Fine Autograph Letter Signed "Mervyn" to his old friend [Helene] Lanie Bruce "Lanie Darling" (Mervyn, 1911-1968, Writer, Artist, Poet and Illustrator)

by PEAKE

$1,051 · Offered by Biblio

starting What kind of a so so have you decided that I am by now! The worst kind I m afraid. How lovely it would be to meet again. Is there an earthly chance. Do write again soon, darling. I remember our last meeting with so much excitement. I ve tried 5 publishers with your stories, but they all think they are too slight. I rather agree in a way - although I know they are for toddlers (never used that word before! urggh!) If you could write something with a bit more body to it, or a bit fiercer, I think it would go down better. Nevertheless I ll go on trying maybe you ll prove the publishers and me, wrong, I hope so. Of course I ll do drawings for you if I can get a publisher to take it. Darling sweet Lanie, I would like to be with you. Your adoring cousin... , 2 sides 8vo.,Smarden, nr Ashford, Kent, 7th January Peake returned from Sark in 1936 and was commissioned to design the sets and costumes for The Insect Play and his work was acclaimed in The Sunday Times. He also began teaching life drawing at Westminster School of Art where he met the painter Maeve GILMORE (1917-1983, Painter, Sculptor and Writer) whom he married in 1937. They had three children, Sebastian (1940 2012), Fabian (b. 1942), and Clare (b. 1949). He worked at Trafalgar Studios for some years in the 1940s. Letters from Helene Bruce to both Mervyn and Maeve Peake can be found in the Mervyn Peake archive at the British Library. The Peakes lived at The Grange, Smarden in the early 1950s, a Georgian house which

• Binding: unknown

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