Rupert Annual 1973(BF)
The rare 1973 annual depicting Rupert with a brown face is extremely rare and very valuable. Here is what an auction house that was selling such an annual said about it back in 2010.
Traditionally, Rupert always had a brown face on the front cover (and continued to do so after 1973). For the year of 1973 Bestall gave Rupert a brown face as usual, but the editor of the Express thought that this blended into the background too much, so decided to change Rupert to a white bear without consulting Bestall. When Bestall realised, he left in protest and never drew another cover for a Rupert annual.
He was incensed at not being consulted about the decision, and also annoyed that the editor didn't think to reintroduce the shading and shadows present in his version. To appease Bestall, his signature was disguised on the covers of the white-faced annual. There is thought to be less than half a dozen of the brown-faced annual produced and only four have come to light.
Price: 50p
Pages: 118