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CAT PIANOVariations on a catatonic scale : the keys are linked to the cats tails, and when depressed the resulting miaows create a concatenation of feline counterpoint
Rudyard Kipling by Cyrus CuneoUnconventional Portraits: No.XV.-A Superman amongst writers by Cyrus Cuneo. An impression of Rudyard Kipling, novelist and poet, showing him at work surrounded by characters from his books
Cotswold Games 17th CCotswold Olimpick Games organised by Robert Dover, including shin kicking and other local sports
Very Elevated BicycleA very elevated bicycle - the look of concentration on the riders face is very understandable!
Bicycle weddingIn Marseille, France, M. Pecolle weds Mlle Latourre on a bicycle built for two
House over River 1950SThis house was built on a bridge over a river in 1680. It is situated in Ambleside, Westmorland
Piano De Silex - 1Honore Baudres geological piano uses a series of selected stones, each of which emits a different note when struck
Electric Rail DinnerStill another use for electricity: a miniature railway that brings food from the pantry to the table, removing the need for contact with troublesome servants
Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, writer, poet and travellerLucie Delarue-Mardrus (1874-1945)was a prolific poet and novelist, penning more than 70 books. As well as being married to a man for fifteen years
Unconventional aircraft Pterodactyl tailless aeroplane undergoing tests at Yeovil, Somerset Date: 1938
MATTHEWS'S LUMINAPHONEGrindell Matthews's instrument uses beams of light to produce music : interestingly, the same inventor also offered the world a death ray a few years later. Date: 1926
Wouldn t it be awful if Augustus John became conventionalOne of a series of cartoons in The Bystander caricaturing famous people by suggesting how awful it would be if they did something completely uncharacteristic, in this case
EATING REINDEER TO BONEOstiaks eat raw reindeer on the bone. Date: 1905
ANIMAL CONCERTA cat concert, accompanied by monkeys and with the assistance of an owl turning the pages of the music book. Date: circa 1660
Norma Shearer among the Lilies - Screen Celebrities - from a New Angle: Unconventional Portraits. Date: 1930
Faustin Edmond Wirkus, King of La Gonave, HaitiFaustin Edmond Wirkus (1896-1945), King of La Gonave, Haiti as Faustin II, ruling from 1926 to 1929. He had been a Polish-American US Marine stationed in Haiti during the US occupation
Water Tricycle - 5The nautical velocipede of Georg Pinkert, of Hamburg, Germany, operates on the paddle-wheel principle. It travels at 15 km/h on land, 12 km/h on water
Mormon wives of Brigham Young at the theatreThe many wives of the Mormon leader, Brigham Young, attending the Mormon Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Wed at 800 MetresWED AT 800 METRES At San Antonio, Texas, Walter Stone and Mary Shelton are married aboard an airship
Ordnance ColumnA colossal column built from French ordnance with wheeled cannon decorating each tier Date: circa 1815
Arm-Driven BicycleThe German Rudomobil is driven with the arms, not the legs. Date: 1926
Bathing PavilionA bathing pavilion with a classical look surrounded by flowers and foliage Date: 1820
Water Tricycle - 1Several inventors propose forms of water-tricycle. Frenchman Romanes-Rousseau demonstrates his project at Marseille, on a conveniently calm day. Date: 1880
Cycloscaphe 1896The CYCLOSCAPHE gives a new meaning to the phrase three men and a boat with its adaptation of the bicycle to boat propulsion, the pedals turning the propeller. Date: 1896
French Society LadyA French Lionne - a lady who holds fashionable salons for the leading people of the day Date: 1850
Egg and Spoon on HorsesWho says that the British in India had too much time on their hands? Ladies enjoy an egg-and-spoon race on horseback. Date: 1896
Rink Tennis 1875Rink tennis ingeniously combines the joys of ice skating with competitive tennis. Date: 1875
Volleyball with a balloon, as played by Germans at Tempelhof, near Berlin. Date: 1904
Cycling on ice skatescycling on skates (or skating on a bicycle) Date: 1870
Ladies orchestra, 1875An orchestra of musical ladies delights an audience of gentlemen with their playing. In addition to the more usual stringed instruments
Bicycle BoatA Bicycle Boat, a new type of boat, which can be used as a comfortable sidecar on land and a paddleboat on water! The pedals of the bicycle work the paddles. Date: early 1930s
Georges Sand PhotoGEORGES SAND French writer and folklorist, famous for her unconventional life-style and her string of lovers who included de Musset and Chopin. Date: 1804-1876
Vessel for the HomelessThis ordinary looking vessel is actually a floating hotel (or hostel) for tramps and the homeless. Date: 1930s
BATH CHAIR BOATAn unconventional bath chair boat, operated by levers. Date: early 1930s
Street music: a blind ballad singer, 1815A blind chaunter of old ballads, shown here accompanying his voice by playing upon a cat gut string drawn over a tea canister, and tied at both ends with a mop stick. Date: 1815
Cat piano and animal choirA cat piano and a choir of animals make up this unusual ensemble. A motely selection of humans also feature-a one legged man plays the cat piano
A German Bicycle BoatA bicycle boat on a street in Germany. Date: early 1930s
1850s woman smoking - flouting conventionA charming water colour of an early female smoker, very much a flouter of the conventions of her day. Date: 1850s
Six on a CycleFive gents and one lady on a single machine. Date: 1897
Gas-Driven CarA rather unsafe looking gas- driven Calcott car with a huge Lyon-Spencer gas container on its roof drawfing the car itself. Owned by Lady Idina Wallace.Hope she didn t smoke
Fish Sailing Couple 1939A sailor, with his female companion, find a far more interesting way to sail the seas, on the back of a fish. The steering wheel must be of invaluable assistance
Basket Carring RaceAn amazing Basket Carriers Race, Herne Hill, south London, England
Water Tricycle - 4American inventor Terry, who crossed the Channel in a tricycle-boat in July 1884, now proposes this aquatic tricycle which travels on the surface : a calm day needed !
