Signed; John Harrold (ill) - Collection of 15 Rupert Bear Annuals (five signed by illustator John Harrold) - 1981-2001

Collection of 15 Rupert Bear Annuals in very good condition, of which five were signed or inscribed by famous Rupert illustrator John Harrold (who was the Rupert Bear illustrator between 1978-2007):

-Annual No 66 - 2001 first UK edition - signed by illustrator John Harrold
-Annual No 64 - 1999 first UK edition - signed by illustrator John Harrold
-Annual No 63 - 1998 first UK edition - signed by illustrator John Harrold
-Annual No 62 - 1997 first UK edition - inscribed by illustrator John Harrold
-Annual No 59 - 1994 first UK edition - inscribed by illustrator Johh Harrold
-Annual No 60 - 75th year Rupert - 1995 first UK edition
-Annual No 61 - 1996 first UK edition
-Annual No 54 - 1989 first UK edition
-Annual 50th anniv. Annual - 1985 first UK edition
-Annual No 58 - 1993 first UK edition
-Annual 1981 first UK edition
-Annual 1983 first UK edition
-Annual 1984 first UK edition
-Annual 1987 first UK edition
-Annual 1988 first UK edition

Rupert Bear, also known as Rupert the Bear or simply Rupert, is an English children's comic strip character and franchise created by Herbert Tourtel[1] and illustrated by his wife, the artist Mary Tourtel, first appearing in the Daily Express newspaper on 8 November 1920. The initial purpose of the strip was to win sales from the rival Daily Mail and Daily Mirror. In 1935, the stories and artwork were both taken over by Alfred Bestall, previously an illustrator for Punch and other glossy magazines. Bestall proved successful in the field of children's literature and worked on Rupert stories and artwork into his nineties. Various other artists and writers have since continued the series. About 50 million copies have been sold worldwide.[2]

The comic strip is published in the Daily Express, with many of the stories later appearing in books. A Rupert annual has been released since 1936. Rupert Bear is part of children's culture in the United Kingdom, and there are four television shows based on the character.