Dunce Collection

The Old Curiosity Shop, schoolroom
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens, first published in the weekly serial Master Humphreys Clock from 1840 to 1841 and then as its own book in 1841. The puzzled dunce

Susan sits alone on the fence, unhappy to think that Dunderpate is going to marry the tailors daughter or the pastrycooks daughter. Date: 1938

Dunce at School
A boy stands on a stool with a dunces cap on his head. Date: circa 1900

Boy with Slate Kept In
A little boy has to stay in to work out a sum on his slate

Cheery Families - Master Switch the Schoolmasters Son. 1890s

SCHOOL FOR SKELETONS
A bizarre school for skeletons, with two skeletons playing a piano duet, one skeleton dunce on a chair in the corner and another skeleton carrying a basket! Date: early 1930s

Little girl teaching elephants in a field
A little girl standing in front of a blackboard on an easel, apparently teaching elephants maths. They are in a field with a circus van and tent. Date: circa 1960s

The Babes in the Wood, Theatre Royal, Bournemouth. The Funniest Daintiest Pantomime in the South of England, from Boxing Day for two and a half weeks

E Richards. Dunce, dunce, double d
Dunce, dunce, double D, he can t say his A B C. Children in a classroom, with a boy wearing a dunces hat, standing on a stool. 20th century

Playing school - dog as a dunce
During a pretend game of playing teachers, a little boy puts his dog in the corner with a dunces cap on its head. Date: c.1920

Little girl teaching maths to circus elephants
Unusual Friends - little girl teaching maths to circus elephants. 1950s

Pigs sitting on a school bench on a Victorian scrap
Eight pigs sitting on a school bench on a Victorian scrap. Date: circa 1890s

Five kittens on a greetings card, trying to learn a lesson. Date: circa 1890s

Bobby the dog wearing a dunces cap
Bobby the dog belongs to a little girl called Elsie. Sometimes Elsie places Bobby in the corner of the room and puts a dunces cap on his head. Date: circa 1933

Children playing schools, with a teacher writing sums up on a blackboard. Date: circa 1930s

WW2 poster, Elephants know no arithmetic. Its the little things that count. Attention to detail is vital to all good work. Design by Victor Hicks. Date: 1940s

Schoolmaster reacts angrily as his window is smashed by an errant cricket ball. Date: 1898

Teacher telling mother her son is good for nothing

Susan refuses to help Dunderpate with his marriage plans, and slams the door on him. Date: 1938

Dunderpate in his dunces cap, sitting on a stool with a slate in his hand, wondering what to write. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and Susan at the milestone, after their coach ride. Dunderpate puts his shoes back on, and Susan holds the silver crown given to them by the squire. Date: 1938

Dunderpate speaks to the pastrycook about marrying his daughter, but the pastrycook doesn t like the idea of making him free food for the rest of his life. Date: 1938

Dunderpate gives everyone a holiday from school
Dunderpate changes places with the teacher and immediately gives everyone a holiday from school. The boys run around shouting Hooray! Date: 1938

Dunderpate speaks to the tailor about marrying his daughter, but the tailor doesn t like the idea of making him free clothes for the rest of his life. Date: 1938

Dunderpate finds five bigger dunces
Dunderpate finds five dunces who are bigger dunces, ie taller, than him, as requested by his teacher. Date: 1938

Susan and Dunderpate sitting on the fence. He is sad that he can t find anyone to marry him. She offers to marry him herself. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and Susan on dedication page
Dunderpate and Susan on the dedication page -- To our friend Nina Beck. Date: 1938

Dunderpate goes up the stairs to bed with a candle in his hand, whistling happily. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his mother at the supper table. To further his fortune, he decides to get married. Date: 1938

Susan helps Dunderpate walk on his hands, to prevent the grass growing under his feet. Date: 1938

