Simon Smith discovered a lost archive of Winnie the Pooh manuscripts in his dad’s loft (Image: Fieldings Auctioneers / SWNS)
Simon Smith, 57, unearthed the rare haul of letters and drawings exchanged between the creators of the famous bear tucked away inside carrier bags.
His father Leslie, who died aged 96 in 2023, had worked in the publishing industry all his life – but his family knew nothing about the hidden archive in his attic.
The collection contains first-draft manuscripts by the author AA Milne – including his poem Wind on the Hill.
It also includes sketches, autographs, drafts and corrected proofs for Now We Are Six and The House at Pooh Corner.
An original pen and ink drawing of Pooh and Piglet walking side by side in the snow is also featured along with original mock-ups for Christopher Robins Birthday book.
Some of the documents have not been seen since 1926 and were unearthed as Leslie’s children went through his estate in Malvern, Worcs.
Simon Smith’s father Leslie. (Image: Courtesy Simon Smith / SWNS)
The collection will go under the hammer at Fieldings Auctioneers, in Stourbridge, West Mids., tomorrow (Thurs).
Rare signed J.R.R. Tolkien postcards written to Mr Smith are also included in the sale, which is expected to fetch in excess of £15,000.
Simon, who works for the publishing company Cressrelles, which was set up by his father, said: “”We just didn’t know they existed so we were pretty gobsmacked.
“We had been clearing out the attic and found a plastic carrier bag full of letters.
“They had just been lying there along with other childhood junk and old photos.
“We thought there might be correspondences between various playwrights he’d represented in the past but then we found AA Milne’s signature.
“The Tolkien postcards must have been there since 1957 as my dad’s firm handled the launch of Lord of the Rings.
“I wasn’t too shocked to find those as I knew about his association with Tolkien but the Winnie the Pooh stuff was really surprising.
“I suspect those are from around the 80s which is when my dad took over Muller, who published the Winnie-the-Pooh books.
“It was amazing. I have three siblings and none of us knew they were there.”
One of the letters found by Simon Smith (Image: Fieldings Auctioneers / SWNS)
Auctioneer and Antiques Roadshow star Will Farmer said they uncovered “previously unseen private conversations and ideas about some of the world’s most famous children’s publications.”
He added: “These are incredibly unique.
“Within everything that everybody all around the world knows about Milne, EH Shepherd and Winnie the Pooh, these are to my mind probably one of the last little pieces of the puzzle that will complete the whole story.”
Also in the auction is one stern letter of reprimand written on behalf of Winnie himself by Milne, which is dated March 28, 1928.
It reads: “By the way Pooh protests strongly against being called a ‘fabulous monster’ in todays Observer, and threatens to come to Methuen’s one day to show you.”
Clive Farahar, a book specialist who helped appraise the collection, said: “This is an incredible discovery in the world of Winnie the Pooh, especially when it was thought all documents were accounted for.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to read through these rare, unique and personal letters and documents which give further insight into our favourite honey loving bear.”