I saw a ship a-sailing

My very first ship!

volgivagant and I were talking about the artists Anne and Janet Grahame Johnstone recently as we are both fans of their gorgeous illustrations. The twin sisters were prolific illustrators of children's books between the 1950s and 1980s and are perhaps best known for illustrating the first edition of One Hundred And One Dalmatians. I was given a nursery rhyme book illustrated by the Johnstones for my birthday in *cough* 1970 and this is one of my favourite pictures :)


Look at the uniform on that duck! According to wikipedia Anne became an expert in 19th century military uniforms and also worked as a heraldic artist for the College of Arms. Looks like she was a dab hand at naval uniforms too!

I still have my nursery rhyme book and over the years it's been scribbled on by sister and I, ripped by both me and daughter, and repaired with yellowing sellotape. It's still one of my favourite books though!