The End Had Come*
Ink wash, 1948
27 x 32cm

Early Work
1947-1964

Elephant Attacked by Tiger
Pen and Ink, c. 1949
31 x 22 cm

Red-fronted Gazelle
Oil on canvas on hardboard, 1948
30 x 24cm

Elephant*
Poster colour and ink, 1949
14.2 x 15.8cm

Some of these images (*) appear in three articles Ken wrote for The Artist magazine in 1950/51.
ANIMAL ILLUSTRATION, PARTS I-III described his process in detail from initial idea to the finished work. All very much the writings of a very earnest and enthusiastic young artist.

Orang-utan *
Ink, 1949
20 x 25cm

Terror*
Tinted scraperboard, 1949
15 x 22.5cm

Raymar
Inscribed: Ink brush study, 1949
17.5 x 16cm

Raymar
Oil pastel, 1949
27 x 21cm

Biddy
Oil on canvas on hardboard, 1963
50.5 x 35.5 cm

Dogs were always part of the family but we only have portraits of two. Raymar, a great dane (before children) and Biddy, one of the two long-haired collies we grew up with.

We have no references to explain the following. All we know for certain is that he loved both horses and Westerns. There are two story boards and a variety of individual images all in this style.

Story board 1
Pen & ink, date unknown
33 x 53cm

Cowboy with lasso
Pen & ink, 1957
20 x 25.5cm

Native American on horse with mule
Pen & ink, date unknown
12 x 26cm

Untitled (Bar brawl)
Poster paint on paper, 1947
25 x 30.5cm

The Cowboy with Lasso was included in what appears to be a portfolio of his work from the 1950s, along with images from an advertising campaign that featured very free pencil sketches. Others included some from the The Artist article, mentioned above, showcasing a range of styles but notably not the fine, detailed watercolour that dominated his early freelance career.

Seated man
Pencil, 1952
25 x 17.5cm

Reproduction: advertising

The Rev. A. Binns
Poster paint on paper, 1948
43 x 26cm

Untitled
Inscribed " Distant foreign Beggars at Gate of holy temple"
Ink on paper, date unknown

Two of three paintings in this style, we have no reference to their context but most probably for his own amusement. The third was of a jazz piano player in an equally busy setting, which we no longer have. (Jazz piano was a life-long love: he was of the "you hum it, I'll play it" brigade and played a pretty good stride piano!)

Three other artworks, two different styles and subjects.
The two ink drawings are related: the first feels upside down until you read small the note on the right hand side, which identifies the position of the figures within it.

Untitled(Stylised pheasant in landscape)
Poster paint on board, 1951
25 x 30.5cm

Untitled
Ink on paper, date unknown

Birds

Heron
Watercolour, 1982

17 x 21.5 cm
Illustration: Some Birds & Mammals of the Riverbank by Kenneth Lilly, pub. The Medici Society, 1983 ©The Medici Society Ltd.

Green Woodpecker
Watercolour, 1976
46 x 30 cm

Reproduction print
© The Medici Society Ltd. / Mary Evans PL

Little Owl with Young
Watercolour, 1973
48 x 30 cm

Reproduction print
©The Medici Society Ltd.

Barn Owl with Field Mouse
Pencil & watercolour wash, 1992
45 x 30 cm

Goldcrest
Watercolour, 1979

19.5 x 15 cm
Reproduction: Print
pub. unknown

Scandaroon
Pen and Ink, 1981
21 x 27 cm

Illustration: title page, The Scandaroon by Henry Williamson, pub. Macdonald, 1972

The following four paintings, from a set of sixteen, were originally commissioned by Sir Joseph Causton & Sons Ltd, for a book entitled, The Birds of Hawking and Falconry.

Gyrfalcon in Snow
Watercolour, 1979

50.5 x 35.5 cm

Northern Goshawk
Watercolour, 1978

50.5 x 35.5 cm

Ornate Hawk Eagle
Watercolour, 1979

50.5 x 35.5 cm

Saker Falcon with Bustard
Watercolour, 1979

50.5 x 35.5 cm

The book was never published. The note below was supplied to the art dealer who arranged their sale. Our apologies to the Glasier family for Ken's spelling!

