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Foolish Collection

Background imageFoolish Collection: Nursery Rhyme - Three Little Pigs

Nursery Rhyme - Three Little Pigs
The Tale of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. Painting by Malcolm Greensmith

Background imageFoolish Collection: Mr Popple Drunk 1898

Mr Popple Drunk 1898
After a convivial hunt breakfast at Hopham Hall, Mr Popple is found drunk and disorderly in charge of a horse

Background imageFoolish Collection: Tarot Card Fool 17C

Tarot Card Fool 17C
TAROT LE FOU (The Fool)

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, The Dropped Pilot, WW1

Cartoon, The Dropped Pilot, WW1
Cartoon, The Dropped Pilot, twenty-four years after Tenniel

Background imageFoolish Collection: Crabbing Their Style by William Heath Robinson

Crabbing Their Style by William Heath Robinson
Cartoon, Crabbing their style. Toeing for crabs at and seaside resort during the holiday months. Men crab fishing using feet as bait

Background imageFoolish Collection: J Mercer. 3 wise men of Gotham

J Mercer. 3 wise men of Gotham
Three wise men of Gotham went to sea in a bowl, if the bowl had been stronger, my song would have been longer. 20th century

Background imageFoolish Collection: Art Deco Programme cover designed by Tom Purvis

Art Deco Programme cover designed by Tom Purvis, The London Palladium, November 1938 These Foolish Things. Date: circa 1936

Background imageFoolish Collection: Sir Harry Dimsdale, foolish muffin seller, 1807

Sir Harry Dimsdale, foolish muffin seller, 1807
Sir Harry Dimsdale, foolish muffin seller, 1758-1811. Elected Mayor of Garratt following the death of Sir Jeffrey Dunstan in 1797

Background imageFoolish Collection: Comic postcard, Young woman liked vicar's sermon Date: 20th century

Comic postcard, Young woman liked vicar's sermon Date: 20th century

Background imageFoolish Collection: My Word! We caught THIS wandering here

My Word! We caught THIS wandering here. Two young women mock a rather daft-looking young man, possibly trying to use his facial dexterity to gain their attention/affection?! Date: 1910

Background imageFoolish Collection: Herbert Beerbohm Tree, actor, as Malvolio

Herbert Beerbohm Tree, actor, as Malvolio
Herbert Beerbohm Tree, English actor and theatre manager, as Malvolio in Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night. Date: 1907

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, A Parcel of Old ------ Frightened at a... Bill

Cartoon, A Parcel of Old ------ Frightened at a... Bill
Cartoon, A Parcel of Old ------ Frightened at a Nasty! Great! Ugly! Jew Bill

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, A candidate for the new acting academy

Cartoon, A candidate for the new acting academy - The Church is no longer the only Profession open to the Fool of the Family. 1880s

Background imageFoolish 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

Background imageFoolish Collection: Take My Tip The one way to follow horses with success

Take My Tip The one way to follow horses with success
Take My Tip.. Theres only one way of following horses with any success... AND THIS IS IT! circa 1930s

Background imageFoolish Collection: Comic Postcard - Don t get pinched for following the fashion

Comic Postcard - Don t get pinched for following the fashions

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, The Real Cap of Liberty

Cartoon, The Real Cap of Liberty. British Lion: What can THAT cap promise, that my CROWN doesnt perform? Eh, Stoopid? Date: December 1871

Background imageFoolish Collection: The Patsy, comedy, Theatre Royal, Plymouth

The Patsy, comedy, Theatre Royal, Plymouth
Save your laughs for The Patsy, a three-act comedy by Barry Conners at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. circa 1930s

Background imageFoolish Collection: How to kiss your Rich Aunt

How to kiss your Rich Aunt ! A rather foolish and foppish young man (with an eye on the prize!) greets his Elderly (and very rich) Auntie with extreme enthusiasm. Date: 1908

Background imageFoolish Collection: French Theatre -- Sottie du Prince des Sotz

French Theatre -- Sottie du Prince des Sotz
Sottie du Prince des Sotz (Foolery from the Prince of Fools), by Pierre Gringore (Gringoire). Showing a musician in a red and grey fools costume, standing on one leg and playing the mandolin

Background imageFoolish Collection: German poster, What England Wants, WW1

German poster, What England Wants, WW1
German propaganda poster, What England Wants, depicting a blindfolded man approaching the edge of a cliff with a heavy sack on his back at the beginning of the First World War. Date: circa 1914

Background imageFoolish Collection: Couple exchange a love note behind the back of a cuckold

