 1969

Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of creator plus 70 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales