Collins White Circle Artists Part XXXVIII - Harold Rayner (2)

In my first post on Canadian mid-century Canadian artist Harold Rayner I showed his first three of six covers for publisher Wm. Collins & Sons Canada.

I have some more information on Rayner. His nephew, Gordon Rayner, was an artist who, in this piece, describes his early life with his father, Gordon, and his uncle, Harold, both artists.

Here are the last three of his White Circle covers.

White Circle CD495 - 1951

White Circle CD527 - 1951

White Circle CD538 - 1952

Collins White Circle Artists Part XXIV - Harold Rayner (1)

Surprisingly few (32.4%) of the cover illustrations for the White Circle paperback imprint from Toronto publisher Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Canada are signed.

Harold Rayner is one artist who did sign his six covers during the last two years of the imprint. A Harold N. Rayner is listed in three Toronto City Directories:

1948 - commercial artist, suite 1502, 302 Bay Street
1951 - commercial artist, Brigand's
1952 - same

Brigand's was a printer at 160 Richmond Street West in Toronto. Here are Rayner's first three White Circle covers, all from 1950.

White Circle 474

White Circle CD468

White Circle CD474

White Circle CD481