Book dedications

Friends and family of Ronald Searle were fortunate to be the recipients of his ceaseless sketching in the form of drawn dedications in presentation copies of his books givens as gifts. His secretary Jean Ellsmoor had many given to her as thanks for her help in assembling the print projects.

'How to be Topp, first edition, signed presentation inscription from Searle with pen and ink drawing of a child in bed spinning a top on her nose'-Forum Auctions

Another in 'How To Be Topp' - Abbott & Holder

'A presentation copy, inscribed in ink on the front free endpaper to his friend the dancer and film and stage director Wendy Toye 'A bit of life for Wendy ?Read all about it? with birthday love from Ronnie May 1 1957', alongside a full page original pen and ink drawing of a lady with no clothes on save for pearls and false eyelashes, seated on an elaborate stool, the lady with pen and sketchpad in each hand, drawing an equally naked lady.' -Maggs Bros. Books

Another nude for Wendy Toye:

'First edition. An inscribed presentation copy, with a large original colour drawing by Ronald Searle. Publisher's original pictorial card covers. Very light rubbing to the cover edges otherwise a fine, bright copy.

Inscribed on the title page in black ink "For / Wendy / with love & / Happy Birthday wishes / - this bit of / backstreet reporting / by two of your / chums! / Mo and Ronnie [underlined]." Beside the inscription Searle has drawn full page illustration of a cigarette smoking Fille de Hambourg in heels and stockings which he has dated underneath 1st May 1969. The recipient is actress, choreographer, stage and film director Wendy Toye, with whom Searle collaborated on several projects.' - Lucius Books

THE RAKE'S PROGRESS
LONDON: PERPETUA 1955 FIRST EDITION
PROVENANCE: SIR WILLIAM ALEXANDER FITZWILLIAM BARRINGTON
ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION ON PAGE 9: SELF-PORTRAIT
SIGNED, INSCRIBED 'FOR FITZ, SOME AWFUL WARNINGS ... AS ALWAYS' AND DATED 'CHRISTMAS 1955' - Chris Beetles Gallery

 'Paris Sketchbook' for Jean Ellsmoor, 1950

'The Female Approach' for Jean Effel, 1949

'The Female Approach' for Jean Ellsmoor, 1954

'The St. Trinians Story' for Jean Ellsmoor, 1959

'A Christmas Carol' for Jean Ellsmoor, 1961

 

'Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines' for Jean Ellsmoor, 1961

'Cats' for Jean Ellsmoor, 1967

'Take One Toad' for John & Midge Locke, 1969

See more personal drawings from Ronald Searle in the 'Correspondence' section here

'Por favor sēnor' - Searle in Spain

I'm not aware that Searle ever visited Spain but he did illustrate an article for the January 1962 of Holiday magazine - it was one of a series of 'By Rocking Chair Across...' satirical reports written by Alex Atkinson.

Original art in the Wilhelm Busch Museum, Hanover, Germany.

These were reprinted in Searle's book collection 'Escape from the Amazon!' (1964) with the following pictures also.

 Peter Harrington Books has a signed edition available here

'First edition, first impression. Presentation copy from Ronald Searle, inscribed in his distinctive hand on the front free endpaper: "For Wendy with love from Ronnie, Christmas 1964"; also tipped-in is an inscribed Christmas card (1965) from Searle (with integral envelope addressed in his hand). "Wendy" is the actress, dancer, and theatre and film director, Wendy Toye (1917-2010) who had collaborated with Searle on a number of theatre projects.'

Live-action Searle

The Ronald Searle YouTube channel continues to delight-added recently is a film I've long searched for in vain- 'The King's Breakfast'.  One of two live-action short films Searle collaborated on with director & choreographer Wendy Toye. Searle designed the decor & costumes and painted the sets too so it's like watching actors enter a Searle picture.  Check out the 'King's Breakfast' here and 'On The Twelfth Day' here.  The two first worked together on a stage play 'Wild Thyme' 

 

The King's Breakfast

In 1963 Searle & Toye collaborated again on a short live-action film The King's Breakfast "a dramatisation in dance and mime, of the A.A. Milne poem about a king who had no butter for the royal slice of bread" (imdb)

 

The kitchen

The King's gym

 Maurice Denham as the King (thanks to Brian Sibley)

Yak El-Droubie sent in some wonderful shots taken by Douglas Webb on the set of The King's Breakfast. The sets, seemingly painted by Searle's hand, match his designs perfectly.  Like the 1954 Chelsea Arts Ball it's always a thrill to see Searle's work transferred into 'three dimensions'-imagine being on set in a 'walk-in' Searle painting!