insects
-
Trophy Hunting Ancient Insects Collection
Eight miles south of the Outer Hebrides, one will find the Isle of Insectum. It once had the largest population of all the islands in the British Isles. It was also a source of mystery and speculation among academics. As we can see from photographs #1 and #2, there was a stone circle on the…
-
Skink Magazine; The Victorian BDSM Catalogue Collection #2
As you can see from this collection, the craftsmanship that went into the masks and costumes is second to none. It’s almost as if they were wasted given that they were essentially used as private bedroom props. Disclaimer: you may be unsurprised to learn that none of the staff at TVUP are versed in BDSM…
-
Domingo’s Haunted Puppet Show Collection #2
Following on from the last collection, we have discovered a little more about Alfred Byrne and his puppet shows. From a young age, Alfred had an incredible flair for creating puppets, costumes and stage designs. However, owed to the harsh living conditions he experienced in a small town in the northeast of England, with two…
-
Godbert Lawley and the Original Victorian B-movie Collection #2
An interesting fact about Godbert’s movies is that the overwhelming majority of the staff were not only alcoholics, but were largely drunk on set. According to one interview, he said that the reason for this is that alcoholics are not only cheaper (because they can be paid in alcohol), but they also make better stuntmen.…
-
Godbert Lawley and the Original Victorian B-movie Collection #1
In a short period of time, Godbert made, or attempted to make, around 50 horror movies. These were funded by wealthy businessmen who predicted the silver screen boom. Each movie was around 3 minutes long and many of them were scrapped for reasons unknown. Fortunately some did survive and made their way to the underground…
-
Victorian Haute Cuisine Collection #2
If you’ve not long been following the Victorian Underground, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we’re a foodie account. Rest assured that we definitely aren’t. However, we do believe that one of the lesser explored cultural subjects is restaurants, their chefs, customers, and the food they serve. That’s why we cover the cheap slop houses…
-
Aunt Fanny’s Miracle Kitchen Collection
Some light relief for you all. Aunt Fanny from Huddersfield was a renowned baker and maker of disgusting looking but delicious tasting cakes, pastries and confectionery. Legend has it that she was also something of a perfectionist as we can see in photograph #6. Her tantrums were ‘thunderous’ according to one employee’s diary. Our team…
-
Victorian Hoax Photography Collection #3 (Martian Edition Part #1)
Today’s collection has to be one of the most bozarre and hilarious we’ve archived thus far. Yet when these images began to circulate in a national newspaper in 1895, Victorians were queueing up to be fooled. In 1895 a theatre company named Barnard & Co. was celebrating the end to a fantastic summer season in…
-
Mr Baker the Blind Toymaker Collection #2
These are some more toys by Mr Baker. Photograph #1 and photograph #7 almost look like they are members of the Saint Rupert cult. In fact many of these toys resemble things we have looked at. We’ll leave you to explore. Have a splendid weekend. TVUP
-
Mr Baker the Blind Toymaker Collection #1
Mr Baker wasn’t blind but he was a toymaker technically speaking. He got the name because of his unique approach to designing and making toys. They were intended for children, but research suggests that no child ever played with them. Instead wealthier Victorians purchased them as ornaments which only came out on Halloween. Mr Baker…
Welcome to the Victorian Underground Project 