Peepshow Collection

The Peep-Show, 1765/1766. Creator: Pietro Antonio Novelli
The Peep-Show, 1765/1766

The Peep Show. Creator: Thomas Rowlandson
The Peep Show

Boys at Peepshow in Street, n.d. Creator: Clarkson Stanfield
Boys at Peepshow in Street, n.d

Cartoon, A Pretty Penny in the Slot -- Baldwin asks John Bull for national investment in mines. Following the mine-owners reduction of their workers wages

Brightening up the London Peepshow windows
It was suggested that artist of repute should be invited by West End shopkeepers to design distinctive decorations on surrounding shop windows, during the Blitz

The New World, 1791-97 fresco) (see also 230499)
FTB60391 The New World, 1791-97 fresco) (see also 230499) by Tiepolo, Giandomenico (Giovanni Domenico) (1727-1804); Ca Rezzonico, Museo del Settecento, Venice

PEEPSHOW PANORAMA 19C
A young man entertains two young women and a child with a peepshow panorama. Date: 19th century

RAREE SHOW
A Raree-Show - a travelling showman displays his cabinet of curiosities to the amazement of his audience Date: circa 1870

Polyorama Panoptique, c1851. Box with expanding bellows, a lens, a shutter and a set of slides that can be inserted. By altering the aperture of the shutter the image on the slide changes from day

Shanghai Peepshow storyteller tea pavilion City God
Shanghai, Peepshow and storyteller at the tea pavilion near the City God Temple, Shanghai, Views of 19th-century Shanghai, unknown, Albumen, ca. 1870, City God temple (Cheng huang miao)

Suffragette Womens Exhibition 1909 Cartoon Model
One of a series of 12 Cartoons in Model, part of the Political Peepshow exhibit at the W.S.P.Us Womens Exhibition, May 1909

Children looking into a peep box device, c.1810. Date: C.1810

Suffragette Publicity Advertising Asquith. A placard outside a newsagents shop, advertising the Daily Mirror, has the headline, Mr. Asquith Caricatured

The Peep Show, 1789 (engraving)
XJF996645 The Peep Show, 1789 (engraving) by Wheatley, Francis (1747-1801) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi); English, out of copyright

A vieu of Plymouth, engraving 1780, Lord Amherst, Lieutenant General of the Ordnance, wearing military uniform, looking into a peepshow for a view of the progress of the war in America

ikarakuri, Viewing a peep box show. Kitagawa, Utamaro, 1753?-1806, artist, [between 1801
AIkarakuri, Viewing a peep box show. Kitagawa, Utamaro, 1753?-1806, artist, [between 1801 and 1804], 1 print : woodcut, color; 38.8 x 25.7 cm

A Vieu Of Plymouth, Engraving 1780, Lord Amherst, Lieutenant General Of The Ordnance, Wearing Military Uniform, Looking Into A Peepshow For A View Of The Progress Of The War In America

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"Peepshow: A Glimpse into the Past and Present" Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, for a captivating journey through time with the enchanting world of peepshows. Like a whimsical cartoon come to life, these miniature marvels have delighted audiences throughout history. In 18th-century England, amidst economic turmoil, a pretty penny in the slot would grant you access to an intriguing spectacle. Baldwin beseeches John Bull for national investment in mines while mine-owners slash workers' wages. Meanwhile, London's peepshow windows brighten up with scenes from "The New World, " a mesmerizing fresco depicting life between 1791 and 1797. Moving forward into the 19th century, we encounter the Peepshow Panorama of that era - a raree show indeed. The Polyorama Panoptique of c1851 takes us on an immersive visual journey like no other. And let us not forget the Suffragette Women's Exhibition of 1909; even they used this ingenious device as a medium to convey their message. Children peer curiously into peep boxes, captivated by what lies beyond those tiny openings, and is here that imagination knows no bounds – where stories unfold before their very eyes. Across continents and cultures alike, Shanghai's Peepshow storyteller tea pavilion at City God enthralls visitors with tales woven within its walls. And who could overlook "The Peep Show" engraving from 1789? An exquisite piece capturing society's fascination with this unique form of entertainment. From political satire to historical panoramas and everything in between – peepshows have left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness. They continue to transport us back in time or whisk us away on flights of fancy today. So step closer now and take your turn at peeking through these magical portals into worlds both real and imagined.