Signed Old King Cole Print, After Hassal
Signed Old King Cole Print, After Hassal
Signed John Hassall Print - Old King Cole.
A wonderful John Hassall chromolithograph depicting Old King Cole and His Fiddlers Three, presented in its original oak frame. The vibrant lithograph remains in good condition and illustrates the beloved British nursery rhyme Old King Cole, first recorded in 1708. What makes this rare and most unusual is that it has been signed by the artist in the bottom right margin. The rhyme tells the story of a cheerful and merry king who summons his pipe, his bowl, and his musicians, with slight variations appearing in different versions over the years.
The most familiar version reads:
Old King Cole was a merry old soul,
And a merry old soul was he;
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl,
And he called for his fiddlers three.
Every fiddler he had a fiddle,
And a very fine fiddle had he;
Oh, there's none so rare, as can compare,
With King Cole and his fiddlers three.
We have previously handled this print mounted within an Arts and Crafts pipe-rack frame, examples of which were typically retailed through Liberty & Co. of London.
Dimensions:
1900-1949
Circa 1905
Chromolithograph
England
Very good.
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