The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Celebrating 150 Years

Beatrix Potter

Helen ‘Beatrix Potter’ was born in London on the 28^thJuly 1866 to a privileged family and at the age of 27 wrote a letter featuring the first known drawing of Peter Rabbit. The first publication of ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’ went into public circulation in 1902. Potter had previously printed a private run of the book in 1901, but this was rejected by several publishers. ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’ is one of the best-selling books of our time, selling over 45 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 30 languages. In total 24 ‘Tales’ were written by Beatrix Potter, the last ‘The Tales of Kitty-In-Boots’ is to be released in September 2016 as part of the 150 year anniversary celebrations. The manuscript for this last tale was originally written in 1914, but was never published due to the outbreak of World War I and other family events. It was later discovered in archives left to the Victoria and Albert Museum after her death.

Peter Rabbit

Beatrix Potter was the first person to actually merchandise Peter Rabbit. In 1903 Beatrix made a stuffed toy version of Peter Rabbit featuring his famous blue coat and red slippers. She had the Peter Rabbit merchandise patented in the same year and the world of Peter Rabbit soon grew to be part of every house hold. A board game soon followed and the range of merchandise grew into a collection of dishes, crockery, clothing and foods.

Legacy

Beatrix’s love of nature and the countryside fed her imagination and made her the author and illustrator we know and love today. She later settled in the Lake District and became a prosperous farmer of sheep and had an enduring passion for land preservation. Upon her death in 1943 at the age of 77, Beatrix left most of her properties to the National Trust and her land preservation projects form a part of what we know today as the Lake District National Park.  

The Collection

A little piece of Peter Rabbit

2016 marks the 150th Anniversary of the English author and illustrator Beatrix Potter and in celebration the Royal Minthave released a limited edition silver 50 pence piece collection available in a variety of presentation boxes. This collection ranges from a simple card containing the coin to a delicately designed wooden box. The coin itself features an image of Peter Rabbit in colour and is a wonderfully attractive coin for an avid collector, keepsake for a christening or gift for a child.

In celebration of this 150 year anniversary we are now stocking a beautiful collection of Peter Rabbit china, textiles and accessories here at Harts of Stur. This collection is available in a beautiful Classic design and also a simplistic Contemporary design. Each item features Peter Rabbit himself surrounded by nature in his original form as imagined by Beatrix Potter with the nature, flora and animals that she loved dearly. To view this range and find out more details click here.