Facts about...

...The Fairy tales drawn on cardboard

In the period 1925-1930 you could find collectable stickers in packets of coffee substitute with illustrations of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. The illustrations were drawn by Hans Tegner (1853-1932) with pen and watercolors, printed on cardboard and published by the coffee substitute factory "Danmark". For each time you bought 500 grams of coffee substitute, you got a sticker, and at the grocer's you could buy an album in which to collect them. Consequently, you could collect 50 stickers in total with illustrations for fairy tales.

Did you know that...

...The naval officer Vilhelm Pedersen (1820-1859) was the first illustrator of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales

As a part of the collaboration between the publisher Lorck in Germany and Hans Christian Andersen a complete illustrated edition of the poet’s fairy tales was planned. As illustrator Hans Christian Andersen recommended the hitherto unknown naval officer Vilhelm Pedersen. Vilhelm Pedersen, who died at an early age in 1859, illustrated 80 of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales and stories. His drawings were diligently copied to woodcuts, but unfortunately the delicate parts of the original drawings were lost. Pedersen’s line is well-known, and the soft and graceful illustrations go well with the tone in Andersen’s fairy tales.

Children' drawings from Rumania

The drawings below are drawn by Rumanian children on the occasion of Hans Christian Andersen's birthday in 2009.

For the birthday, the Hans Christian Andersen Kindergarten in Orsova arranged a nationwide competition. The competition became so popular that contributions were made from Poland and Slovenia, also.
Hans Christian Andersens fairy-tales are described by more than 800 drawings, 300 masks, 100 stories, and 20 CD's with dances. Kindergarten teacher Cristian Stica has been project leader on the competition.

Hans Christian Andersen stayed in Orsova from May 12 to 22 1841. This stay is described in the account of the journey En Digters Bazar (A Poet's Bazaar). During this stay Hans Christian Andersen also drew some drawings.

The Princess on the Pea