Images Dated 21st December 2010 (#54)

A Piper of Dreams
Child-like piper in a fantastic, moonlit snowy landscape, surrounded by fairies, pixies and cupids. The illuminated border shows various Christmas and nursery characters and motifs

Duke and Duchess of Windsor
Photograph of the Duke 1894-1972 and Duchess of Windsor 1896-1986 walking together. The Duke of Windsor chose to abdicate the throne in 1936 in order to marry the divorced Wallis Simpson

Communications Room on an Atlantic liner
A communications room onboard an Atlantic liner, an example of the kind that would have been on board the Titanic. Built by the shipyard Harland and Wolff for White Star Lines

Surrender at Saratoga
After being defeated by Gates at the battle of Stillwater, Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga : this is a turning point in the war ensuring victory for the colonists

Siege of Duras 1377
The French lay siege to the town of Duras, storming the walls with scaling-ladders while artillerymen bombard the walls with mortars, bowmen with crossbows

Russian Poster Ca 1917
Revolutionary poster showing a raised arm holding a rifle against a backdrop of armed revolutionaries on the steps of a building

Henrik Pontoppidan / Nobel
HENRIK PONTOPPIDAN Danish novelist

King St. C17Th
Timber-fronted buildings with protruding storey, common in London before the Great Fire. Tradition also allows this house to have been the residence of Oliver Cromwell

Mme Recamier / Cig Card
JEANNE-FRANCOISE-JULIE- ADELAIDE RECAMIER nee BERNARD French society beauty and wit

Ukraine / Kiev / St Nicolas
Kiev: Church of St Nicolas, Lavra

White City Stadium
An aerial view of White City Stadium during the Franco- British exhibition Flip Flap

Country Fair / Circa 1859
A superb picture depicting stalls, sideshows and entertainers at a country fair. In the foreground a dancing bear entertains two sailors, children and a monkey

The Fishermans Prayer
THE FISHERMANs PRAYER Lord suffer me to catch a fish so large that even I in talking of it afterwards shall have no need to lie

TEASEL Cardere sauvage

Bathing Machine 1900
A rather formidable looking lady stands on the steps of a bathing machine at Walton-on- the-Naze, Essex, England, probably wondering if its to chilly for a dip in the sea

Rotary Club 1950S
Four gentlemen enjoy a drink and a spot of socialising at the Rotary Club Headquarters, Rotary House, Portland Place, London

Unusual Sundial
An unusual armillary sphere sundial with a base with fish sculpted into it, at Bath, Somerset, England

Street / Horning / Norfolk
A street in the pretty village or Horning in Norfolk

Signing the Register
A young bride and groom sign the register. The groom is wearing a suit with very wide lapels and the bride wears a satin wedding dress with fur around the cuffs

Health Visitor / 1958
Examination by the school health visitor

Chuck Berry on Stage
Chuck Berry was a founding father of rock & roll music; one of its greatest singers, songwriters and performers, without whom popular music would be very different

Can-Can Dancer
A solo dancer in a huge white hat displays a lot of frilly undergarments as she dances

Stalingrad Soldiers
Red Army soldies lie in wait amongst the ruins

Kinbane Castle / Ireland
The dramtic setting of Kinbane Castle perched on a rocky outcrop on the shores of Antrim

Statue of Virgin Mary
A statue of the Virgin Mary in the cathedral at Victoria (Rabat) on the Island of Gozo, part of the Maltese archipelago

Leaps of Sam Patch / C19Th
The Wonderful Leaps of Sam Patch

Cycling in Scotland
A touring cyclist takes in the breathtaking Scottish scenery at the Old Road, Pass of Glencoe, Invernes-shire

George at Jambouree
Prince George (Duke of Kent) poses with Baden-Powell at a jamboree of Norfolk and Suffolk scouts in Salhouse Broad, near Wroxham. With Lords Playfair and Albemarle

Philatelist at Work
A philatelist at work on his stamp collection

Female Gurner
A woman gurner pulls a truely awful face through a leather ring during the gurning contest at Egremont Crab Fair, Whitehaven, Cumbria, England

HYDER ALI (1722 - 1782)
HYDER ALI Pictured at the Battle of Pollilur - 10 September 1780 Increased Indian army with French aid - died leaving campaign to son Tippu Sahib

Viking Artifacts
Norwegian artifacts from the Viking era

Biscuit Tins
A selection of Christmas biscuit tins from Huntley and Palmers for the festive season of 1899

Peter Jones, London
MR. PETER JONES, GENERAL DRAPER, SILK MERCER, OUT FITTER AND FURNISHER. The Sloane Square shopping emporium in the late 19th century

Nikola Tesla / Nature 1892
He lectures on the subject of alternating high-frequency current to the Societe de Physique and the Societe Internationale des electriciens, at Paris

First Railway 1825
A man on horseback bearing a Union Jack flag heads the very first railway journey in England aboard George Stephensons " Locomotion"

Vie Parisienne Drawing
How a Vie Parisienne drawing is done

National Gallery 1906
The exterior of the National Gallery fronting onto Trafalgar Square, before the new works of 2003

18th French Court Dress
Man: trunk hose, doublet, ruff & boots that reach over the knees. Woman: gown with a square neckline & tucker, voluminous sleeves & reverse cuffs & a plumed hat

Whistler V Ruskin
Punch comments on the Whistler-Ruskin libel case, in which Whistler was awarded one farthing damages

Wizatd of Oz / Poppy Field
Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion start to yawn and fall asleep amongst the poppies while the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman wonder what to do

The Haunted Lady, Punch
The Haunted Lady, or The Ghost in the Looking-Glass. A lady admires her new dress, but the mirror reveals the sacrifice made: the death of the wretched seamstress

Cycling Outfit of 1890S
A young woman wearing the daring new rational cycling outfit akin to bloomers

Chinese Cats / Silkworms
These magical spirit-cats perform the vital function of keeping away the rats which would otherwise devour the silkworms : the flowers also keep the worms healthy

Animal Bicycle Race
Various animals compete in a cycle race : the ostrich leads on his penny-farthing, but the kangaroo is catching up

Coal Mine Machinery
Improved Machinery for working Coal Mines - devices for conveying the coal along the galleries and up the shafts

Triplex Grate 1929
The TRIPLEX grate, with heated compartments on either side of the open fireplace

Richard Robert Jones
RICHARD ROBERTS JONES (aka Dic Aberdaron, from his home town) Welsh traveler and linguist, spoke 14 languages ancient and modern

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