Inscribed: Lucy Roscoe and Friend (on a ribbon)

Pencil, 8.5 by 6.5 cm (3 ¼ by 2 ½ ins)

This charming vignette, possibly a design for a bookplate, was made for Potter’s aunt Lucy, Lady Roscoe. Lucy was the sister of Potter’s father Rupert and later married the distinguished British chemist Sir Henry Roscoe. Original drawings by Beatrix Potter are very rare and although small in scale, the present work is full of the subtle whimsical detail so central to Potter’s work as an illustrator. To the centre of a heart broach is a sketch of a kitten’s head, which is strongly reminiscent of her much-loved feline characters, Tom Kitten and his sisters Mitten and Moppet.