"FRIENDSHIP"

• "Friendship", published in April 2000, is a detail from a drawing commissioned by Virginia McKenna in 1989 of George Adamson and two lions, Boy and Christian. The original drawing was published as a print by Gary in 1990 (see below). The title "Friendship" for the detail print was chosen jointly by Gary and Virginia. Hugely popular, this print's price began rising on the secondary market within weeks of publication.

• Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers played the role of the Adamsons in the 1960's film BORN FREE, about an orphaned lion cub Elsa.

• GEORGE ADAMSON, after spending his working life as a Senior Game Warden, began his work of rehabilitating lions back to the wild with these two lions.

• BOY was born in 1963 and was the mascot of the Scots Guards. He was used in the filming of Born Free. Rather than have him sent to a zoo when filming finished, the Scots Guards gave permission for George to release Boy back to the wild.

• CHRISTIAN was born in 1969 at Paignton Zoo. His father came from Rotterdam Zoo, which is where Elsa's sisters were sent. Christian may, therefore, be related to Elsa.

• Christian was sold as a cub to Harrods (incredible now, but perfectly legal at the time!). He was then sold to two Australians who were living temporarily in London and working in an antiques shop. He was seen out for walks in Chelsea and appeared on the children's TV programme Magpie.

• Bill Travers discovered Christian by chance when he called at the antiques shop to buy some furniture. When he found that the two men were returning to Australia, he arranged for the lion to be transported to George Adamson at Kora, Kenya, where he arrived in 1970.

• Initially Boy was not pleased with the younger male Christian sharing his territory and asserted his dominance until Christian submitted.

• Eventually Boy and Christian became inseparable and were free to come and go amongst the wild prides living around Kora.

• Unfortunately Boy had to be shot by George in June 1971 after attacking one of George's assistants.

• Christian continued to come and go at increasingly lengthy intervals and was last seen in late 1973, believed to be living wild as intended.

• Bill Travers is now Chief Executive of the Born Free Foundation and Virginia McKenna is a Trustee and tireless worker for the Foundation.
  

• This feature is based on information kindly supplied by collector John Milne from George Adamson's autobiography "My Pride and Joy". A film of George's autobiography was released in May 2000, with Richard Harris playing George. Proceeds will go to the George Adamson Foundation and other charities.

  

• [Original drawing of George with Boy and Christian]

  This background information for collectors of Gary's prints was collected from various sources and collated by Peter Wilde. If you have any comments, or can provide information for future features, please