MYSTERY OBJECTS

[chinatyke]

Only things I can think of are not politically correct, so I'll keep quiet!

[Cathy]

Is this pic to do with slavery?

[Gloria]

Stanley is on the right track with laundry.
Nothing to do with slave trade, and there’s nothing politically incorrect about it.

[Stanley]

Advert for bleach?

[Marilyn]

Jays blue or Persil.

[Stanley]

That was my first thought Maz. "Colonial soap powder advert?" but Gloria said I was wrong. Reckitt's Blue could be the right answer I think. It's not a soap powder and whiter whites seems to be the thrust of the advert.

[Gloria]

You are all dancing around it, so I’ll show you.

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[Marilyn]

[Stanley]

We did everything bit starch!
I have sent the image to my old tutor who is an expert on colonial advertising and asked him if he knows who the old bloke is on whatever it is the little girl is carrying.

[Gloria]

Hadn’t noticed that Stanley, it’ll be interesting if you find out. It has to have some sort of connection. I thought it was a book at first glance, but I think it could be a box of washing powder possibly.

[Tizer]

...who the old bloke is on whatever it is the little girl is carrying.

Jeremiah Coleman?

That navy officer liked his mustard too!

[Gloria]

Jeremiah Coleman? Bet you are right.

[Stanley]

I decided it was a box of starch and looked for the pic online but didn't find it.

[Tripps]

I have sent the image to my old tutor who is an expert on colonial advertising

Who'd have guessed that there was such a person. Tell us what he says.

Reminds me of my 'ain't half hot' days, when my knees were brown, and the dhobi man ensured that my starched shorts could stand up on their own.

I thought it might be a poor picture of a young Prince of Wale's - later King Edward VII.

I 've had a quick scoot around and found an online book ......and Popular Culture in the 19th Century

Its strictly copyrighted by Manchester University press , but I found

A series of Colman's Starch advertisements featured scenes from a Prince of Wales tour of India in
1875 / 76.

I think we may be on the track - though this looks more like Africa or Caribbean. Of course it occurs that perhaps Gloria could tell us where the image came from. Might save me some work.

[Gloria]

It came from this book. Oops upside down. It rights itself when clicked on.

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[Tripps]

Ah - I see that Robert Opie is involved in the book I referenced above. I think he had a museum of packaging and or childhood in London. It's a long time since I've seen reference to any of it all. The appeal of old packaging is strange, but it's there isn't it?

[Gloria]

This is the full page, there is a reference to the Mediterranean.

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[Stanley]

I wonder if he is related to the Opies of nursery rhyme fame? I have an idea my tutor, Stephen Constantine, published a book on colonial posters....

[Tripps]

I wonder if he is related to the Opies of nursery rhyme fame

Different geezer same name. Peter Opie

Probably related, but nothing jumps out at me. I bet your tutor knows.. . .

[Stanley]

What is special about this guitar?

[Gloria]

Is it all carved out of one piece of wood?

[Big Kev]

It's size?

[chinatyke]

Going with Kev and Glo's suggestions, it looks like it is carved from a peanut shell or a grain of rice.

[Stanley]

Kev is on the right track.

[chinatyke]

Ah! It could be the opposite of what I thought, not small but very big! I still haven't got a clue what or where.