Silver Bells and Cockle Shells

Silver Bells and Cockle Shells: Illustrated Classic Nursery Rhymes

This beautifully illustrated, vintage collection of thirty classic nursery rhymes is the perfect gift for any baby or child.

First published in 1911, it includes favorites such as Humpty Dumpty, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Sing a Song of Sixpence and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, each in its full version with verses you may not have discovered before.

The rhymes are all illustrated in delicate watercolour tones by Dutch illustrator, Henriëtte Willebeek le Mair.

About the Author

Henriëtte Willebeek Le Mair (1889–1966) was born in Rotterdam to a family of wealthy merchants. Her father, a keen patron of the arts, encouraged his daughter’s artistic talent, and in 1910 she was commissioned to illustrate a collection of nursery rhymes, which was originally published as Our Old Nursery Rhymes (1911). Through her extensive travels abroad, Henriëtte developed an interest in Eastern religion, languages, and culture. In 1921, she converted to Sufism, a mystical Islamic philosophy. Although painting remained important to Henriëtte throughout her life, her religious work eventually took precedence over her illustration.