Polite Collection

Playing Table Tennis - Edwardian - Etiquette
I am not sure whether it is my turn. (to write the postcard or to serve!!) A smart Gentleman makes a courteous enquiry to his glamorous young female table tennis companion. Date: circa 1904

Tennis Chivalry 1930S
A chivalrous gentleman tennis player bows as he shakes the hand of his attractive female opponent over the net!

Victorian Scrap, Queen Elizabeth I and Raleigh
Victorian Scrap, Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Walter Raleigh. circa 1880s

GENTLEMAN OF THE ROAD
A gentleman of the road, a polite name for an old tramp

Young lady curtsying on a street, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R

Young gentleman dancing the minuet in a ballroom with columns, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy

Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatters Tea Party
Alice in Wonderland, Alice having tea with the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse and the March Hare. Date: early 20th century

Georgian cartoon, conversation at a turnstile - Will you allow us to get by you, Sir? Date: circa 1820s

Wearing gas masks
Cartoon demonstrating how the social graces can still flourish, even when gas-masked. Date: 1939

CHIMPS TEA PARTY - 1
Regent's Park zoo, London Polite behaviour at the chimpanzees afternoon tea party, always a popular occasion with visitors. Date: early 20th century

Reception of the hostages from Tipu Sahib, Sultan of Mysore, by Lord Cornwallis, March 1792. Tipus two sons, aged about ten and eight

Comic postcard, Woman and council official Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Wedding usher and brides mother Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Woman hanging off a cliff Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Polite table manners Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Woman climbing over stile, with bull in field Date: circa 1918

WW2 - Comic Postcard - Table turned on the diner - " See that you re polite to our Waitresses - we can get plenty of customers." 1945

Gentleman with cane and top hat interrupting a lady at her toilette. Hello, how nice to see you! (You beast!) Handcoloured lithograph by the Gihaut brothers after an illustration by Jean Gabriel

Young lady walking in a panelled room, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R

Young lady giving or receiving a fan in a park, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R

Young gentleman graciously offering / receiving
Young gentleman graciously offering/receiving a book in a panelled room, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy

Young gentleman compliment retiring from a
Young gentleman compliment retiring or politely leaving a panelled room, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy

Young gentleman bowing with his hat in his hand in a panelled room, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy

Young gentleman walking and saluting passerby on the street, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters

Young lady giving both hands in a minuet, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R

Young lady giving one hand in a minuet, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R

Young lady dancing in a room, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R. Baldwin, London, 1759

Young man standing in a panelled room, 18th century
Young gentleman standing in a panelled room, 18th century. Copperplate engraving from The Polite Academy, or Instructions for a Genteel Behaviour and Polite Address in Masters and Misses, R

Tea for Two
Two children enjoy a very civilised afternoon tea together. Date: c. 1930

Gallantry in Paris
The Gallantry of other days in the Paris of today. " Aprez-vous, Madame!" " Aprez-vouc, Monsieur!" Male chivalry turned on its head by a young woman offering for an elderly

A PARTING KISS C1840
When your friend bids an over- affectionate farewell to your wife, you begin to wonder - and suddenly hes not so much of a friend as before... Date: circa 1840

ASIAN OBEISANCE
Various forms of obeisance among the Arabs, indicating varying levels of respect ranging from a polite but shallow bow to outright grovelling Date: circa 1845

AN EVENING LECTURE
An evening lecture in polite society Date: 1854

Vickers Viscount 800
Passenger Eating a Meal in the Economy-Class Cabin of a Bea British European Airways Vickers Viscount 800 Airliner Date: 1957

Information card, Hotel de Normandie
Information card for the Hotel de Normandie, which may or may not be in Normandy, northern France. Date: early 20th century

Friends of the Old School on a New Year card, designed by Robert Dudley -- four polite robins socialising. Date: circa 1880s

First and Second Impressions by H. M. Bateman
The Majors speaking voice was simply charming. Maisie was rapidly succumbing to its spell. Until one day she heard him use it on parade! Cartoon by H. M

Verney Lovett Cameron, traveller in Africa
Verney Lovett Cameron (1844-1894), traveller in Central Africa, the first European to cross equatorial Africa from coast to coast

Hugo De Groot - 2
HUGO DE GROOT (known as GROTIUS) Dutch scholar, one of the greatest men in Europe as a writer on philosophy, divinity, civil law, and polite literature. Date: 1583 - 1645

Hans and Nix everything new but the title : fun, music, and song : the positive limit in polite comedy. Date ca. 1899

Silhouette of an 18th century dance
Silhouette of couples at an 18th century dance. 1717

Three young girls having a tea party in the open air. 1880

Childrens party, 1953
Four children enjoy a charming (if a little sparse) looking Christmas tea party. The girls are wearing smocked party dresses by Lindsay Maid

Overeating by Belcher
A polite little boy at a village feast, uncomfortable from repletion says Oh Please Miss, don t ask me to have any more - I can t say No

Allan Ramsay / Eglinton
ALLAN RAMSAY Scottish poet and editor, reading to the Countess of Eglinton and others

Hush - Papa Speaks
Scene from the 1870s showing a group of admiring young ladies listening attentively to a patriarchal figure. 1930

Cartoon, Edward, Prince of Wales, Randolph Churchill
Cartoon, Edward, Prince of Wales, and Randolph Churchill, who says: I don t mind shaking hands with you, but I must draw the line at some of your pals. 1884

Man bowing to woman on a cutout Christmas card
Man in a red jacket and white breeches bowing to a woman in evening dress on a cutout Christmas card, with comic verse (front). (1 of 2) Date: circa 1890s

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