Couple exchange a love note behind the back of a cuckold
Cuckold Love - A man and a married woman exchange a love note behind the back of a fool (the womans husband, signified by the horns of a fool)

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cannibalism - Humorous postcard - Fiji - Doctor to be eaten

Cannibalism - Humorous postcard - Fiji - Doctor to be eaten
Cannibalism - Humorous postcard - Fiji - Western Doctor, investigating the Culinary Habits of the Cannibal Islands is himself about to become the entrea.. Date: circa 1910s

Background imageFoolish Collection: Sisowath, King of Cambodia shaking the trunk of Fallieres

Sisowath, King of Cambodia shaking the trunk of Fallieres
Satirical postcard showing Sisowath (1840-1927), King of Cambodia shaking the trunk of French President Armand Fallieres (18411931) who is in the form of a benevolent Sacred Elephant

Background imageFoolish Collection: Suffragettes Geese to Parliament

Suffragettes Geese to Parliament. Four white geese in a line head for parliament

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon satirising German soldiers, WW1

Cartoon satirising German soldiers, WW1
Cartoon satirising German soldiers during the First World War: Goot gracious me! Here kom der 16th Royal Scots. Date: 1914-1915

Background imageFoolish Collection: Jester on Donkey 1867

Jester on Donkey 1867
Jester looking very foolish on a donkey

Background imageFoolish Collection: The Folly of Riches

The Folly of Riches - Luke 12. circa 1688

Background imageFoolish Collection: Twelfth Night - title page

Twelfth Night - title page - Malvolio cross-gartered before Olivia. 1862

Background imageFoolish Collection: Harry Monkhouse, Harry Parker and John le Hay in Maid Marion

Harry Monkhouse, Harry Parker and John le Hay in Maid Marion
Actors Harry Monkhouse, Harry Parker and John le Hay acting the fool in a scene from Maid Marion, which was staged at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London in 1891. Date: 1891

Background imageFoolish Collection: Posada, Illustration, The Adventures of Don Chepito

Posada, Illustration, The Adventures of Don Chepito
Illustration, The Adventures of Don Chepito -- Don Chepito addressing people in the street from a cart. Date: circa 1890s

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, Good sense, WW1

Cartoon, Good sense, WW1
Cartoon, Good sense. An extravagant wife explains to her soldier husband why she had to buy such expensive clothes, and travel home by taxi. Date: 1916

Background imageFoolish Collection: Book cover design, A Gay Dog, by Cecil Aldin

Book cover design, A Gay Dog, by Cecil Aldin
Book cover design, A Gay Dog, The Story of a Foolish Year, by Cecil Aldin, showing a white bulldog looking down at some discarded female garments. Date: 1905

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, Connoisseurs examining a collection

Cartoon, Connoisseurs examining a collection of George Morland s, by James Gillray. A satire on the popularity of Morlands paintings, focusing on fat pigs, foolish donkeys and greedy dealers

Background imageFoolish Collection: French Theatre -- Les Sobres Sotz

French Theatre -- Les Sobres Sotz
Les Sobres Sotz (The Sober Fools), a farce, showing a fool, Le Badin, in yellow and green motley. Date: 16th century

Background imageFoolish Collection: French Theatre -- Science et Anerye

French Theatre -- Science et Anerye
Science et Anerye (Science and Stupidity), a morality play

Background imageFoolish Collection: Foolish guillemot, Colymbus troile, Uria troile

Foolish guillemot, Colymbus troile, Uria troile.. Handcolored copperplate drawn and engraved by George Graves from his own British Ornithology, Walworth, 1821

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, Brilliant second thoughts, WW1

Cartoon, Brilliant second thoughts, WW1
Cartoon, Brilliant second thoughts. Emperor Franz Josef of Austria comments: I m beginning to think that Bulow only went to see the Italians to get them to declare war on me. Date: 1915

Background imageFoolish Collection: Consulting the Oracle

Consulting the Oracle. Male and female anti-suffragists consult the oracle on how to rid themselves of the child who personifies the womens suffrage movement

Background imageFoolish Collection: Crown prince puppet toy, WW1

Crown prince puppet toy, WW1
A British girl pictured with a puppet which depicts Crown Prince Wilhelm, eldest son of the Kaiser (known by the nickname of Little Willie in Britain) as a rather foolish clown. Date: 1915

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, Polish view of German reservists, WW1

Cartoon, Polish view of German reservists, WW1
Cartoon depicting a satirical Polish view of the German reservist army (or Landsturm) with makeshift weapons including pitchforks during the First World War. Date: September 1914

