Ronald Searle: Teenybopper in Demi-Paradise

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,

—Richard II

II.i

Ronald Searle's 1959 drawing of a pouting teenybopper with her guitar appeared in the July 28 number of Punch. This character illustrated the word Demi-paradise from John of Gaunt's "This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle" soliloquy. In 1961, the drawing was collected in Which Way Did He Go?

The presale estimate by Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales was 1,000 to 1,500 GBP, with bidding starting at 950. 

Ronald Searle
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales listing accessed February 1, 2023

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/l-ronald-searle-british-1920-2011-teenie-bopper-183-c-683456e834?objectID=177268279&algIndex=upcoming_lots_prod&queryID=3e247c1cf26aad0232321f6cd9869d24

Ronald Searle
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales item description

The auction hammer price hit the high estimate.

Demi-paradise

https://ronaldsearle.blogspot.com/2006/06/london.html

March 9, 2023 Update:  The new owner of this piece has gone public on Instagram here.

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