Birn Brothers LTD – An ode to an uncredited artist II

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-1-front-cover

Alice in Wonderland, published by Birn Brothers LTD, circa 1950’s. Here’s another ode to an uncredited artist (go here to read the previous post dedicated to another uncredited Alice illustrator) . This edition has around 50 illustrations of Alice in Wonderland, and not one has the illustrators name on them.
Can’t find much about this publication house as well. I anyone knows anything about this artist, please let me know.
Let’s go over the book. Antique / vintage Alice in Wonderland edition. Sizable, with a few colored illustrations, and many black and white ones. Some wretched child, that’s now in their 80’s, has colored in some of the B&W illustrations, without much talent. Thankfully, only 2 or 3 of those are colored in.
Here are all the illustrations of this edition by order of appearance.
alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-1-front-cover
The cover with the slightly overjoyed Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Red King, the White Rabbit, and the mouse.

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Back cover with the Duchess and the baby, the mock turtle and the gryphon, and the white rabbit in the back.

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Alice looking at the white rabbit pulling out his pocket watch, while her sister is reading a book. Placed before the title page.
The illustrator made 2 point of views to this same scene, as you’ll see further down.

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-5-title-page
Title page, with an illustration of Alice growing or shrinking?
Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Brin Brothers, LTD. London
Could be the perfect place to credit the artist, but I guess the Birn Bros couldn’t be bothered with it.

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Over the title page we have a beautiful illustration of the Cheshire cat.

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-7-white-rabbit
Chapter 1 – Down the Rabbit Hole. With the white rabbit.
Some child colored the letters, respectively, in pink and green. Was it a smart life choice. God no. But I do have empathy, and a certain positive approach to Alice editions that have clearly been well read and liked.

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This actually the 2nd illustration of Alice seeing the White rabbit for the first time, as he’s pulling out a pocket clock from his waist coat.

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Alice holding on to the table’s leg, as she’s shrinking away

 alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-10-white-rabbit-fan
White Rabbit with gloves and fan – Chapter 2

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Alice crying, creating the pool of tears

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-12-alice-in-tears-pool
Alice and the mouse, swimming in the pool of tears

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-13-alice-rabbit-chapter-3
Alice and the White Rabbit. Chapter 3

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Alice with the birds

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The mouse drying everyone with his tale

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-16-alice-w-rabbit-house
Alice by the White Rabbit’s house. Chapter 4

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Giant Alice with hand out of the White Rabbits house window

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Alice’s gigantic hand and the White rabbit

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Alice and the puppy

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Alice outside the White rabbit’s house, with poor Bill, and others

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Advice from a Caterpillar – chapter 5

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Father William, standing on his head

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Alice and the pigeon

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The Footman – chapter 6. Again with some child painting in the colors. They must be in their 70s now, God Bless’em.

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The cook tossing pans and pots at the duchess and the baby

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-25-duchess-baby
The duchess and the baby

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-26-alice-and-pig-baby
Alice carrying the baby, now turned into a pig

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-27-alice-and-cheshire-cat
Alice and the Cheshire cat

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-28-a-mad-tea-party-1
A Mad Tea Party – Chapter 7

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-29-a-mad-tea-party-2
The Hatter and Dormouse

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The mad Hatter, and the March Hare, tormenting the Dormouse

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Alice with the March Hare and the Dormouse

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Alice and March Hare

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-33-a-mad-tea-party-6
The Queen’s Croquet Ground – chapter 8

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-34-off-with-her-head
Alice, and Queen and the King

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The soldier in the croquet game

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-38-Lobster-quarille
Alice, the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-39-the-gryphon
The Gryphon

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Alice and the Gryphon

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-41-the-mock-turtle
The Mock turtle

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-42-lobster-quadrille
The Lobster Quadrille – chapter 10

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-43-alice
Alice

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-44-mock-turtle
The Mock turtle, telling his sad story

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-45-who-stole-the-tarts
Who stole the tarts -chapter 11

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-46-white-rabbit
The White rabbit at the trial

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The Hatter at the trial

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-48-the-hatter.
Hatter giving his testimony

alice-in-wonderland-firn-brothers-ltd-49-the-cook
The cook at the trial

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Alice’s evidence – chapter 12

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The End









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