Absurd Collection (page 4)

You Certainly Can Roll Out The Dough (colour litho)
3093971 You Certainly Can Roll Out The Dough (colour litho) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: You Certainly Can Roll Out The Dough)

What I Saw Of The Coronation (colour litho)
3094682 What I Saw Of The Coronation (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: What I Saw Of The Coronation)

I Am Getting A Mouthful Of Fresh Air (colour litho)
3094674 I Am Getting A Mouthful Of Fresh Air (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: I Am Getting A Mouthful Of Fresh Air)

Maid spying at a keyhole (colour litho)
3094673 Maid spying at a keyhole (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Maid spying at a keyhole. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Man flirting with a bar maid (colour litho)
3094672 Man flirting with a bar maid (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Man flirting with a bar maid. Postcard, early 20th century)

Californian watermelon (colour photo)
3096221 Californian watermelon (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Californian watermelon. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Round husband and wife at the seasode, Blackpool (colour litho)
3094555 Round husband and wife at the seasode, Blackpool (colour litho) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Round husband and wife at the seasode, Blackpool)

Hunting Season, Where Did You Catch Him (colour litho)
3094551 Hunting Season, Where Did You Catch Him (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Hunting Season, Where Did You Catch Him)

Woman on a run away donkey (colour litho)
3094545 Woman on a run away donkey (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Woman on a run away donkey. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

To Those About To Marry (colour litho)
3094387 To Those About To Marry (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: To Those About To Marry. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Who Said Divorce (colour photo)
3094367 Who Said Divorce (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Who Said Divorce. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Babies growing in a cabbage field (colour photo)
3093816 Babies growing in a cabbage field (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Babies growing in a cabbage field)

The Old Man of Aosta, page from The Book of Nonsense (colour litho)
STC135055 The Old Man of Aosta, page from The Book of Nonsense (colour litho) by Lear, Edward (1812-88); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

German cartoon lampooning womens hairstyles of the time, 1780 (litho)
5208516 German cartoon lampooning womens hairstyles of the time, 1780 (litho) by German School, (18th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Birch Rod preceding the Princesses (litho)
6020362 Birch Rod preceding the Princesses (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Birch Rod preceding the Princesses)

Illustration for Railway Ribaldry by W Heath Robinson (litho)
5198690 Illustration for Railway Ribaldry by W Heath Robinson (litho) by Robinson, William Heath (1872-1944); Private Collection; (add.info.: The End)

"There was an Old Man of Moldavia, who had the most curious behaviour", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386620 " There was an Old Man of Moldavia, who had the most curious behaviour", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man of the Wreking, whose shoes made a horrible creaking", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386619 " There was an Old Man of the Wreking, whose shoes made a horrible creaking", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man from the West, who never could get any rest", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386615 " There was an Old Man from the West, who never could get any rest", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man of the Cape, who possessed a large Barbary Ape", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386711 " There was an Old Man of the Cape, who possessed a large Barbary Ape", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man of Leghorn, the smallest that ever was born", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386708 " There was an Old Man of Leghorn, the smallest that ever was born", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Person of Mold, who shrank from sensations of cold", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386694 " There was an Old Person of Mold, who shrank from sensations of cold", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man of Apulia, whose conduct was very peculiar", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386691 " There was an Old Man of Apulia, whose conduct was very peculiar", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man on whose nose most birds of the air could repose", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386681 " There was an Old Man on whose nose most birds of the air could repose", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was a Young Lady of Hull, who was chased by a virulent Bull", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386672 " There was a Young Lady of Hull, who was chased by a virulent Bull", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Man with a nose, who said, If you choose to suppose ", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386662 " There was an Old Man with a nose, who said, If you choose to suppose ", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was a Young Lady whose bonnet came untied when the birds sat upon it", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386654 " There was a Young Lady whose bonnet came untied when the birds sat upon it", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was a Young Lady whose chin resembled the point of a pin", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386653 " There was a Young Lady whose chin resembled the point of a pin", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was a Young Lady of Bute, who played on a silver-gilt flute", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386638 " There was a Young Lady of Bute, who played on a silver-gilt flute", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Person of Rhodes, who strongly objected to toads", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386635 " There was an Old Person of Rhodes, who strongly objected to toads", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was a Young Person from Crete, whose toilette was far from complete", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386633 " There was a Young Person from Crete, whose toilette was far from complete", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

"There was an Old Person of Rheims, who was troubled with horrible dreams", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386630 " There was an Old Person of Rheims, who was troubled with horrible dreams", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

