Religious Illustrated Cards and Booklets Archive

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: Wade-A-67

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Correspondence between Sayers and the printer in charge of publishing her cards and booklets, Hamish Hamilton Ltd, is found in folder 1, arranged chronologically. Manuscript drafts of the cards / booklets, some artwork, and published versions of some of the cards are found in folders 2-6, each title filed separately.

Dates

Created: 1953-1958
Other: Majority of material found in 1953-1955

Creator

Sayers, Dorothy L. (Sayers, Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Copies or publication of materials by Dorothy L. Sayers require permissions from the Sayers Literary Executor.

Biographical or Historical Information

This archive contains correspondence and drafts relating to religious-themed booklets and cards containing text by Dorothy L. Sayers. Hamish Hamilton approached Sayers with the idea of creating an illustrated Christmas card in January of 1953. The cards would be designed for commercial sales, and geared towards children in particular. Sayers agreed to provide the text and after the first card was published for Christmas 1953, "The Days of Christ's Coming," collaboration continued between Sayers and Hamilton for several more. Commonly known as the 'Advent cards,' three of them contain illustrations with small numbered doors like an advent calendar, which are opened to reveal scenes behind each. The works included in this archive are: "The Days of Christ's Coming," "The Story of Easter," "The Tale of Adam and Christ," "The Story of Noah's Ark," and "The Enchanted Garden." The illustrator for each of the cards was Fritz Wegner, with the exception of "The Story of Easter" which is illustrated by B. Biro. "The Enchanted Garden" was intended to become a Christmas card, but remains unpublished. "The Days of Christ's Coming" was later published as a book in London by Hamish Hamilton in 1960.

The material in this archive was acquired at auction from Sotheby's in London by the Wade Center in 2000. The original Sotheby's lot included in this archive is: Lot 292, via-e.

Extent

1.00 box : 6 folders

0.3 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This archive contains correspondence and drafts relating to religious-themed booklets and cards containing text by Dorothy L. Sayers, including: "The Days of Christ's Coming," "The Story of Easter," "The Tale of Adam and Christ," "The Story of Noah's Ark," and "The Enchanted Garden." Commonly known as the "Advent cards," the works were mainly intended as Christmas and Easter cards.

Source of Acquisition

01/1a, 07/56, 16/20

Related Materials

Researchers interested in this archive may also wish to consult the following resources in the Wade Center holdings:

"The Realm of Christmas." San Francisco Chronicle (13 November 1960): 17. AF-5665 (article on The Days of Christ’s Coming)

Reviews of The Days of Christ’s Coming can be found in the Wade Center article file, Dorothy L. Sayers review section.

Dorothy L. Sayers Papers (letters collection): Folders 18 and 630

Sayers, Dorothy L. ["Days of Christ's Coming"]. (n.d.) 6 pp. AMs. in 6 lvs. with revisions; in clear plastic folder. (DLS manuscript #63)

Sayers, Dorothy L. The Days of Christ's Coming. illustrated by Fritz Wegner. London: Hamilton, 1960 / New York: Harper & Brothers, 1960. (published book, call numbers: BT315.2 .S29 1960 and BT315.2 .S29 1960b)

Sayers, Dorothy L. The Days of Christ's Coming. Illustrated by Fritz Wegner. London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd., [1953] (published card, call number: BT315.2 .S29 1953)

Sayers, Dorothy L. "The Enchanted Garden" (rough and final drafts). 26 pp. in 26 lvs.: 14 pp. AMs. with revisions, 12 pp. cc. TMs., signed. (DLS manuscript #84)

Sayers, Dorothy L. The Story of Adam and Christ. Fritz Wegner. London: Hamish Hamilton, Ltd., [1955] (published card, call number: PR6037.A95 S767 1955)

Sayers, Dorothy L. ["The Story of Easter"]. 9 pp. AMs. in 9 lvs. with revisions. (DLS manuscript #208)

Sayers, Dorothy L. The Story of Easter. 1st edition. Illustrations by B. Biro. London: Hamish Hamilton, Ltd., [1955] (published card, call number: BV55 .S29 1955)

Sayers, Dorothy L. ["The Story of Noah's Ark"] (rough and final drafts). Incomplete. 6 pp. in 6 lvs.: 3 pp. AMs. with revisions, 3 pp. cc. TMs. (DLS manuscript #209)

Sayers, Dorothy L. The Story of Noah's Ark. Fritz Wegner. London: Hamish Hamilton, Ltd., [1956]. (published card, call number: PR6037.A95 S76 1956)

Sayers, Dorothy L. "The Tale of Adam and Adam." (n.d.) 21 pp. AMs. in 21 lvs. (DLS manuscript #215)

Simmons, Laura K. “’Seeking but to Do Thee Grace’: Dorothy L. Sayers’s Illustrated Religious Cards.” SEVEN: An Anglo-American Literary Review. Volume 24, Wheaton, IL: The Marion E. Wade Center, 2007. 53-64.

Other materials in the Wade Center holdings may relate to the topics in this archive. See the archivist for further research assistance.