^Lot 655 Ernest Shepard

English artist and book illustrator (1879–1976) known especially for his human-like animals in illustrations for Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. Original oversized vintage ink drawing on an off-white 10.5 x 14 sheet, affixed to a same size cardstock mount. Photo shows Vulcan and Venus hammering molten metal on an anvil, with a blueprint of a tank hanging in the background, and faint images of tanks and airplanes in the distance, signed at the bottom of the image, “E. H. Shepard.” Work was titled at the bottom in pencil, “Total Production,” but crossed out and replaced with “Vulcan and Venus or The Forging of Victory.” Light pencil border around image and some scattered light soiling, otherwise fine condition. Accompanied by a photocopy of the image as it appeared in Punch in 1941. A most decidedly different subject matter than usually found in Shepard drawings when they are available.