RARE 1882 Cartoon: ENGLISH CHANNEL TUNNEL Sir E. Watkins SUBMARINE RAILROAD CO.

Description: VINTAGE BRITISH POLITICAL CARTOON:RULE BRITANNIABritannia (to Sir E. Watkins) “As I rule the waves, I must draw the line somewhere, so I stop it at the channel tunnels—till further notice. But happy to come and lunch with you any day and talk it over.”+ The idea of a fixed link across the English Channel was first put forward in the early part of the 19th Century but concerns over national security stalled attempts to progress it.+ But an Anglo-French protocol was established in 1876 for a railway tunnel under the Channel. South Eastern Railway Chairman Sir Edward Watkin and French Suez Canal contractor Alexandre Lavalley conducted exploratory works on either side of the water, coming together in 1882 under the umbrella of the Submarine Railway Company.+ Sir Edward William Watkin, 1st Baronet (1819 –1901) was a British Member of Parliament and railway entrepreneur. He was an ambitious visionary, and presided over large-scale railway engineering projects to fulfil his business aspirations, eventually rising to become chairman of nine different British railway companies. + Among his more notable projects were: his expansion of the Metropolitan Railway, part of today's London Underground; the construction of the Great Central Main Line, a purpose-built high-speed railway line; the creation of a pleasure garden with a partially constructed iron tower at Wembley; and a failed attempt to dig a Channel Tunnel under the English Channel to connect his railway empire to the French rail network.SOURCE: This is an original cartoon from British Punch magazine, drawn by Linley Sambourne, published July 15, 1882 and pulled from the magazine; original, not a modern reproduction. Partial page cartoon measures 7 x 7 1/2 inches (as shown in second image); full size: 8 x 10 1/2 inches, including borders. Pictured image is slightly cropped. CONDITION: excellent -- minor toning, clean, the paper has been humidified and flattened for best appearance and for framing; bottom of facing side text is unrelated to the cartoon, and the backside has unrelated text with some show-through (ghosting) on the facing side, as published -- please look closely.___________________________________________________________________________________Over 5,000 Punch cartoons listed for sale (store category "Punch cartoons") -- humor, satire and propaganda; combine orders and save shipping charges. Questions are always welcome. If buying more than one, please use 'Add to Basket' instead of 'Buy now' then hit "send total" so I can adjust the invoice for shipping. WHO IS THE ARTIST?:Edward Linley Sambourne (4 January 1844 – 3 August 1910) was an English cartoonist and illustrator most famous for being a draughtsman for the satirical magazine Punch for more than forty years and rising to the position of "First Cartoonist" in his final decade. WHAT IS PUNCH?Punch, a magazine of humor and satire, ran from 1841-2002. A very British institution renowned internationally for its wit and irreverence, it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration. Punch was the world's most celebrated magazine of wit and satire. From its early years as a campaigner for social justice to its transformation into national icon, Punch played a central role in the formation of British identity -- and how the rest of the world saw the British nation. In its formative years Punch combined humors, illustration and political debate with a fresh and radical audacity. During its heyday in the late 1800s, it reflected the conservative views of the growing middle-classes and copies of it could be found in the libraries of diplomats, cabinet ministers and even royalty. In the Western world, Punch played a significant role in the development of satire. In the world of illustration, it practically revolutionized it. Over the decades as it charted the interests, concerns and frustrations of the country and today it stands as an invaluable source of cartoon art, satire, but as primary source material for historians.

Price: 14.95 USD

Location: Milton, Vermont

End Time: 2024-08-30T20:56:53.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.95 USD