Background imageFoolish Collection: Cartoon, Men from The Moon, WW1

Cartoon, Men from The Moon, WW1
Cartoon, Men from The Moon, commenting on three neutral powers in the early weeks of the First World War (Holland, America and Italy), and how they are regarded by the German government

Background imageFoolish Collection: Nursery Rhymes -- Little Bo Peep, Simple Simon

Nursery Rhymes -- Little Bo Peep, Simple Simon
Nursery Rhymes. Little Bo Peep with her sheep (above). Simple Simon fishing in a bucket (below). Date: early 20th century

Background imageFoolish Collection: General D alton

General D alton
Satire on general d Alton, who suppresses ruthlessly those Flemish citizens who are foolish enough to sympathise with the French Revolution. Date: circa 1790

Background imageFoolish Collection: Flying Terms Defined - Flier Education

Flying Terms Defined - Flier Education

Background imageFoolish Collection: WW1 - Soldier gives away all souvenir buttons from uniform

WW1 - Soldier gives away all souvenir buttons from uniform
WW1 - A slightly daft-looking young Soldier has to resort to a large safety pin, as he has given away all the souvenir buttons from his uniform to family and female admirers... Date: circa 1915

Background imageFoolish Collection: Football Terms Illustrated - Well Collared

Football Terms Illustrated - Well Collared!

Background imageFoolish Collection: A rather feeble suitor with a rather loud suit

A rather feeble suitor with a rather loud suit
He: " Oh! Smile upon my suit." She: " I do, I do. I can t help it." Date: 1895

Background imageFoolish Collection: Turkish Archytype smoking a pipe conected to a stove

Turkish Archytype smoking a pipe conected to a stove
Caricature Turkish Archytype smoking a pipe connected to a stove Date: circa late 1920s

Background imageFoolish Collection: Foolish fashion

Foolish fashion. Illustration shows a vignette cartoon depicting the latest in womens fashions, such as a pagoda-style dress and furs to match the shaved poodle

Background imageFoolish Collection: Weather Reports - Glass Falling - Storms Expected

Weather Reports - Glass Falling - Storms Expected! A careless waiter with poor tray technique allows a glass of liquor to fall down the front of a smart gentlemans waistcoat

Background imageFoolish Collection: Dunderpate and his schoolmaster

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

Background imageFoolish Collection: JL. Simple Simon

JL. Simple Simon
Simple Simon fishing in a bucket... late 19th century

Background imageFoolish Collection: D Carleton-Smythe. Simple Simon

D Carleton-Smythe. Simple Simon
Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair... 20th century

Background imageFoolish Collection: The Struldbrugs / Gulliver

The Struldbrugs / Gulliver
GULLIVER IN LUGGNAGG The Struldbrugs live for ever, and are exceedingly unhappy about it, becoming foolish, opinionative, peevish, unloving and unloved... Date: First published: 1726

Background imageFoolish Collection: Shadow drawing. C. H. Bennett, Foolish Tommy Pigeon

Shadow drawing. C. H. Bennett, Foolish Tommy Pigeon
Foolish Tommy Pigeon. Illustration from a series of shadow portraits of fictional characters by Charles H Bennett entitled Shadow and Substance, 1860

Background imageFoolish Collection: Mr Popple throws his hat at the fox

Mr Popple throws his hat at the fox, much to the Master of Fox Hounds disgust

Background imageFoolish Collection: Myth / Tibet / Musulman

Myth / Tibet / Musulman
FOOLISH YOUNG MUSSUMLAN The foolish young Mussulman is pursued by his own shadow, although he tries desparately to escape!

Background imageFoolish Collection: Myth / Tibet / Tiger / Jackal

Myth / Tibet / Tiger / Jackal
THE JACKAL AND THE TIGER The tiger and the monkey approach the jackals den, but the jackal frightens away the foolish tiger

Background imageFoolish Collection: Canute Reproves Courtier

Canute Reproves Courtier
Canute demonstrates that the flattery of his courtiers is foolish, by showing them that he cannot turn back the sea as they had suggested

Background imageFoolish Collection: Tortoise & Two Ducks

Tortoise & Two Ducks
THE TORTOISE & TWO DUCKS A tortoise wishing to travel is flown by grasping a stick in its mouth, supported by two ducks; the foolish tortoise speaks and plummets to earth

Background imageFoolish Collection: Mad Jack of Margate

Mad Jack of Margate: a local character who added to the colour of Margate making your seaside holiday complete. Daft hat aside, we don t know what form his madness took


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