For the avid collector, the whereabouts of Puffin Picture Book No. 116 has been a mystery for many years. In 1961, the artist and writer Paxton Chadwick died suddenly, shortly before completing the book entitled Life Histories, a series of illustrated stories about the development of various animals that undergo significant metamorphosis. Carrington retired, and the book was never published, and its catalogue number, PP116, was never used. The original text and plates remained, and were used to recreate the book as closely as possible to its original conception.
In 1995 as part of the celebration of Penguin’s 60th anniversary this elusive book was published in a limited edition of 1000 by the Penguin Collectors Society.
One hundred copies were numbered and signed by Lee Chadwick, who edited the original text; Sheila Dorrell who completed the illustrative material after the death of Paxton Chadwick; and John Miles, who designed the book. This is copy no. 32 of that even more limited run, with signatures on the rear cover.
For the avid collector, the whereabouts of Puffin Picture Book No. 116 has been a mystery for many years. In 1961, the artist and writer Paxton Chadwick died suddenly, shortly before completing the book entitled Life Histories, a series of illustrated stories about the development of various animals that undergo significant metamorphosis. Carrington retired, and the book was never published, and its catalogue number, PP116, was never used. The original text and plates remained, and were used to recreate the book as closely as possible to its original conception.
In 1995 as part of the celebration of Penguin’s 60th anniversary this elusive book was published in a limited edition of 1000 by the Penguin Collectors Society.
One hundred copies were numbered and signed by Lee Chadwick, who edited the original text; Sheila Dorrell who completed the illustrative material after the death of Paxton Chadwick; and John Miles, who designed the book. This is copy no. 32 of that even more limited run, with signatures on the rear cover.
