You might have noticed that I am occasionally given to collaging and recaptioning Victorian illustrata. I sometimes even arrange it on attractive tea shirts! Well, I’m far from the only fellow with the idea, so I thought it high time to acknowledge some of my fellow plunderers of public-domain Victoriana.
To start, in print form, there are the books of Philip Ardagh. Lady Tanah picked me up The Not-So-Very-Nice Goings On At Victoria Lodge, Without Illustrations By The Author some while go, prompting due guffawing. Just this weekend, while on a bit of a study trip back to McCrae, we managed to sneak across the bay to Queenscliff. After enjoying a lunch at the Queenscliff Hotel (which simply has to be seen, an extraordinary example of Australian design… but I digress,) we visited a local bookshop and she surprised me with a copy of The Silly Side of Sherlock Holmes, A Brand New Adventure Using A Bunch Of Old Pictures. I see he has a new work on the way: The Scandalous Life of the Lawless Sisters: Criminally Illustrated with What Was to Hand.
On the online side of things, there are a few talented folks at work. The Weekly is as old as the hills – well over 10,000 years old, in fact – and has some of the most memorable writing you ever will see. I don’t think it’s still updating, though. The New Adventures of Queen Victoria is, well, exactly what it says on the tin – madcap adventures starring historical leaders of state. Wondermark is heavily visual – a comedy strip with occasional recurring characters and some masterful collage work.
There’s also Daze of our Lives, which I can say with certainty is no longer updating. That’s much in the vein of Ardagh’s books – simple, elegant recaptioned images. And, of course, there’s Married to the Sea, which follows the model of the rest of Drew and Natalie Dee’s work – droll as the dickens, and well worth an archive binge.
A richer vein of woodcut moustaches you will not find, I think. Have I missed anyone?
Meaghan was heard to remark,
Upon the 17th of September, 2008 at 4:52 pm,
Awesome, you were in my neck of the woods (you probably passed through Drysdale on the way, too)!
I’m glad to hear that you’re still alive and not trapped under some stack of academic texts, weakly trying to claw your way free and slowly fading away to nothingness.
Sir Frederick Chook was heard to remark,
Upon the 17th of September, 2008 at 8:18 pm,
Thank you kindly! I got your text, too – hello to you! I had a thesis supervisor meeting yesterday – I’m even tossing up the notion of posting my thesis summary so far, both as easy content and so people know where I’m at!
Meaghan was heard to remark,
Upon the 30th of September, 2008 at 11:00 pm,
That’d be nice, actually. Give my love to your lady too, please. I hope you guys are well.