Henry Shepheard (“Mac”) c.1900-20’s Archive of Original Drawings, Printed Work and Associated Ephemera

Comprising around 28 pieces of original artwork together with a further accumulation of about 44 items which include printed work, photographs, newspaper cuttings and associated ephemera.

The original pieces of work are in a variety of mediums, though largely pen-and-ink and watercolour including cartoons and caricatures, portraits (one of the stage and silent film actress Marie Dressler), some of which have probably been published. Sizes between 75x75mm to 175x255mm (“This is very nice tea I don’t think”). The first seven photographs show all the original artwork. 

The remainder includes specimen Christmas cards, other printed work includes a publicity item for “The Circus Girl” which played to much success at the Gaiety Theatre in London during 1896, a few photographs including some of his clay modelling work, stationery and newspaper cuttings of his published cartoons. 

Henry Shepheard was an artist and cartoonist, signing his work “Mac” though sadly very little is known about him. He seems to have been most active in the period between around 1900 and into the 1920’s, contributing humorous type cartoons and illustrations to a wide variety of popular magazines of the day including the London Mail, Pick-Me-Up, Golf Illustrated, Baby and Womanhood. A note in the Marriages section of  the B.M.J. website for September 1900 records his marriage to Emma Phillips as well as his membership of the Royal College of Surgeons. It is not known whether he carried on with medicine or whether art was just a pleasurable distraction for him. He and his family appear to have lived happily for the next couple of decades at No. 19 Brook Green in Hammersmith. Though unknown nowadays, his work is certainly with merit and deserves a wider audience.

Various sizes, the vast majority affixed to backing paper or thin card. Some faults including small tears, light loss, soiling/spotting etc. Overall however in good condition. An interesting collection.