Battle!
I have to do a lot of research for my job, and in the course of my Googling, I find all manner of bizarre things. Yesterday, I was looking for examples I could use to teach kids how to make shadow puppets. I assumed I'd see lots of dogs, some ducks, maybe a bird or two. Instead, I found a ridiculously awesome shadow puppetry guide, originally published in 1859. These aren't shadow puppets so much as Victorian gang signs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPsB9XHGgkxZuf3CbOgAyoZuG4JpGpLVMU2Ydh3WUBU6xYBQHYEnoobX3or4rZWwhZwypf9oW2LT873u2i3RSqaRvS_k5lqCYOPXny5GEX7vgUvOxiadMvyOpMH6EeT84tNAd/s400/camel.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOD1CDlh_59s96OcpAt10OHUmG8Za605dQXZdh4HNaafNdXLUsDjJELsQQe5GlrM2cA2-V2cQuq6FNL4jKvozpQE-UeO7AyulVqiOu3oKM0R1Nd2Ybd6qlgSJWuU9UVPiLwRsY/s400/deer.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZO5CnzB1Fws3IFB0kA4-wPdCgYyjLMeEw8_nQKDWAQhyphenhyphenn3bU5tMKNIHuSObW8y_MyIxV5p4MXJcBWD3YYh_ayQGd6ORYfSsj6SR9DRCVwIFwCUp-fxTxtZUc21eRGwsNwXcDw/s400/bunny.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQNiBJAD4nA8-Q18Hph9kO2mcth73XtXAMOSzn2ZGn5ENBXxY1QdnMhqWzGniIFwJ7MGj6xCIyl3jqdqlIjpHHIDey_ak3H9ODiBiXKttXKvISWoi8g_Jluke2W_DSNYgzv3H/s400/an+elephant.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqICjREE3zERL2mMeAnIJmNOR1vrbR8-0ub1fPfTFx3TfOrz5EsPe0CrBN6Y8oJD0krSuEwfCeqeRH0C_lZFTgb_JS-z8bp6-zo1SFFS5KXY6utehl9BnHtMs0ReKMdBZyvvmC/s400/a+portrait.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2d81VwdAYqjbwhIPBt71Uzo-r6UgucjBQKMM_LlmhO8_zrPWvbVLkZNwWgyQzdwdTwfpQYQPpyLn00q3p3h0Kn7N5GmLtJfekpTP8GDCf9srbAwaPaOi6MmYRLDSZtlfd_9F/s400/boy.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qunnhOxCRGs-LXx4i_LJj3z5lMdgJ_tei79l6vLPKWq-aCuU1p_DrJgTWyb7q3Cn5ag4cD044KqamP567p3UjLSvTKGOraiN6lE7YBGQolP7mNuSBYP4y_Uk2PXmIECRoJSG/s400/a+bird+in+flight.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8DNnEsBNahZbH_Z3PU736lvyS69fVuGbMzyqRwxZHjMLiQspcZVQasAxM9RbbXq7lwYw-ZTw4rMVZU4d9fJm3erS_QmOwSG50fx0pQVRZjYq0TKOgqOB303KOhVXlZ9e1T5H/s400/the+goose+a+prisoner.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKj2JA94EjnITbJdJ4lkKr0am7ZjkzVNR_XmrLzKqr1kVMw-RmNNYNrOC1-8zCj4pCrW2XijJVsveOzxZBdIhFHwH7mX7QrZplsJb2B3ZqQ5mSECXCaJMnPuzfFssqN4PnpMMr/s400/old+growler+the+graveyard+dog.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BTJPoYI96jGl9OdrUgUl_0yyKt_6JAHW6qyZBS2XBiHS5aK4wtaVHHWVrHjS7vITqssA_A-VXL8D_csgqFoCveiHyoVzfal1syoMDWCH4OhDFnsgx6MRT3_fWee9u_w_gJBp/s400/bruin.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnXuL1F_Azt385TrZaPgZnzMSUdfp-WM_u-Dp9b0Hygc8gJT30p_0LIv8Po7EyBftfmtIRvwjChCDjVVIZuVKd-V85e_FQZQn9xnZu4tSY8rK9xgj12SdRAXfJ2niLlc5oyly/s400/dog+toby.gif)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgesONhABSA3nVNo88ImotQrZyi19tjraSRXlNVgKc7H9l1UyjNIYQQR8N2ESIUI9YtsSGoAkLI7fNAoQt3eYkPL7DumwORqOKurFad8EzuxWXP-QHtCaN9ooZOs9quIrHVHhPQ/s400/girl.jpg)
Reading Rocket Man by William Elliott Hazelgrove
Playing Pearl Jam radio on Pandora
Graphics from Hand Shadows by Henry Bursill, published in 1859 by Griffith & Farran, corner of St. Paul's churchyard
Those are freaking awesome!
ReplyDeleteI've got a shadow puppet for that kid. A single fingered salute.
ReplyDeleteSweet header, by the way!
ReplyDeleteAll I thought when I saw the bunny was "Do deformed rabbit. It's my favorite."
ReplyDeleteOh, good God, these are GREAT!!!
ReplyDeleteOH JAY-SUS!
ReplyDeleteLOL
ReplyDeleteI cannot stop laughing!!!!
ReplyDeletePopping over to say thanks for the visit to my blog but now I'm totally trying to make shadow puppets on my wall. Apparently I am easily influenced. I will say though that my elephant is looking slightly p0rn0graphic on my wall. Maybe if I put his trunk down. Well anyway. Thanks again for the visit. Great blog you have here!
ReplyDeleteWhy are they choking that bird?? Or am I the only one perplexed by that?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I tagged you veloci, so pop over to mah blog if you want and see what's up. Don't worry, you can ignore it if you want to. :P
you have to cut off your hand to do some of these but it is totally worth it.
ReplyDeletei posted this on indiecraft:
http://indiecrafts.craftgossip.com/2008/12/23/shadow-puppets-ephemeral-crafts-for-kids-and-grownups/