Dunderpate drawing water from the well. Date: 1938

Dunderpate runs after a coach and horses containing the squire and his lady -- this is the kind of fortune hes looking for. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his friend Susan sitting on a fence. Date: 1938

Dunderpate in various poses, working at school and at home. Date: 1938

Susan empties a pail of water on Dunderpate, to test to see if he has the sense to go in when it rains. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his three schoolfriends. He is late for school as usual, but is pleased to tell them that he has enough sense to go in when it rains. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his friend Susan walking to town -- he slows down and begins to lose interest in seeking his fortune. Date: 1938

Dunderpate tries to put his best leg foremost, as advised by the pedlar, but finds it difficult. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and Susan with the squire
Dunderpate and Susan speak to the squire, who looks down at the offered pair of shoes. They remind him that he offered them a silver crown in return. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his mother with the washing
Dunderpate and his mother out in the garden with the washing. Date: 1938

Dunderpate sees a pedlar and donkey walking by
Dunderpate sees a pedlar and his donkey laden with pots and pans walking by. Date: 1938

Dunderpate tells Susan he plans to marry
Dunderpate tells Susan that if the tailors daughter won t marry him, he will ask the pastrycooks daughter. He asks Susan to come with him in case he needs help. Date: 1938

Dunderpate speaks to the farmer on his mare
Dunderpate speaks to the farmer sitting on his mare. 1938

Dunderpate and his mother at home. He tells her that he will work at school and work at home, work for his living and marry Susan when hes old enough. Date: 1938

Dunderpate offers the squire his shoes, watched by his friend Susan. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his mother with the frying pan
Dunderpate and his mother at home -- she is frying sausages for supper. He tells her he has earned a silver crown and ridden in a coach. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his schoolmaster. The teacher says hes never known such a lazy, stupid fellow, and believes he hasn t enough sense to go in when it rains. Date: 1938

Dunderpate falling off the fence in surprise at Susans proposal of marriage, and at the thought of working for his living. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his mother with the darning
Dunderpate and his mother at home -- she is doing some darning and mending. He tells her what his teacher said: if I can find him a bigger dunce than myself he ll change places with me! Date: 1938

Dunderpate speaks to the squire in the coach, asking how he can make his fortune. The squire says he would give a silver crown to stand in the boys shoes for just an hour. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his friend Susan with broken crockery
Dunderpate and his friend Susan clearing up the crockery which he accidentally broke when he ran indoors. Date: 1938

Dunderpates schoolfriends laughing at him
Dunderpates six schoolfriends laughing at him. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his mother with the ironing
Dunderpate and his mother at home with the ironing. He asks her how many beans make five. Date: 1938

Dunderpate deciding what to do next -- he will seek his fortune in the town. Date: 1938

Dunderpate followed by his friend Susan
Dunderpate continues on to town, followed by his friend Susan. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his mother with the baking
Dunderpate and his mother at home -- she is doing some baking. He tells her how he changed places with his teacher and gave all the scholars what they wanted most. Date: 1938

Squire sits at roadside for an hour
The squire sits on a milestone at the roadside for an hour with Dunderpates shoes on his feet, while Dunderpate and Susan ride around in his coach. Date: 1938

Susan tries to help Dunderpate put his best leg foremost, saying it will get easier with practice. Date: 1938

Dunderpate runs after a farmer on his mare
Dunderpate runs after a farmer jogging by on his mare, to ask his advice. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his friend Susan meet a blacksmith who explains what not letting the grass grow under your feet really means. Dunderpate is dismayed to learn that it means working hard. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and his friend Susan meet a miller who explains what putting your best leg foremost really means. Dunderpate is dismayed to learn that it means working hard. Date: 1938

Dunderpate and Susan with their family
The adult Dunderpate and Susan with their family of eight children! Date: 1938

Mary Lawson as a dunce
An amusing study of Mary Lawson posed as a most alluring little dunce

All products are expertly crafted, using premium materials, tailored to your specifications and promptly shipped