Tea & Automatons

Okay, these next few vintage cards are quite odd.  Birds building their own flying machines?  Bunnies using other bunnies to power their sleigh?  But strangest of all is the last offering.  There just are no words.

Sorry for my prolonged absence.  I promise I’ll make some updates soon.  Meanwhile I give you, Thanksgiving from some alternate universe where the turkeys got smart and are far from the tables on this holiday.  Remember all the things we have to be thankful for on this day.

 

To conclude the series of Victorian Easter cards, here are four Easter cards in the Up in Air theme.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we have more anthropomorphism, but this time there is an even darker aspect to it.  Subjugation.  One type of animal using the other as a mount or making it pull his cart.  I suspect that this didn’t even seem odd to the Victorians at the time, a time of extreme inequity among classes of humans, and these were just animals after all. A rabbit riding a chicken in a duel probably didn’t seem all that odd.

The fourth one showing a rabbit using not only a chicken but another rabbit to pull his cart is very odd.  The other rabbit does not merit clothes apparently.  And would that arrangement not make the cart quite unbalanced?  I would half expect to see it going in circles!

Then we have a rabbit riding a poodle.  Um. Moving on.

The last one depicts a couple of rabbits in an automobile.  The crash has dislodged the chick from the giant egg in front of the car, but the puzzling part is why it was there.  It almost looks as if the egg and chick were the engine for the vehicle, since the regular sized eggs were stored in back and there could not be any other space for an engine.  I am quite uncertain as to how a chick in an egg could be used to power a vehicle, but it does seem like a rather temporary and difficult solution.

So the Victorian artists didn’t seem to take a lot of time to think through these concepts, but the art is nice.  I hope that the odd images didn’t give the Victorian children any pause or worse yet nightmares.  “But mummy, why does one rabbit get clothes and the other has to pull his cart alongside a chicken?”

As a fan of anthropomorphism, I am generally amused by the animals on Victorian greeting cards.    Cute little clothes and vehicles can help the cards tell wonderful stories with just a scene.  As I began to gather more and more Victorian greeting card images, I noticed a couple of odd trends.  I’ll save one of them for the next blog, but this time it’s about relationships.  The first couple of cards below depict rabbit couples.  It seems normal enough.  The next three though are much more odd and if you think about it, a bit sinister.  I suppose if a pig and frog can have a thirty seven year relationship, then a rabbit and a fowl can too.  I think the really disturbing part is that the rabbit’s love interest is not a full grown chicken, but a mere chick; a child to be frank.  There is also the fact that she is topless.  If you are going to put clothes on them, you can’t really skip random pieces.  The last picture shows them with their offspring.  Did this rabbit somehow stunt the growth of his feathered child bride?  Well, obviously I don’t know what the artist actually had in mind, but it certainly makes one think.

Next post will be about animal subjugation.  Oh those Victorians!

I am working on a few blog posts but since it’s a holiday, here are two fun vintage Saint Patrick’s Day cards with the up in the air theme.

 

Happy St. Valentine’s Day!   As I have nothing too important to say about the day, I found some fun and interesting vintage greeting cards that celebrate the day with a balloon, blimp or zeppelin theme.

A little whimsy from the past.  That last one is a rather confusing image, but I am sure they had the best of intentions.  Now if you think those are odd images, just wait until I post the Easter one!

So Happy Valentine’s Day to all, but most especially my wonderful patient husband!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear readers, I am sure that you think I have completely abandoned you, but that is not the case.  I have been quite busy, but I am also working on several reviews and articles as well.  Hopefully I will get caught up shortly and be able to post them.  In the meantime, here is a photo from Norwescon to tide you over.

It’s almost time for another Emerald City Comic Con.  March 30 – April 1st, I will have a table where I will have art and goodies.  It’s in the Artists Alley, # B-17 just like the old Olivia Newton John song except cheerful and more fun hopefully.  Take a left as you enter the giant rat maze for people.  I have some new work and a brand new sign.  We’ll also have info on Steamcon so drop by if you are in the vicinity and say hi.

Joe Benitez, the artist guest of honor for Steamcon will also be there.  He designed a snazzy new Lady Mechanika shirt for the show, so be sure and pick one up.

 

Some of you may know that I have been running the Time Travelers’ Rummage Sale for a few years now.  Some friends and I gather up all the cool clothing or whatnot that we can’t use and we sell it to you at bargain prices.  Some folks bring their art or crafts work, usually steampunk in nature.  It’s a great place to get costume accessories for Norwescon, Sakuracon or just for fun.  You should come by and shop!

March 10th
Noon – 6:00 PM
All Pilgrims Church
500 Broadway East (lower level)
Seattle, WA

Admission is FREE!

Clothes
Jewelry
Shoes
Hats
Art
Goggles
Gadgets
Gears
Bloomers
and more!

(Merchant spaces are all allotted for this event.)