Where to ride?, illustration for Punch, 1883 (pen & ink on paper)
863161 Where to ride?A, illustration for A Punch, 1883 (pen & ink on paper) by Corbould, Alfred Chantrey (1852-1920); 19.1x27.9 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

An offer of shares in mines on the Moon (chromolitho)
668838 An offer of shares in mines on the Moon (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: An offer of shares in mines on the Moon)

La marche sur Paris, poster for Le Mot, Monday 7th January 1914 (colour litho)
STC255926 La marche sur Paris, poster for Le Mot, Monday 7th January 1914 (colour litho) by Iribe, Paul (1883-1935); Private Collection; (add.info)

Girl with Stork, Mexico City, c. 1926 (b / w photo)
472707 Girl with Stork, Mexico City, c.1926 (b/w photo) by Modotti, Tina (1896-1942); eGalerie Bilderwelt; Italian, out of copyright

A Pic-nic in the Drawing Room, a capital thing for a Wet Day (coloured engraving)
2818061 A Pic-nic in the Drawing Room, a capital thing for a Wet Day (coloured engraving) by Leech, John (1817-64) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Pic-nic in the Drawing Room)

A Prize Baby Show, Materfamilias rewarding a successful Candidate (coloured engraving)
2818059 A Prize Baby Show, Materfamilias rewarding a successful Candidate (coloured engraving) by Leech, John (1817-64) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Prize Baby Show)

Caricature on the excessively tall wigs worn by fashionable women in the 18th Century (engraving)
3646946 Caricature on the excessively tall wigs worn by fashionable women in the 18th Century (engraving) by German School

The Waste of the Period! or, A Plate of Fashions for the British Folly (colour litho)
3648275 The Waste of the Period! or, A Plate of Fashions for the British Folly (colour litho) by Morgan, Matthew " Matt" Somerville (1839-90); Private Collection; (add.info)

Macaroni of the reign of George III, 1773 (colour litho)
3622211 Macaroni of the reign of George III, 1773 (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Macaroni of the reign of George III, 1773)

A Wall Flower (colour litho)
3094667 A Wall Flower (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Wall Flower. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Babies growing in a cabbage field (colour photo)
3094409 Babies growing in a cabbage field (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Babies growing in a cabbage field)

Sleeping hotel porter (colour litho)
3094388 Sleeping hotel porter (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sleeping hotel porter. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

A public meeting of babies (colour photo)
3094213 A public meeting of babies (colour photo) by German Photographer (20th Century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A public meeting of babies)

Woman covered by an ink blot (colour litho)
3093967 Woman covered by an ink blot (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Woman covered by an ink blot)

Miss Marie Studholme and Jumbo Junior, Royal Italian Circus (b / w photo)
3094751 Miss Marie Studholme and Jumbo Junior, Royal Italian Circus (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Miss Marie Studholme and Jumbo Junior)

Man raising money with a pulley (colour litho)
3093974 Man raising money with a pulley (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Man raising money with a pulley)

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"Embracing the Absurd: A Whimsical Journey through Imagination" Step into a world where logic takes a backseat and absurdity reigns supreme. From the mind of William Heath Robinson, we are introduced to the Pea Apparatus - a contraption so convoluted it could only exist in dreams. In this topsy-turvy realm, even mundane tasks like mixing treated asbestos fiber become an outlandish spectacle. Witness the Heath Robinson machine, an intricate web of gears and pulleys that defy all reason. But let us not forget the words of that old man with a beard who warned us long ago - "It is just as I feared. " As we delve deeper into this nonsensical universe, we encounter anti-flu masks that transform faces into peculiar creatures from another dimension. And what about those living in flat life? The tenant on the top floor finds solace amidst their urban surroundings by enjoying all the amenities of a back garden. Oh, how delightful it must be to escape reality's constraints. Life itself can sometimes feel like one damned thing after another, but why not embrace its absurdities? With colorful illustrations from Railway Ribaldry and Widecombe Fair, W. Heath Robinson invites us to revel in whimsy and find joy in unexpected places. As we journey further into this fantastical landscape, we stumble upon rock formations resembling parading elephants in Arches National Park. And who can resist chuckling at Troupes anglaises' camp baggage from 1815 - surely no army would dare carry such comically oversized trunks. But perhaps most enchanting is Queeriflora Babyoides; an engraving depicting flowers with personalities as eccentric as their namesake suggests. In this world where imagination knows no bounds, anything becomes possible. So why not go beyond limits? For those ladies seeking equality even when it comes to smoking rights – here's a tongue-in-cheek suggestion to go the extra mile.