Thursday, September 10, 2009

PFF - "Catching the Post" by Racey Helps



Racey Helps was an English children's book illustrator and author. He first wrote and illustrated stories for his daughter during World War II. His family has created a website "to preserve the interest he created in his beautiful illustrations and quaint stories about woodland creatures which have had world wide appeal since the early fifties." The Racey Helps website has his biography, bibliography, galleries (including many postcards), and an old video interview.



Many of the illustrations by Racey Helps were reproduced on postcards by the Medici Society. The Medici Society was named after the Florentine family who encouraged art during the Italian Renaissance. The Medici Society trademark showed the profile of Lorenzo de' Medici (1449 - 1492) until recently. This particular postcard is from the early 1960s and still lists the company as "Art Publishers by Appointment to the late King George V," although King George V died in 1936. The back of the card also says "Engraved and printed in Great Britain" and is numbered "Pk 261."

10 comments:

dmarks said...

The art style looks familiar. Great bunnies.

SparkleFarkle said...

Mr. Helps' illustrations are delightful! His website images strongly smack of a Beatrix Potter flavor. Thanks for this sweet postcard share!

Snap said...

What fun! The colors are gorgeous. I'm off to check out the web site on Mr. Helps.

Chris Overstreet said...

If only I had a nickel for every time I've chased the postman. I also wrote a little about the Medici Society last June.

Sheila said...

That brings back so many memories of my childhood! I really love it.

Bob of Holland said...

This is a sweet post. I liked your card very much and had not heard from Mr. Helps before. So thanks for sharing it with us.

Margo said...

How interesting. Thanks for all the great information. I would love to send these to every child I know!

Aimee said...

What an adorable card! Thanks for the info...it was very interesting.

maryt/theteach said...

Postcardy, I never heard of this children's book, but I'm going to look for it. I'm not selling the postcards I post. I just thought it would be interesting to see what the Internet is selling them for... :)

Amy said...

Oh...I need to check out this site. Looks glorious! Thanks.