Snowy Owl
Watercolour, 1981

21 x 21 cm
Reproduction: RSPB Calendar 1982 pub. The Curwen Press, 1981

Robin-in-the-Box
Robin on the Railings
Robin on the Road
Watercolour, 1995
Royal Mail stamps Christmas 1995
© Stamp Design Royal Mail Group Ltd (1995)
Postcards © Royal Mail 1995

Rook in winter mood
Oil on canvas, date unknown

45 x 36 cm

Young Little Owl
Pencil, 1981

19 x 19 cm
Reproduction: ceramic plate
Honiton Pottery

Sand Martens
Watercolour, 1981

21 x 27 cm
Reproduction: RSPB Calendar 1982 pub. The Curwen Press, 1981

Roughs, working drawings, field sketches & studies

Dunlin and Curlew, Holy Island at low tide
Pencil, 1971

27 x 38 cm
Field sketch

Guillemot in first winter plumage (male)
Pencil,1968

25 x 38cm
Field study

Black-headed Gull
Pencil and crayon, date unknown

28 x 25 cm
Field sketch

Wren on twig
Pencil, date unknown

X x X cm
Working drawing: unknown

Tern
Pencil and felt pen, 1981

21 x 21cm
Coloured rough: 1982 RSPB Calendar (May)
pub. The Curwen Press, 1981

Cockerel
Pencil, 1981

14.5 x 18.5 cm
Working drawing: Animals on the Farm
pub. Methuen/Walker Books, 1982

Land Mammals

Harvest mice
Watercolour, 1973
45.5 x 30.5cm
Reproduction print

©The Medici Society Ltd 1973

Hedgehogs
Watercolour, 1980
17 x 21.5 cm

From: Some Birds & Mammals of the Field and Hedgerow by Kenneth Lilly, pub. The Medici Society, 1980 ©The Medici Society Ltd.

Shirehorses in harness
Oil on canvas on hardboard, c.mid 1970s

54 x 44 cm
Reproduction: Greetings card
©The Medici Society Ltd. / Mary Evans

Chinchillas
Watercolour, 1984

32 x 50 cm
Illustration: Night Time Animals: As Large As Life by Joanna Cole
pub. Walker Books, 1985

Red Squirrel
Watercolour, 1984
32 x 50 cm

Illustration: Daytime Animals: As Large As Life by Joanna Cole
pub. Walker Books, 1985

Cheetah with herd of Thomson's Gazelle
Watercolour, 1972
37 x 58 x cm

Cover jacket: The Mitchell Beazley Atlas of the World: Wildlife, pub. Mitchell Beazley, 1972

'The Boycombe Buck' (Roe buck in tall grass)
Oil on board, 1976

29cm x 39cm

Two private portrait commissions in detailed watercolour – of only three that we still have records for.

Tabitha (above and detail)
Watercolour, 1989
c.35 x 60 cm

Darley Arabian (top) and Ormonde
Watercolour, 1995
29.5 x 40.5 cm

Two of 29 completed portraits of notable racehorses from 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. These were destined for a book with text by Sophie Murphy. The remaining nine portraits, of the 40 planned, were never started. There are numerous monochromatic line and wash vignettes, too, depicting a significant event or aspect of each horse's life.

Lion family
Watercolour, 1987
17.5 x 28.5 cm

Illustration: Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text Joyce Pope, pub. Walker Books, 1988

Pepe & Polly
Watercolour, 1988
c.30 x 45 cm

Other Animals

Bull Frog
Watercolour, 1987
15 x 28.5 cm
Illustration: Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text by Joyce Pope, pub. Walker Books, 1988

Thorny Devil
Watercolour, 1987
15 x 28.5 cm
Illustration: Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text by Joyce Pope, pub. Walker Books, 1988

Bottle-nosed Dolphin
Watercolour, 1987
22.5 x 28.5 cm
Illustration: Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text by Joyce Pope, pub. Walker Books, 1988

Green Turtle
Watercolour, 1983
17.5 x 41 cm
Illustration: Animal Swimmers
pub. Walker Books, 1984
also
Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text by Joyce Pope,
pub. Walker Books, 1988

Nile Crocodile
Watercolour, 1987
24 x 34 cm
Illustration: Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text Joyce Pope, pub. Walker Books, 1988

Walrus
Watercolour, 1983
12.5 x 28.5 cm
Illustration: Animal Swimmers
pub. Walker Books, 1984
also
Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text by Joyce Pope,
pub. Walker Books, 1988

Tree Frog
Watercolour, 1984
32 x 50 cm

Illustration: Daytime Animals: As Large As Life
Text by Joanna Cole
pub. Walker Books, 1985

Natterjack Toad
Watercolour, 1986
20.5 x 23 cm

US First Day Cover for 1986 British Conservation Stamps
pub. Unicover Corporation
©Wind River Studios Holdings, Inc

