Finding Aid for the Charles Ricketts Collection
Ricketts Collection
Processed and described by Katie Duvall; revised 2023 by Rebecca Fenning Marschall
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
©2010
2520 Cimarron Street
Los Angeles 90018
clark@humnet.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
Title: Charles Ricketts Collection
Creator:
Ricketts, Charles S., 1866-1931
Identifier/Call Number: Ricketts Collection
Physical Description:
3 Linear Feet
4 boxes
Date (inclusive): about 1888-1950
Abstract: This collection contains visual material created by Charles Ricketts, an English printer and artist active in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries.
Physical Location: Clark Library
Language of Material:
English
.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Clark Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item, Box and Folder number], Charles Ricketts Collection, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, University
of California, Los Angeles.
Acquisition Information
Much of this collection was donated to the Clark Library throughout the 1960s by Albert Sperisen (accessions MS.1963.009,
MS.1965.003, MS.1968.009, MS.1968.010, MS.1969.001). Material in accession MS.1961.008 are from the collection of actress
Lillah McCarthy and were purchased by the Clark Library in 1961. Other materials here were purchased individually, or are
of unknown provenance.
Processing History
Processed and described by Katie Duvall, October 2010.
Revised by Rebecca Fenning Marschall, August 2023.
Biography
Charles de Sousy Ricketts was born on October 2, 1866 in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1882, at the age of sixteen, he met his lifelong
partner, artist and lithographer, Charles Haslewood Shannon.
The two lived in London, where together they founded an occasional art journal, The Dial (1889-1897) and designed and illustrated
books, including Daphnis and Chloe (1893) and Hero and Leander (1894). During this period Ricketts also worked for commercial
publishers designing books, including an edition of Oscar Wilde's The Sphinx (1895).
In partnership with wealthy lawyer William Llewellyn Hacon, Ricketts and Shannon ran their own imprint, called the Vale Press,
from 1896-1904. The Vale Press published over eighty works.
After the Vale Press closed, Ricketts focused his energies on painting, sculpture and theater design. He was also a great
connoisseur of art and, with Shannon, developed an extensive personal collection of drawings, paintings, prints and antiquities.
This connoisseurship led to a position as the acting art adviser to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa from 1924-1931.
In 1929, Shannon's brain was damaged in a fall and parts of their art collection had to be sold to pay for Shannon's care.
The financial and emotional strain of Shannon's condition contributed to Rickett's death on October 7, 1931 at his home in
London.
Scope and Content
This collection contains visual material created by Charles Ricketts, an English printer and artist active in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries. This collection includes costume designs, original artwork, prints, book designs, and sculpture,
as well as 30 trial proofs of wood engravings created by Ricketts and Charles Haslewood Shannon for their publication of Daphnis
and Chloe.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Drawings (visual works) -- England -- 19th century
Lithography -- England -- 19th century
Woodcuts (prints)
Book design -- England -- 19th century
Costume design -- England -- 19th century
Ricketts original artwork and prints Series 1.
about 1888-1931
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 3
Illustrations for The Story of Pan
probably 1888
Physical Description: 2 illustrations: pen and ink wash. Formerly mounted together in large acidic mount, but removed in 2023. Verso of both original
drawings inscribed : "C. Ricketts, Illus to Story of Pan" in Ricketts's hand. Illustration of Pan gazing into a pool is mounted
in a paper mat with Sperisen bookplate and additional inscriptions in an unknown hand on the verso: "Pen ink wash, heightened
with Chinese White. From the Graham Robertson Colln."
Scope and Contents
From the W. Graham Robertson collection.
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 4
Original drawing for "The Lover Despairing to Attain" for The Magazine of Art
about 1889
Physical Description: Pen and ink drawing, 33 x 26 cm. A page from The magazine of art, showing the published version, is also included. Formerly
housed in acidic mat, but removed and conserved at the UCLA Hammer Museum in 1998-1999. Original labels from verso of original
mat are also included here.
