Comments on: Fritz Wegner’s Christmas Plates

By: Margaret Mcdermott

Margaret Mcdermott — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:14:08 +0000

Charming.

By: mlaiuppa

mlaiuppa — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 19:56:32 +0000

Thank you for this post. It appears that Fritz Wegner illustrated quite a few children’s books. I collect illustrated children’s books so I’ll be purchasing a few, just from seeing his work on these plates.

And a Happy Christmas to you and Mr. Schroedinger.

By: Jennifer Newbold

Jennifer Newbold — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 16:55:17 +0000

What a find! I’d take these over a set of Lenox ‘Christmas Tree’ plates any time. Thank you for sharing them!

By: Ellen Whittle

Ellen Whittle — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 13:24:37 +0000

In the late 40s, early 50s, my mother worked for his father who had a wholesale belt and button company, actually a couple of rooms in an upstair rooms in Soho. She would visit local sweat shops that existed in Soho those days making clothes trying to get them to buy his goods for the clothes they were making .Her very close friend was Trudy Horth , was Fritz’s sister. They were both members of the communist party in Ilford and great activists out selling the Daily Worker on Saturdays. I never knew he was so famous until the year when he designed the Christmas stamps ( not sure when that was ). Never met him unfortunately.

By: Richard Sparks

Richard Sparks — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 12:29:38 +0000

A most wonderful man – with both skill and humility in equal measure.

He went on to return and become Tutor at St. Martins College of Art (Charing Cross Road days) – in the 1970’s … and I, as a student of illustration, had the pleasure of his tutelage, humour and charismatic discernment.

Fritz evolved a particular style of his own and encouraged an individualism in others: none more so than with Sara Midda (also a St. Martin’s graduate) – from whose partnership evolved her delightful illustrations, publications and books, not least: ‘In and Out of the Garden’, ‘South of France’ and ‘Growing Up and other Vices’.

Truly: A Gentle Man.

By: Mike Nicholson

Mike Nicholson — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 10:26:15 +0000

Good to see these.
Like generations of such, I was a fortunate illustration student of Fritz’s at St Martins back in the early 1980s, from which he finally disconnected probably around 1984.
He was a wise, kind man in the studio and rather took me under his wing. We remained in touch for several years and – even while I was still in my student flat in grotty Finsbury Park – he would head south east from his own house on Swain’s Lane in Highgate, collect me in his ancient French car and whisk us off to the Chelsea Arts Club, offering gentle and funny conversation throughout.
I seem to recall his tipple was a single G & T.
The first time we visited Laurie Lee was on a stool at the bar, he pointed out.
While (never) replaced by the trend-setter illustration tutors of the day, Fritz’s sage turn as a considerate and informed judge of my work kept me on a straight tack towards graduation, for which I am forever grateful.

By: Julia harrison

Julia harrison — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 07:25:00 +0000

I picked up an old copy of Fattypuffs recently in a pile of books a neighbour was throwing out. I remember his work from Puffin Club days and am so interested to hear about his background.

By: Maureen Dew

Maureen Dew — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 07:02:09 +0000

Stunning illustrations and a fascinating story. How much more of his life story is known?