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Absurd Collection

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Pea Apparatus by William Heath Robinson

Pea Apparatus by William Heath Robinson
An interesting and elegant apparatus designed to overcome once for all the difficulties of conveying green peas to the mouth

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Mixing treated asbestos fibre, Heath Robinson machine

Mixing treated asbestos fibre, Heath Robinson machine
Efficient plant for the successful mixing of treated asbestos fibre with cement. A drawing done by William Heath Robinson for Turners Asbestos Cement Co

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Anti-Flu Masks

Anti-Flu Masks
A man and a woman wearing anti-flu masks. These masks cover the nose and mouth and are designed to prevent germs spreading. They may work but they look very curious!

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Clown on Bicycle Photo

Clown on Bicycle Photo
Harry, a guest of the Mayors Fancy Dress Ball poses in his costume, (that of a clown), on a bicycle in his back garden

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Samuel Beckett, Irish playwright, novelist and poet

Samuel Beckett, Irish playwright, novelist and poet
Samuel Beckett (1906-1989), Irish avant-garde playwright, novelist and poet. Photographed in the year he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Date: 1969

Background imageAbsurd Collection: MARIE ANTOINETTE TRIAL

MARIE ANTOINETTE TRIAL
The queen is sentenced to death. Among many absurd charges, she is accused of corrupting her son with perverse habits. Date: 16 October 1793

Background imageAbsurd Collection: If Unhealthy, Be Healthy by William Heath Robinson

If Unhealthy, Be Healthy by William Heath Robinson
If Unhealthy, Be Healthy: If Healthy, Be Healthier! Keep Fit Exercises: 1. The Bathroom Window Sill Bite - for strengthening the front teeth and developing the muscles of the legs and back

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Sad End of a German Spy Behind the British Line, WW1

Sad End of a German Spy Behind the British Line, WW1
The Sad End of a German Spy Behind the British Line. He foolishly endeavoured to obtain information from our sign boards!

Background imageAbsurd Collection: FALL / TOY POODLE / 1957

FALL / TOY POODLE / 1957
ROTHARA WYCHWOOD THE SPARK with a Continental cut, and standing next to an 18 inch, 46 cems, ruler to show its tiny size. Owner: Lockwood Date: 1957

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Crinoline Parachute

Crinoline Parachute
A Crinoline Parachute. Date: 1802

Background imageAbsurd Collection: A Tale of Two Tanks by Heath Robinson, WW1 cartoon

A Tale of Two Tanks by Heath Robinson, WW1 cartoon
A wartime cartoon by William Heath Robinson showing two tanks charging into battle, only to crash head on, fly conjoined into the air and fall to earth, shattered into pieces. Date: 1917

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Ass dancing with boy

Ass dancing with boy

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Heath Robinson and his pea-splitting machine

Heath Robinson and his pea-splitting machine
Photograph of William Heath Robinson (1872 - 1944), pictured with his own model of a pea-splitting machine. A well-loved artist, illustrator and cartoonist

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Extravagances of 1834. By Cesar Bacle (1794-1838). Lithograp

Extravagances of 1834. By Cesar Bacle (1794-1838). Lithograp
Costumes and Customs. Extravagances of 1834. By Cesar Hipolito Bacle (1794-1838). Isaac Fernandez Blanco Latin American Art Museum. Buenos Aires. Argentina

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Stupendous Chignon

Stupendous Chignon
CHIGNONS: A fashion conscious woman, no doubt employing a prodigious amount of false hair, sports a large chignon. Her horse likewise is completely chignoned! Date: 1866

Background imageAbsurd Collection: The New Mortar for Bridging Chasms, Heath Robinson WW1

The New Mortar for Bridging Chasms, Heath Robinson WW1
America in the Field - The new mortar for bridging chasms. A line of American soldiers traverse a chasm chained on wheeled chairs to a shell sent flying into the air

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Pulling a ridiculous expression

Pulling a ridiculous expression
A German man pulls a ridiculous, daft, absurd and frankly rather manic facial expression! Date: circa 1910s

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Girl on a swan, Dolly Girls

Girl on a swan, Dolly Girls
Girl on a swan, a Dolly Girls story from Playhour

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Pixies playing a kind of tennis

Pixies playing a kind of tennis

Background imageAbsurd Collection: A wagon laden with remarkable giant cabbages

A wagon laden with remarkable giant cabbages
Giant Cabbages - freshly picked..... Possibly a bit of creative photography, although you never know....! Date: 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: French view of an English Gent in London

French view of an English Gent in London
Spectacularly stereotypical French view of an English Gent in London, complete with plaid trousers, pith helmet, sinister expression (!) and a background of dark satanic mills!!! Date: 1901

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Rail car transporting giant cabbages

Rail car transporting giant cabbages Date: 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Rail car transporting giant Bellflower apples

Rail car transporting giant Bellflower apples Date: 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Carload of Mammoth Navel Oranges

Carload of Mammoth Navel Oranges
A frankly ridicuolous carload of Mammoth American Navel Oranges! Date: 1909

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Californian farmer with an immense watermelon

Californian farmer with an immense watermelon Date: circa 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Rail car transporting a giant lemon

Rail car transporting a giant lemon Date: 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Rail car transporting a giant pear

Rail car transporting a giant pear Date: 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Rail car transporting giant tomatoes

Rail car transporting giant tomatoes Date: 1910

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Furniture by Holland and Sons

Furniture by Holland and Sons
Table with inlaid top, decorated with twining snakes, eagle and griffin claws and lily pads. This table featured in the 1851 Great Exhibition

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Lear / Nonsense / Whitehaven

Lear / Nonsense / Whitehaven
There was an Old Man of Whitehaven, who danced a quadrille with a raven; But they said, Its absurd to encourage this bird! So they smashed that Old Man of Whitehaven

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Respect for Religion

Respect for Religion
#NAME?

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Mytton in Stable

Mytton in Stable
English eccentric John Mytton (1796-1834) sits under a horses rump and holds onto her hind legs. The other horses in the stable appear perturbed - but not the humans

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Girls on the Wing

Girls on the Wing
Some daring, yet foolhardy young ladies pose on the top wing of a bi-plane. The pilot waves his handkerchief and roses fall from the sky

Background imageAbsurd Collection: Costume / Girl & Mum 1835

Costume / Girl & Mum 1835
Blue silk & black velvet pelisse-mantle with hanging sleeves, lace edged collar & brooch. Girl: pink mantle with imbecile sleeves & large revers, peaked cap with tassel


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