A portly, bald gentleman with a churchwarden pipe looks over his shoulder towards the viewer.
812.00.00.106
Acquired September 2019
“Elderly men sit and stand, all smoking long pipes; large clouds of smoke issue from their mouths, but little or nothing comes from the bowls of their pipes. Most sit or stand silently morose; two standing men (left) appear to be puffing smoke in each other’s faces. One leans back, apparently asleep, but smoking. An ugly man seated on the extreme right takes the hand of a pretty young woman who stands opposite him; he holds a large key. She slips a note into the hand of a fierce-looking military officer who stands with his back to her. On the wall (right) is a placard: ‘At a general meeting of this Society, it was resolv’d by a Majority of Independent members, that any member may be Indulg’d with having the Key brought him, by his Servant or hand-maid, but on no pretence whatever be followd by that bane of good fellowship calld the White Sergeant.’ Above the door are framed Rules: ‘Ist No Gemman to be a member of this Society who cannot smoke three pipes at one sitting – NB no Spitting 2d No members pipe to be more than 14 Inches nor less than nine unless permitted so to do by the Landlady 3d Every member to find his own Stopper 4th Any member who puffs designedly in the face of another, to be find sixpence or be puff’d at in return by the whole company 5th All fines to be spent in Porter T. Twig Secy’ On the back wall is a large print of Sir Walter Raleigh seated smoking (right) while a servant raises a bucket to fling at the smoke.”–British Museum online catalogue.
792.01.10.03++
Acquired March 2019
“Rural scene with two couples dancing on the left while a man pipes and plays a drum under a tree on the right, and another couple watch at a table in front of him, smoking and drinking; village in the background.”–British Museum online catalogue.
793.10.24.03+
Acquired June 2019
“European sovereigns (wearing crowns) and others, watch a game of billiards between the Tsar, the principal figure, and the Sultan.
820.09.30.01+
Acquired April 2019
“Two timorous duellists face each other at close quarters in a saw-pit, trembling and dropping their weapons, namely pistol and blunderbuss; each has a heap of weapons at his feet: sabres, rapier, pistol, more blunderbusses. The hair of both rises on their heads. One (left) is in uniform, the other (right), who is smaller, wears fashionable civilian dress with tasselled Hessian boots. A scroll extends above their heads inscribed: ‘Did you mean to Offend me? indeed Sir not I.–indeed Sir I’m very glad on’t!!!’ A spectator (right) looks over the edge of the pit, holding a bowl from which he blows soap bubbles, which float over the head of the civilian. The bubble in the pipe is inscribed ‘Puff’, suggesting a publicity campaign.”–British Museum online catalogue.
810.01.00.01+
Acquired October 2018
“A Thames wherry passes close to the wall of a riverside tavern, and is about to go under a high timber bridge. The two oarsmen have immense artificial-looking whiskers and curled hair, cf. British Museum satires no. 15962, no hats, and wear striped shirts, open at the neck, nautical in cut. They row a lady who sits erect in a grotesquely huge hat, with wide brim, high jam-pot crown, and towering ribbons. They row badly and carelessly. In waterside arbours spectators drink and smoke. On the extreme left steps lead to the water, and two more amateur oarsmen, looking like buccaneers, stand, while a boatman in waders holds the bow of a boat. Behind are urban houses.”–British Museum online catalogue.
829.00.00.113+
Acquired October 2018
Three women, two standing and one sitting smoking a pipe, converse outside a shop, ‘Fine Cordial Gin, two penny & best Virginia’.
802.07.25.02
Acquired November 2017