Image Dimensions: 6 x 7 3/4 in (15.2 x 19.6 cm)
Framed Dimensions: 11 3/4 x 13 1/2 in (30 x 34.3 cm)

Provenance and Authentication:
According to the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided by the consignor, this collectible was subjected to a forensic examination. The accompanying documentation states that the signatures were evaluated with reference to multiple characteristics, including ink deposition, material and aging characteristics, stylistic consistency, and historical context. Based on the examination described in these documents, the authentication provider concluded that the findings were consistent with the attributed signatures. The LOA and COA provided by the consignor accompany the lot.

A Garth Williams-signed mouse character sketch, depicting an anthropomorphic mouse standing confidently in clothing while holding a hat, with its long tail extending gracefully across the ground. Executed in finely controlled black line, the drawing employs delicate hatching and shading to articulate the figure's fur, clothing, posture, and surrounding shadow. Williams's signature appears clearly at lower right.

Garth Williams was one of the important illustrators of 20th-century American children's literature, providing the enduring imagery for such classics as E. B. White's Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web, as well as Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books. He was particularly accomplished at anthropomorphic animal characterization, preserving recognizable animal anatomy while giving his subjects expressive gestures, clothing, personality, and emotional presence.

The mouse subject of the present drawing has an especially natural association with Williams's celebrated contribution to children's literature. Its poised stance, carefully observed animal features, human attire, and refined linear modeling exemplify the qualities that made his illustrated characters so memorable.

Combining a fully developed anthropomorphic figure, detailed draftsmanship, a subject closely connected with Williams's celebrated artistic vocabulary, and his prominent signature, the drawing offers strong appeal to collectors of classic American illustration and children's literature.