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 1
Binder's proof for the covers of Oscar Wilde's Poems
about 1892
Physical Description: 11.25" x 7.75". Formerly mounted in acidic mat with Albert Sperisen bookplate; removed from mount in 2023, bookplate retained.
Scope and Contents
From the collection of William Rothenstein.
Box Clark Artwork Box 16A, Folder 8
Proof designs for Oscar Wilde's "Poems"
1892
Physical Description: 3 items: 1. Proof of cover design: gilt on binding cloth. 2. Rough pull of earlier design in red; ink on paper. 3. Prospectus
Scope and Contents
The rough pull in red is from the collection of C. Elkin Mathews. Provenance and acquisition information unknown.
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 7
On the reedy banks, illustration for Wilde's The sphinx
about 1894
Physical Description: 1 drawing: pen and ink on pink paper, 19 x 15 cm
Scope and Contents
Original drawing for Oscar Wilde's The Sphinx. Appears in the published book as illustration #5. Original labels removed from
old housing in 1999 included.
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 8
The burden of the cross, illustration for Wilde's The sphinx
1894
Physical Description: 1 drawing: pen and ink on vellum, 21 x 16 cm
Scope and Contents
This illustration was not used in the final publication.
Box MS.1961.008 Bx 1, Folder 1
Costume design for Lillah McCarthy in unknown play
about 1900-1920?
Physical Description: 1 drawing: watercolor and ink on verso of Lansdowne House letterhead paper; 10 x 8.
Scope and Contents
Drawing of a blue and white 18th century costume, shown from the front and back with an accompanying piece of paper recording
Lillah McCarthy's measurements. There are multiple notes and detail inserts in the costume design itself, including : "bow
made of different width to waist band," "black furr [sic]" "yellow gloves if you like," "thin band of velvet at neck, baby
ribbon" and "slight train." An inscription at the top of the page readings "Please throw this away afterwards." The costume
design is drawn on the verso of letterhead from Landsdowne House, the building in London's Holland Park where Ricketts kept
his studio. From the collection of Lillah McCarthy. Clark Library purchase, G.F. Sims, 1961 (accession MS.1961.008).
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 5
Untitled illustration for The Magazine of Art
about 1900?
Physical Description: Pen and ink drawing ; 21 x 34 cm. Formerly housed in acidic mat, but removed and conserved at the UCLA Hammer Museum in 1998-1999.
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 7
Finis
circa 1900-1931
Physical Description: Black and white lithograph, sheet 44 x 31 cm
Scope and Contents
Lithograph depicting death as a reaper. Page excised from
Form: a quarterly of the arts, April 1916 (volume 1, number 1), page 49. Half of Austin Osman Spare's "Nemesis" printed on the verso.
Box Clark Artwork Box 18A
Silence plaster maquette
about 1906
Scope and Contents
Copy of the bronze sculpture originally designed for Oscar Wilde's tomb. From the collection of Lillah McCarthy. Clark Library
purchase, G.F. Sims, 1961 (accession MS.1961.008).
Box Clark Artwork Box 19A
Silence bronze sculpture
about 1906
Physical Description: 1 statuette : bronze ; 36 cm. tall.
Scope and Contents
Originally submitted as a design for the Oscar Wilde Memorial in Pere Lachaise, Paris, but not used. Purchase, G. F. Sims,
1954. A.0089
drawer 74
The Dynasts poster
1914
Physical Description: 1 print: black & white lithograph in black and gold frame
Scope and Contents
Original poster advertising Harley Granville-Barker's production of Thomas Hardy's, The Dynasts. One of fifty proofs before
lettering, signed by Ricketts and Hardy, which were sold at the theatre; proceeds from the sale went to benefit the Soldier's
Cigarette Fund.
drawer 32, Folder 2
Costume design for unidentified character in the play "Judith"
about 1916-1919
Physical Description: 1 drawing: watercolor and pencil; 40 x 20 cm mounted to 51 x 41 cm. Verso of mat includes Albert Sperisen bookplate and a
partial label likely from Spedition E. Bäuml (the only legible portion reads "Wien I, Kantgasse 2").
