Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Old, but Odd

This is one of those old, but odd, images that is too good to toss, but too . . . strange . . . to know what to do with. Some odd little critters in the water.

Archie MacGregor — Katawampus — 1900ish

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8 comments:

Annie said...

Very odd, but definitely compelling. Do you know anything about the artist or the story? The man seems like a Gulliver of sorts, but the other figures don't correspond. Is it a frontispiece for a number of tales?

May 11, 2011 at 1:35 PM
Thomas Haller Buchanan said...

Gulliveresque, yes, but I have no idea on any of that. This was a page in an old book of vintage drawings. It seems that the book's title is Katawampus, but I don't find it at the Internet Archive.

May 11, 2011 at 1:53 PM
Unknown said...

Can't find any info on the artist on the Net. Only that he seems to have illustrated a book called

Butterscotia or A Cheap Trip to Fairyland by Sir Edward Abbott Parry.

see
http://aliceintheinternet.wordpress.com/

May 11, 2011 at 2:12 PM
Annie said...

It's complete title is Katawampus: It's Treatment and Cure. It's available through Abe Books. I have no idea yet what the title means, but I am intrigued. http://www.abebooks.co.uk/Katawampus-Treatment-Cure-Honour-Judge-Edward/951858670/bd

The link takes you to the bibliographic listing and a picture of the frontispiece and title page.

May 11, 2011 at 5:17 PM
Anonymous said...

You may not have thought you knew what to do with this single piece, but blogging it is a GREAT way of ensuring it's not lost to us
Thanks once again
Norman

May 14, 2011 at 7:38 AM
Thomas Haller Buchanan said...

And Norman, leaving that kind of comment is a great way of validating what I'm doing with this blog. I need to know that I'm not just wasting my time and everyone elses'.
Thanks!

May 14, 2011 at 9:16 AM
Anonymous said...

Katawampus has always meant "askew" or "out of place" where I come from.
Fits the illustration just fine.
Thanks for the post!

May 29, 2011 at 2:34 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello there, 'Katawumpas: its Treatment and Cure' by Judge Edward Abbott Parry,is the most delicious tale about 4 children in the late 1800's who suddenly start to misbehave and throw tantrums totally alien to their normal behaviour. THIS is what 'Katawumpas' is!!! The children are cured by Krab the Caveman,a thousand year old goblin-gnome-dwarf type character who cured the children's father when HE was a child suffering with it. It is the father you see in the foreground of the image you have posted for us all to enjoy!
'Butterscotia' is the second book,in which the children are all one year older and totally cured of the affliction which gives the first book its title. These are my 2 all time favourite Fairy Books.I am lucky enough to have the matching 1927 William Heinemann editions,and they are filled with Archie MacGregor's amazing artworks. If you google these titles you may find the link which will allow you to read the entire books online;however I do feel you should make the effort to get actual copies of these books first published in 1895 and 96. They will not disappoint on any level,as the author,a real British Judge,has the most wonderful way with words which entertains adults just as much as children!!! My thanks and sm iles for gthe chance to share this information with you and your readers about such true magic!!!
Julie Drew in Australia.

November 3, 2014 at 5:22 PM

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