My Quest for Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies Art
So yesterday I realized I wanted actual Flower Fairies art from those old books for my living room wall. Not prints or cheap copies – the real deal. Problem was, I had zero clue where to find original pieces. Figured I’d start simple: just typed “buy Cicely Mary Barker original art” into Google. Total garbage results. Mostly print-on-demand sites selling digital downloads or posters. Ugh.
Changed tactics fast. Hopped onto eBay, filtered searches to “vintage original art” and “antique illustration.” Scrolled for like an hour. Saw a few sketchy listings claiming to be Barker’s work, but the signatures looked wonky. One seller tried convincing me a photocopy was painted in 1930. Blocked that guy immediately.
Next morning, remembered Barker worked with publishers like Blackie & Son. Dug through dusty book collector forums. Found this one thread where people argued about art ownership. Turned out Barker sold originals through London galleries back in the day. Bingo! Searched “London galleries Flower Fairies original art” and finally hit gold. Found two legit dealers still handling estate pieces.
The Hunt Gets Real
Emailed both galleries. First one replied fast: they had exactly one watercolor left – “The Fuchsia Fairy” priced insane. Nearly choked on my coffee. Second gallery took two days to respond but listed three available pieces with certificates. Nearly missed the email because it landed in spam (note to self: always check junk folders).
Compared prices like crazy. The less expensive one was still big bucks. Called the gallery owner – dude named Geoffrey with proper British accent – who walked me through provenance. Turns out he bought it straight from Barker’s niece in 1992. Sent me close-up photos of paper texture and signature. Still hesitated for three hours.
Sealing the Deal
Finally pulled the trigger on “The Forget-Me-Not Fairy.” Payment process was stone-age: had to wire funds internationally (felt sketchy sending cash across the ocean). Geoffrey insisted on insuring the shipment for full value. Week later, this giant tube arrived. Hands shook opening it. There she was – actual watercolor on thick paper, delicate brushstrokes visible up close.
Took it straight to a framing shop. Old guy there nearly dropped his glasses. “Haven’t seen a real Barker since ’98!” he said. Spent another fortune on UV-protected glass. Worth every penny when I hung it last night.
Big takeaways:
- Never trust eBay listings without ironclad documentation
- Gallery owners know stuff Google doesn’t
- Real art costs scary money – prepare your wallet
- Shipping fragile paper internationally is nerve-wracking
But seeing that tiny fairy on my wall now? Pure magic. Would hunt all over again.