For Children

Images from many of the children's publications also appear in the other collections here.
Many more of the images from Treasure and Look and Learn can be viewed in the Look and Learn Historical Picture Archive

https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/search.php?q=kenneth+Lilly

Hare
Line and wash, 1986
20.5 x 17.5 cm

Illustration: Come, Come to My Corner by William Mayne
pub. Walker Books, 1986

The Rebel of Glenlee (detail)
Watercolour, 1967
17 x 50.5 cm
Illustration: short story by F. St. Mars
Look and Learn no. 273 (8 April 1967)
© Look and Learn

The Bush Baby
Watercolour, 1967
20.5 x 17.5 cm

Illustration: magazine front cover
Treasure no. 222 (15 April 1967)
© Look and Learn

Tiger and cubs
Pencil 1987
15 x 38 cm

Draft spread for:
Kenneth Lilly's Animals
Text by Joyce Pope, pub. Walker Books, 1988

Night Heron
Watercolour, 1970
20.5 x 17.5 cm

Illustration: magazine front cover
Treasure no. 387 (13 Jun 1970)
© Look and Learn

Sheep and lambs
Watercolour, 1982
14.5 x 37 cm

Illustration: Animals on the Farm
pub. Methuen/Walker Books, 1982

Orang-utan and baby
Watercolour, 1986
14.5 x 37 cm

Illustration: Animals Climbers
pub. Walker Books, 1986

Fang leaving his mark
Line and wash, 1995
Page size c.23 x 26 cm
Illustration:
Fang (The Story of a Fox)
Story by Tessa Potter
pub. Andersen Press, 1996

Sarn sniffing dinner
Line and wash, 1995
Page size c.23 x 26 cm

Illustration:
Sarn (The Story of an Otter)
Story by Tessa Potter
pub. Andersen Press, 1996

Dust bath and grooming
Line and wash, 1992
Page size c.23 x 26 cm

Illustration: double page spread
A Field Full of Horses
Written by Peter Hansard
pub. Walker Books, 1993

Poundwater

Poundwater Sketchbook was a book proposal based on observations of life in and around the garden at the family home, Poundwater. There are numerous sketches and notes collected over a number of years – a few were developed into sample spreads.

Front Cover artwork
Line and wash, 1985

21.5 x 29.5 cm

Field Sketches
Pen and ink

21 x 29.5 cm

Double page artwork, incomplete text
Line and wash, 1985

27.5 x 43 cm

Double page artwork, incomplete text
Line and wash, 1985
27.5 x 43 cm

Field Sketch
Pen and ink

21 x 29.5 cm

Double page draft
Pencil, 1985
18.5 x 43 cm

Field Sketch
Pen and ink, date unknown

21 x 29.5 cm

Field Sketches
Pen and ink

21 x 29.5 cm

Pairs

Our solution to a cataloguing dilemma: equality for feathers, fur and human.

Pony with Pheasant
Watercolour, 1989

15.8 x 22.5 cm
Reproduction: Greetings card
The Medici Society, 1989

©The Medici Society/ Mary Evans PL 1989

Mouse with Robin
Line and wash, 1995

12.7 x 35.5 cm
Reproduction: Wraparound greetings card
'The Ken Lilly Series' The Medici Society, 1996

©The Medici Society Ltd.

Ducklings with Kitten
Line and wash, 1995

12.7 x 35 cm
Reproduction: Wraparound greetings card
'The Ken Lilly Series' The Medici Society, 1996

©The Medici Society Ltd.

Clare with Farway Kittymead
Pen and watercolour wash, 19XX

27.5 x 43 cm

Hacking down to the Start
Line and wash, 1986
29.5 x 38 cm

Robin with Pony
Line and wash, 1994

17.7 x 17.5 cm
Reproduction: Greetings card
The Medici Society, 19 XX

©The Medici Society/ Mary Evans PL 19XX

Miscellaneous

Pin the horns on Clover
Felt pen and crayon

Date unknown
For the village fete!

Begonia Rex in a holiday guesthouse
Pastel, 1964

Widemouth Bay
Pen and wash, 1964

Shags on St Cuthberts,
Holy Island at high tide
Pen and Ink, 1971

'The Sticks', Kent
Family home (1950s - 1975)
Pencil, date unknown

Tintagel, Cornwall
Pen and wash, 1964

Dylewell Point, Cornwall
Pencil and oil pastel, 1967

Unknown Church
Pencil, date unknown
One of a pair: something to do with positioning the font.

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