Puppies

This book has been read to four generations of my wife’s family, and I thought it was time that the art at least was shared more widely. Published in 1935, Puppies was the work of artist Diana Thorne (1894-1953) whose odyssey took her from Russia to Germany to England and Canada before she arrived in the U.S.

From “Foolish Little Bing”

“The Stranger” in which Tuck finds a mirror leaning against a wall.

“The Good Little Beggars” in which Nig and Nip are forced to stay in the sun-room and play with their rubber rats during tea, but eventually score a cookie by being polite.

“The Mischief-Makers,” Sandy and Andy, play with goldfish, who survive.

“Scrappy Rescues Nancy”  at the beach, successfully battling a mongrel who attempts to steal his mistress’ doll.

A self-portrait with her dog Pat.

* * *

There is a bio of Diana Thorne here.

Turkish Post

Tea with Quizzical Expression

Beer Hall

A postcard of the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, art by Fritz Quidenus, (1867-1928), mailed from Germany to the U.S. in 1930, in which the sender writes, “The people are friendly — the music, lovely — and the beer (‘nuf said).”

Perhaps a Primitivo

“Conan staggered dizzily up, shaking the sweat and blood out of his eyes. Blood dripped from his poniard and fingers, and trickled in rivulets down his thighs, arms and breast. Murilo caught at him to support him, but the barbarian shook him off impatiently.

“‘When I cannot stand alone, it will be time to die,’ he mumbled, through mashed lips. ‘But I’d like a flagon of wine.'”

— From “Rogues in the House” by Robert E. Howard, first published in Weird Tales, January 1934

Afloat

Artist Fred Pegram (1870-1937) provides the illustration for An Autumn Idyl by Austin Dobson in 1895, from Black & White Images: Second Annual Collection (2004) compiled by Jim Vadeboncoeur.

Photobooth Dogs

This week I was gifted with a copy of Photobooth Dogs by Cameron Woo (Chronicle Books, 2010) and it is a delightful confluence of interests. My thanks to Dave and DeAnna.

For a lovely blog on photo booth images, do visit Photobooth Journal.

Tea Story

There is a story in this postcard; I just know there is.

Sheet Music

By American artist Edgar Keller (1868-1932); certainly an arresting image.

No Need for Sound

Above, a poster for D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation” (1915), for its showing in Denmark, from a collection of silent film posters at 50 Watts, with thanks to Kathy Biehl for the introduction. And more below:

Salomé (1923)

Sherlock Holmes (1922) with John Barrymore

Who Is “Number One”? (1917), a serial starring Kathleen Clifford