Part of a collection representing Ricketts work for the stage from his first designs for the English literary theatre down to post war costumes for the commercial stage.
Charles Ricketts had been a member of the Executive Committee of the National Art-Collections Fund for 15 years when he died in 1931, and the Committee were glad to take the opportunity of purchasing from his executors, on favourable terms, the collection of theatrical drawings and designs which he left behind him. They did so in view of the fact that the drawings represent an important phase in the artist's work and in memory of one who, among all his many other activities, had for so long given to the Fund the best of his advice, taste and experience.