Item #24791 Topsy Turvey - or our Antipodes. Punch's Pocket Book.

Topsy Turvey - or our Antipodes.

London: Punch, 1854. Ephemera. The folding frontispiece and contiguous title page for Punch's Pocket-Book for 1854. Inspired by the recent discovery of gold in Australia, the image shows a group of rough blokes in a mining camp being catered to by the gentility - 'Society' inverted in the Antipodes. Seated in front of tents on "Regent Street", the blokes shout "Now then, you Master of Arts! Look sharp with that Pale Ale". An outlaw seated in the foreground, a huge pistol in his belt, is having his boots removed by a gentleman, to be replaced with his slippers. A barefoot gentlewoman is serving drink to a table of ruffians, playing cards, including a woman.

Brandeis University has a handsome run of these Punch Pocket Books. From their website- "An offspring of the famed British satirical magazine Punch, Punch’s Pocket Book was an annual publication containing an almanac, cash account log, daily diary pages, and a variety of useful business information as well as short stories, poetry, and cartoons."

A steel engraving with original hand color,11 7/8 x 5 3/4". Slightly rubbed on one fold o/w very good. Item #24791

Price: $275.00

See all items in AUSTRALIA
See all items by