Contraptions

Your absurd, beautiful drawings... give me a peculiar pleasure of the mind like nothing else in the world', H.G. Wells writing to Heath Robinson in 1914
A showcase of full-page illustrations capturing the cartoon wizardry of William Heath Robinson (1872-1944), whose anarchic, inventive spirit captured the popular imagination in the early 20th century. Includes, 'Testing Artificial Teeth'; a lawn-mowing take on children’s haircuts; labour saving devices to obviate the need for servants 'in the kitchen'; a watering can and collapsible bed to make you rise and shine; self-raising braces; a quick-sand-proof deck chair powered by magnets; a folding garden for high-rise apartments; and much more. Robinson’s comic genius became synonymous with madcap invention, with periodicals and books celebrating the pulleys and levers of his absurd gadgets. Encompassing Robinson’s musings on British industry to wartime propaganda, this collection of contraptions is drawn from family archives with expert commentary.

Hardback
28.5 x 22cm
191 pages
Illustrated throughout with black-and-white and some colour illustrations