Raymond Sheppard and Brian Marks' found artworks (Part Three)

Brian Marks (Part One) is here
Brian Marks (Part Two) is here

Now we have the other artworks which are lovely but have nothing to help me identify them - those who know me, know that won't stop me commenting! The collection comes from Brian Marks' father and is in such good condition. Same thing as last time, I'd recommend going to his Flickr account if you want to see these in hi-resolution as I've uploaded a smaller size here and downloaded the best version for my records

Magpies on nest, Raymond Sheppard
38.5 cm x 30 cm

Magpies and gold ring

I love the clarity of the offering from one magpie to another of a gold ring to join the others sketched in within the nest. The woodland recedes in the background is a very sketchy manner. But those birds show Sheppard's observation skills and I recently surprised my Grandson, they do have blue on the feathers!

Prone body
36.5 cm x 26.5 cm, Pastel, unsigned Raymond Sheppard

Prone figure

I have good news here. It took me a while but I found it in my collection of published work: Everybody's 5 December 1953 has a story "Ship with a cargo of murder" by Captain R. Barry O'Brien and the image heading up the story shows this prone body in place!

Everybody's 5 December 1953, p.30

It has a caption: "Almost before the Captain could cry out Big George had stabbed him twice and the other Greeks had disposed of the mate". It's very interesting to see that Sheppard has used one medium for the sketch and put so much detail into it. And I think I'm right in saying, it looks like Raymond Sheppard himself modelling for the prone body!

Tiger cub
22.5 cm x 18 cm, unsigned Raymond Sheppard , board

Tiger cub

Again I can comment here. Christine has in her cuttings collection an example of a Christmas card with - you guessed it - this very tiger cub. It also was signed and produced with a single colour

Coloured Christmas card with tiger cub

Lion, Raymond Sheppard
28.5 cm x 53 cm

Lion

Lion and Puff Adder, Raymond Sheppard
34.5 cm x 44.5 cm, "Lion and puff adder, Africa"

Lion and Puff Adder (Africa)

Both of the above lion images are interesting as they look to be drawn around the same time, same media, same paper. The subjects are common to Sheppard's work. Art Directors knew he could produce exciting shots of animals in situ. But I have no other information on these, but wouldn't be surprised to find they were published somewhere, early on in his career. 

Fox in Woodland, Raymond Sheppard
44 cm x 37.5 cm deframed painting

Fox in woodland

Christine Sheppard owns many images of woodland scenes - quite a few created around Mill Hill, London. But I must say this is the most interesting due to the branches drawn on the landscape here.

So finally we come to how Brian has these images to share with us.

It started with a cold call email - which I am happy to receive - saying 

"I have several Raymond Sheppard pictures. They belonged to my father, who kept them under his bed for 50 years. They are not in great condition and I am wondering what to do to preserve them, or perhaps get some of them restored. if the value justified that." 

I don't know anything about preservation except to say keep a lot of artwork out of sunlight! But when it came to seeing the images, of course I was super excited. here's the story:

"In brief, the work was given to my [late] Dad when he left lodgings in the artist's house. He rented a room there in the years after Raymond's death."

"At the age of 26 in 1959 Dad concluded his service in the army and secured a job in London at GEC. We believe a colleague from work suggested that he reside where he was staying, which happened to be with the Sheppards. I discovered a telegram addressed to the Sheppards notifying Dad of his own father's passing, dated 1962, indicating that he lived with them for a few years.  He met Mum around 1964, I believe, at a point when he had already moved out of the house but likely remained in the vicinity"

Christine mentioned the following:

"I certainly remember Ron Marks very well when he lodged with our family (my mother and brother and I) from 1959. He was a very kind man to us all and we spent quite a lot of time together. As I remember it, he had lived in Sidmouth, Devon and his mother came to stay with us from there at least once for a little break. He worked at GEC a short bus ride away in Stanmore and his work colleague whose name I cannot remember also lodged with us"

I'm so grateful to Brian, his Mum and Christine Sheppard for their interest and kindness in adding to the story. Brian also sent along some photos of the time his Dad was staying at the Sheppard's home which pleased Christine no end as she remembered Brian's Dad well.