Artist and author Hilary Knight has illustrated more than 70 books, eight of which he wrote, and many Broadway musical posters, but he is most famous for his drawings of Eloise, that precocious 6-year-old who lived at the Plaza hotel with her nanny; her dog, Weenie; and her turtle, Skipperdee. Knight envisaged Eloise as a glorious mess: She combed her flotsam hair with a fork, and, best of all, she had full run of the Plaza to do whatever she pleased. Eloise sprang from the i

New York− On December 5, Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts sale includes The World of Hilary Knight featuring his original Plaza Hotel portrait of Eloise, (estimate: $100,000-150,000), a portrait that captures the irrepressible spirit of one of the most influential children's book characters in history. Toting a history as lively as its inspiration, this portrait was painted as a birthday gift by Hilary Knight for Eloise co-creator Kay Thompson in 1956, on the eve of Kay's a

A selection of illustrator and writer Hilary Knight’s artwork, including the original portrait of Eloise, will be auctioned at Bonhams New York on Dec. 5. It’s estimated to fetch between US$100,000 and US$150,000. Depicting whimsical Eloise—one of the most influential children’s book characters—in black, white, and pink, the portrait was painted by Knight as a birthday gift for Eloise’s co-creator Kay Thomson in 1956, on the eve of her appearance on Person to Person on CBS, w