In this listing we are very pleased to offer a vintage pair of curtains featuring the illustrations of legendary Dutch illustrator Fiep Westendorp (read below).
They feature the characters Jip and Janneke (first English translation: Mick & Mandy)) and their dog Takkie (a dachshund and cat Siepie) is a series of children's books written by (in the Netherlands) equally famous Annie M.G. Schmidt. The series is known for its simplicity and wit and originally appeared in the Het Parool newspaper in weekly episodes from September 1952 to September 1957. The stories were later collected and published as books.
These curtains were part of a very small series of three curtains that were based on illustrations (by three different illustrators) for three different Annie M.G. Schmidt stories: Jip & Janneke, Dikkertje Dap & Beertje Pippeloentje. They were baptised "Prentedoek" which is a word play on the Dutch word for "Prenteboek" which refers to illustrated children's book (a prent being an illustration). They were edited by the company Dehnert & Jansen and the cotton fabric was referred to as "Kompasstof".
The Fiep Westendorp Jip & Janneke curtains were made in three colors and were a good success. They first came to market in 1959 and were in production until around the mid 1960s. A letter in the Fiep archives by Dehnert & Jansen confirms they were selling well and the company wanted to make other models based on Fiep illustrations, but that never came to pass.
The curtains on offer here are the light blue and mustard green versions with the illustrations in various colors (with Jip and Janneke always in black).
Made from 100% cotton.
The curtains are print marked in the edges: Prentedoek, verhaaltje (meaning story): Annie M.G. Schmidt, prentje (meaning illustrations): Fiep Westendorp, Kompasstof.
The pair on offer here actively served as curtains and have an added cotton curtain band for hooks on top and both the sides and bottom have a hem.
About Fiep Westendorp
Fiep Westendorp (1916 -2004) was arguably the best and most loved book illustrator in he Netherlands in the 20th century with a career spanning decades and capturing the hearts and smiles of several generations.
She had a very recognizable style that was uniquely Fiep and that always had humor and lightness to it and after she started using colors, became wonderfully colorful.
She always wanted to be an illustrator and to this end studied at the Koninklijke school voor Kunst, Techniek en Ambacht in Den Bosch (graduation in 1937), followed by a second study at the Rotterdam Art Academy (Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten) until 1940. She had her first assignment as early as 1937. During the war she helped forge ID papers and making situational sketches for the allied forces.
After the war through her contacts with writers Adriaan Roland Holst and Simon Carmiggelt she managed to get a position as illustrator at the Vrij Nederland magazine & Het Parool newspaper, supplying weekly copy. In 1947 she met Annie M.G. Schmidt, the equally famous Dutch writer of children's books, verses, poetry, theatre plays which was the start of a lifetime friendship and partnership. The partnership started in 1952 when Fiep made the drawings accompanying the legendary
Jip en Janneke kids stories by Annie M.G. Schmidt in De Parool. Annie's words & Fiep's drawings are part of the DNA of nearly all Dutch. In the decades following Fiep also made illustrations for Pluk van de Petteflet, Tante Patent, Otje en Floddertje, all stories by Annie M.G. Schmidt. Fiep also illustrated for other writers, with the cats Pim en Pom (created by Mies Bouhuys and actually the follow up of Jip and Janneke in De Parool) as having become almost as legendary as Jip & Janneke. Another Fiep classic - and her personal favorite - were her illustrations for the book "Rijmpjes en versjes uit de nieuwe doos" by Han G. Hoekstra but she also made advertising drawings for Dutch airline KLM and many other more occasional books and magazines, such as covers for the children's magazine Bobo, feministic magazine Opzij en women's periodical Margriet.
Failing ever to have been awarded a special annual award for any of her book illustrations the Dutch Foundation for Book Promotion (CPNB) decided to create a lifetime achievement award (called the Oeuvre Penseel) especially for her in 1997. A statue of Jip & Janneke can be seen in her birth town of Zaltbommel.
Measurements:
Both curtains have the same measurements:
Height: 190 cm / 74.80 inches
Width: 100 cm / 39.37 inches
Illustration on the white base: 15 x 13.5 cm / 5.91 x 5.31 inches
Illustration on the blue base: 31 x 13.5 cm / 12.20 x 5.31 inches
Total weight: 798 grams.
Condition:
Very good condition.
Considering these are used curtains of 60 years of age the condition is actually pretty amazing.
They will have hung for a number of years in the home of the original owner, most likely in a kids bedroom and were stored afterwards perhaps waiting for future grandchildren :-)
The colors are still amazing after all these decades: still fresh and bright. This is testimony of the Kompasstof fabric used as well as the printing quality. It is hard to imagine curtains that we buy today still look this good in 60 years from now.
The cotton is still soft to the touch.
Evidently there are some signs of use but these are very limited.
One curtain has one 5 millimeters / 0.19 inches hole and a few scuffs in the cotton that are not see through holes.
The other curtain has no holes nor scuffs.
There are incidental small stains, not much more than a handful per curtain and nothing larger than a few millimeters and none that will draw your attention in daily use.
The curtain with the small hole in it, does have a horizontal lines with a number of pen point size rust dots, probably caused by rusting staples or curtain hooks that laid on it for a long time.
The hems can be undone is so desired but likely after 60 years the fold line of the original hem will always be visible.
Please refer to the pictures to get the best impression.
We have many more pictures available of this item. Do not hesitate to ask for them in case of doubt.
