Lot 23: RUPERT BEAR -- [BESTALL, Alfred Edmeades (illustrator, 1892-1986)]. Rupert. A Daily Express Publication . [London]: Daily Express Publications, Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd. 1973. 8° (245 x 178mm). Coloured illustrations, price not clipped on

RUPERT BEAR -- [BESTALL, Alfred Edmeades (illustrator, 1892-1986)]. Rupert. A Daily Express Publication. [London]: Daily Express Publications, Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd. 1973. 8° (245 x 178mm). Coloured illustrations, price not clipped on title (children's signature underneath "this Book belongs to", very light browning in outer margins). Original pictorial boards after Bestall, showing Rupert on the front cover with a brown face sitting on a branch.

THE RARE 1973 ANNUAL DEPICTING RUPERT WITH A BROWN FACE. Mary Tourtel drew the first Rupert cartoon strip which appeared in the Daily Express on 8 November 1920. In 1935 Alfred Bestall took over as illustrator and drew the stories up until 1965, though he continued to work on the annuals and the design of the front covers until 1973.

Traditionally, Rupert has always had a brown face on the front cover whilst the illustrations inside depict Rupert with a white face. After children enquired about this discrepancy, the Daily Express decided to change the brown face on the cover to a white face without consulting Alfred Bestall. Bestall was incensed at this decision, as he felt there was no contrast between the white Rupert and the pale sky behind him. To appease Bestall, his signature was disguised on the annuals which showed Rupert with a white face. Additionally, he was given a handful of annuals from that year showing a brown faced Rupert on the front cover. These copies are very rare and only about 12 others are believed to exist. After this incident Alfred Bestall decided never to illustrate another cover for the Daily Express.

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