PETS

Poem: On one side of a piece of 12mo paper. Fair, lightly-aged and a little ruckled, with traces of gum from previous mounting on the blank reverse. The 12-line poem is written in heroic couplets, and begins 'POOR, faithful animal, adieu! - | To Nature's kind affection true, | For fourteen years, thy grateful heart, | Devoted, play'd its humble part.' At the end a contemporary hand has ascribed the poem to 'B. B.', and the same hand gives the date as 'September 3d'.

The bill is printed on one side of a piece of grey paper, 25 x 13.5 cm. Good, on lightly-creased paper, with spikehole to one corner. On the bill Castang is described as 'Dealer in Ornamental Waterfowl, Pheasants, Cranes, Rheas, Kangaroos, Deer, etc. Original and many years sole importer of Hungarian Partridges. | Particular attention to packing export orders. Waterfowl in full adult plumage pinioned, taken direct from the water.' Seventeen types of bird are listed, from Teal to Black East Indian.

Very good, c.9 x 16cms, neatly mounted on larger piece of card. Full length drawing of 'Squeak', holding a letter, with the envelope on the floor, and shouting to Payne's baby rabbit 'WILFRED! - WHERE ARE YOU? MR J. H. ROBERTS WANTS YOUR AUTOGRAPH!' Signed beneath the speech bubble 'A B Payne - | 26'. According to one authority 'Fans of 'the pets' included Prince Charles, Spike Milligan, Peter Cushing and Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond'.