Dog-Drawn CatamaranAt Westerly, Rhode Island, a young lady goes for a spin in her catamaran, drawn by two very large dogs, probably Newfoundlands
Aquatic VelocipedeThe unnamed inventor of this aquatic velocipede claims to have used it successfully through the winter. Three air filled receptacles keep him up, pedals give motive power
Ye Olde Coffin House at Brixham, Devon. When a father declared that he would rather see his daughter in a coffin than marry her young man, the young man built this house
Matthauphone (Glasses)The MATTAUPHONE of M. Mattau of Brussels is simply his version of the glass harmonica in which glasses are filled with liquid to varying depths, then struck
Donkey SerenadeA quartet of donkeys, selected for the note of their bray, perform - though it is unlikely that they could actually read the musical score
Burney streamlined carThe Burney Streamlined car, with engine placed at the back. The car was a glorious failure, as it was too expensive and unconventional despite the Prince of Wales buying one. Maximum speed was 40mph
Unusual Dovecote / 1930SAn unusual stone dovecote in Bemerton, Wiltshire
Dovecote / Tithe BarnA dovecote and tithe barn in South Stoke, Somerset
CAT STEWSoldiers on the march must eat as they find. These French soldiers have found a cat to add to their cooking-pot
Bridegroom ArrestedAt Coutances, Normandie, a bridegroom is spotted during his wedding procession, and police arrest him during the wedding breakfast, to the dismay of his new bride
Wed in Lions CageAt Beziers, France, Joseph Bugleone, circus director, weds Rosalie Van Been in the lions cage : the priest prudently remains outside, doing it through the bars
Dragged to the WeddingA furniture-maker of Paris and his bride are drawn through the streets by several sturdy wedding guests, giving them an appetite for the sumptuous repast to follow
Selling from BoatMen selling furniture from a boat, Madeira
Cross at Sinaia, RomaniaA large cross erected at Sinaia, Romania
Chateau De Congo / RoubaixLe Chateau du Congo in Roubaix, an unconventional structure with moorish architectural elements
Flettners Rotor Ship 3Anton Flettners rotor-driven steamship Baden-Baden en route to New York, proving her viability if not her superior efficiency : she will sink in a storm in 1931
Velocar Horizontal BikeThe Velocar horizontal bicycle
Starleys TricycleStarleys Coventry rotary tricycle
Mormon children of Brigham Young at the theatreThe many children of the Mormon leader, Brigham Young, attend the Mormon Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Wall Game / Eton / 1906ST ANDREWs DAY AT ETON A bully is played during a match between the Collagers and Oppidans at the Wall, the Collagers won, their first victory since 1896
Grandville Steam OrchA steam orchestra with, drums, cello, violin, french horn and trombone
Sport / GrylloA strange game, Gryllo, based on double-wicket cricket, but played with lawn tennis racquets instead of bats. A net at each end of the pitch takes the place of the stumps!
Sand Yachting C1903A sand yacht race takes place on the beach at Biarritz, France
AEROPHONSimilar to the CALLIOPE, this American instrument is basically an organ which uses steam instead of air : it is successfully demonstrated at Cremorne Gardens, London
Musical GlassesSometimes known as a GLASS HARMONICA : glasses, filled with liquid to different depths, emit different notes when struck, giving a sound somewhat like a xylophone
Kastners PyrophoneFrederic Kastners instrument is a kind of organ, with keyboard and pipes, but the sound is produced by flames within the pipes
Sport for Disabled / 1895Sport for the disabled at Nogent-sur-Marne - men with wooden legs competing for first place
Walking on WaterJesus did it by faith alone, but the rest of us need these sea-boots if we wish to walk on water. Sounds fun : why didn t the idea catch on ?
Parasol YachtPilcher of London and Wilson of Dublin demonstrate their Cyclone yacht at Southampton : the parasol not only sails your boat, it protects you from sunburn !
Ornamental Chimneys 1850A selection of towers and chimneys with unusual architectural details
Wedding on BicyclesUNE BODA EN BICICLETA a wedding on wheels
Panicking BridePANICKING BRIDE A Parisienne panics at the altar and flees the church (subsequently, though, she goes through with it)
Bigamous WifeA bigamous woman with two husbands (one in jail) and one at her side. She seemingly has the blessing of the church
Food / UnconventionalTHE HORRORS OF FOREIGN FOOD " Water I do declare - with worms in it." (soup with vermicelli)
Sport / UnconventionalTHE ROPED-HEAD GAME A Bavarian contest, in which two men seek each to pull the other with the rope which links both their necks
Five Ladies on One BikeLadies in coloured shirts on a bicycle display the range of Maypole soap dyes