Scope and Contents
Drawing of a costume design for a Black character in the play "Judith." Old inscription (not in Ricketts's hand at the top
of the page says "Negro slave, Judith." This design either for the Arnold Bennett or T. Sturge Moore stage plays based on
the story of Judith and Holofernes -- both plays were designed and dressed by Ricketts. This item exhibited at Royal Academy
commemorative exhibit 1932-1933. From the collection of Albert Sperisen (accession MS.1963.009).
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 2
Costume design for Penelope Wheeler
about 1916
Physical Description: 1 drawing: watercolor and pencil. 16 x 11 in. Formerly mounted in acidic housing; removed from mount in 2023. Sperisen bookplate
to verso.
drawer 32, Folder 1
Three costume designs for Lillah McCarthy in the play "Judith"
about 1919
Physical Description: 3 drawings: watercolor and pencil; images 38 x 29 cm to 52 x 28 cm
Scope and Contents
Drawings include 3 views of one of the iconic costumes from the 1919 production of Arnold Bennett's play, in which Judith's
torso is clothed largely in three wide strips of black fabric. Drawings include: "Judith" [inscribed at top of image], "Judith
under dress" [inscribe at top of image], and a third image where Judith wears a green tunic over the revealing costume pictured
in the two other drawings (this drawing only includes inscribed notes indicating "panel, petunia satin" for part of the costume).
Includes backing board from original frame, pasted with exhibition labels from the Royal Academy of Arts 1933 Winter Exhibition,
and from the City of Manchester Art Gallery. From the collection of Lillah McCarthy. Clark Library purchase, G.F. Sims, 1961
(accession MS.1961.008).
Box MS.1961.008 Bx 1, Folder 2
Costume design for attendant character in the play "Judith"
about 1919
Physical Description: 1 drawing: watercolor and pencil; 41 x 28 cm
Scope and Contents
Figure with mostly bare chest, amulets, orange head-dress and fan. Inscribed "Negro Attendant" in Ricketts' hand. From the
collection of Lillah McCarthy. Clark Library purchase, G.F. Sims, 1961 (accession MS.1961.008).
Vale Press collaborative works Series 2.
1893
Box MS.1965.003 Bx 1-2
Daphnis and Chloe
1893
Physical Description: 32 prints: black and white woodcuts; various sizes, mounted to 12 1/2 x 19 in.
Scope and Contents
Partial set of signed and annotated trial proofs (32 of a set of 37) by Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon for Vale Publications'
edition of the George Thornley translation (1657) of Daphnis & Chloe. Includes proofs of plates 1-4, 6-25, 28-33, 36-37.
Accession #'s: MS.1965.003-plates 1, 2, 4, 10-13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 28, 31, 37; MS.1968.009-plates 7, 14, 17, 22, 25, 32; MS.1968.010-plates
3, 9, 19, 21, 23, 33; MS.1969.001-plates 6, 8, 24, 29, 30, 36
Posthumous miscellany Series 3.
about 1940-1950
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 6
Guests at Daphnis & Chloe's Wedding Feast
194-?
Physical Description: 2 copies.
Scope and Contents
Keepsake printed by Harold Seeger and Albert Sperisen for members of the Roxburghe Club. Text printed below image taken from
C.J. Holmes' Self & partners, explains that the illustration, from the Vale Press Daphnis and Chloe (London, 1893), is a portrait
group featuring Ricketts, Holmes and five of their friends.
Box MS.1963.009 Bx 1, Folder 6
An Exhibition of Books Designed by Charles Ricketts from the Collection of A.E. Gallatin
1946
Scope and Contents
Exhibition brochure from The Houghton Library, Harvard.
