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A convenient magnetic contraption

1920

Original pen and ink drawing for Railway Ribaldry by William Heath Robinson. Page entitled 'INTERESTING METHODS OF OVERCOMING THE 'COLD FEET' DIFFICULTY BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF FOOT WARMERS' (written in the bottom left corner). ‘RAILWAY RIBALDRY’ written in bottom right corner. ‘W HEATH ROBINSON’ top right corner. Rough pencil workings visible. Pen and ink on artists board with a paper cover. Signed on the back W. Heath Robinson in pencil and with stamp reading ‘RETURN TO/ A E JOHNSON/ ARTISTS’ AGENT/ (?)2 KING ST. COVENT GDN. W. C.2/ LONDON’. ‘1962 GW’ hand written in pencil, Roberson’s & Co. Ltd, stamp on the back of the board advertising the artists board. Two images on the page; the top one shows passengers queuing to have hot water bottles filled by the driver from a tap on the side of the locomotive. The lower image shows a couple warming their feet on the roof light, sitting in arm chairs each lifted on a telescopic arm. Commissioned by Great Western Railway, 1935. H383mm x W273mm

Interesting methods of overcoming the 'cold feet' difficulty before the introduction of foot warmers

circa 1935

Original pen and ink drawing for Railway Ribaldry by William Heath Robinson. Page entitled ‘ONE OF THE MANY SUGGESTIONS FOR DOING WITHOUT TUNNELS’ (written in bottom left corner). ‘RAILWAY RIBALDRY’ written in bottom right corner. ‘W HEATH ROBINSON’ written in the lower left corner of the image. Rough pencil workings visible. Pen and ink on artists board with a paper cover. Signed on the back W. Heath Robinson in ink and with stamp reading ‘RETURN TO/ A E JOHNSON/ ARTISTS’ AGENT/ (?)2 KING ST. COVENT GDN. W. C.2/ LONDON’. Roberson’s & Co. Ltd, stamp on the back of the board advertising the artists board. ‘From/ W Heath Robinson/ 25 Southend Avenue/ Highgate/ N6’ handwritten on the back, along with ‘1668’ in blue pencil crayon. One image on the page showing a flying locomotive and carriages with wings. People on a bridge below watch as it passes over. Commissioned by Great Western Railway, 1935. H382mm x 273mm

One of the many suggestions for doing without tunnels

circa 1935

Original pen and ink drawing for Railway Ribaldry by William Heath Robinson. Page entitled ‘WHEN COAL WAS CHEAP. (VIGNETTE)’ (written lower right). Pen and ink on artists board with rough pencil workings visible. On the back is a label with type written ‘G.W.R.’ and handwritten ‘7” deep’. This label covers an earlier stamp reading ‘RETURN TO/ A E JOHNSON/ ARTISTS’ AGENT/ (?)2 KING ST. COVENT GDN. W. C.2/ LONDON’ and signed ‘W Heath Robinson’. Also handwritten on the back ‘1275 GWR’. One image of the page shows a locomotive pulling a long train of empty carriages but for one barrel. With a single figure looking on. Commissioned by Great Western Railway, 1935. H381mm x W176mm.

When coal was cheap (vignette)

circa 1935

Original pen and ink drawing for Railway Ribaldry by William Heath Robinson. Page entitled 'THE FIRST SLEEPING COMPARTMENT’ (written in bottom left corner). ‘RAILWAY RIBALDRY’ written in bottom right corner. ‘W HEATH ROBINSON’ in bottom left corner of lower image. Rough pencil workings visible. Pen and ink on artists board. Signed on the back W. Heath Robinson in pencil and with stamp reading ‘RETURN TO/ A E JOHNSON/ ARTISTS’ AGENT/ (?)2 KING ST. COVENT GDN. W. C.2/ LONDON’. Roberson’s & Co. Ltd, stamp on the back of the board advertising the artists board. With ‘1441’ handwritten in blue pencil. Three images on the page; The top image shows a couple reading in their carriage compartment, the second shows the bed being lowered from the roof on a pulley while the couple change behind screens, the third image shows the couple asleep. The bottom image is shaded over in blue pencil crayon (next to the panel reads ‘MECHANICAL STIPPLE ON LOWEST PANEL’). Commissioned by Great Western Railway, 1935. H381mm x W273mm

The first sleeping compartment

circa 1935

Original pen and ink drawing for Railway Ribaldry by William Heath Robinson. Page entitled 'LAST POST FOR THE COUNTRY. AN EARLY ATTEMPT AT PICKING UP MAILS WITHOUT STOPPING’ (written in bottom left corner). ‘RAILWAY RIBALDRY’ written in bottom right corner. Rough pencil workings visible. Pen and ink on artists board. Signed on the back W. Heath Robinson in pencil and with stamp reading ‘RETURN TO/ A E JOHNSON/ ARTISTS’ AGENT/ (?)2 KING ST. COVENT GDN. W. C.2/ LONDON’. Roberson’s & Co. Ltd, stamp on the back of the board advertising the artists board. ‘317 G W’ handwritten on the back. Also handwritten on the back ‘From/ W Heath Robinson/ 20 Shepherd’s Hill/ Highgate N6’. One image on the page showing a bridge and train in silhouette. The train lowers hooks from pulleys to collect the mail, while in the foreground people run to get their mail to the post box. Commissioned by Great Western Railway, 1935. H381mm x W272mm.

Last post for the country – An early attempt at picking up mail without stopping

circa 1935