Embarrassing Collection

Dewey Defeats Truman Newspaper
St. Louis, MIssouri: November, 1948. President Harry Truman holds up a copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune declaring his defeat to Thomas Dewey in the presidential election

Ending in Smoke by Heath Robinson
An ingenious smoke screen spreader for preventing embarrassing situations when the bathroom lock is out of order. Hilarious invention by the inimitable Heath Robinson allowing complete discretion for

Ballet / Ally Sloper 1890
Ally Sloper dances before the County Council in an attempt to demonstrate the value of the performing arts

Krishna Steals the Gopis Clothing, 1775-1800. Creator: Unknown
Krishna Steals the Gopis Clothing, 1775-1800. The Hindu god Krishna steals the clothing of the gopis - young women of Brindavan - while they are bathing in the Yamuna River

Un locataire qui doit trois termes, 1847. Creator: Honore Daumier
Un locataire qui doit trois termes, 1847. A tenant who is behind with his rent. (Landlord looks annoyed as embarassed tenant raises hat). From Locataires et proprietaires, no. 20

Entrez donc, monsieur...ne vous gênez pas... 1847. Creator: Honore Daumier
Entrez donc, monsieur...ne vous genez pas... 1847. Hesitant client arrives at an artist's studio where a nude female model is posing: Enter monsieur, don't worry...'

Carotte du Restaurant, 1844. Creator: Honore Daumier
Carotte du Restaurant, 1844. - J'offrirai a monsieur un petit diner distingue et pas cher'. - Tres bien! - Six douzaines marennes

La femme. Je viens de découvrir une mèche... 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
La femme. Je viens de decouvrir une meche... 19th century. Conjugal Morals - (The woman.) I just discovered a wick in your vest

Un homme dans ses petits souliers, 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Un homme dans ses petits souliers, 19th century. Smartly-dressed man facing scruffier man holding a pair of boots. The French phrase etre dans ses petits souliers translates as feeling small

Le danseur qui se pique d'avoir conservé... 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Le danseur qui se pique d'avoir conserve... 19th century. [Male dancer in a tutu]. The dancer who regrets having maintained the wonderful traditions of Vestris

'A Supper Extra, 1890. Creator: Unknown
'A Supper Extra, 1890. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 42. July to December, 1890

'A Canoeing Incident at the Seaside, 1891. Creator: G Durand
'A Canoeing Incident at the Seaside, 1891. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 44. July to December, 1891

Portrait of a young girl. Creator: Ecole Francaise
Portrait of a young girl

Where You Should Not Dine on Christmas Day - drawn by Leech, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Where You Should Not Dine on Christmas Day - drawn by Leech, 1850. Illustration to "Cold out of Doors, and Cold In-Doors, or, Tom Smithers's Christmas Day"....in walked Tom

Illustration to "Fred Holdsworth; or, Love and Pride", by Thomas Miller, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Illustration to "Fred Holdsworth; or, Love and Pride", by Thomas Miller, 1850. There was a laugh round the table, which made Fred blush up to the ears ; while his aunt was delighted

An Embarrassing Moment by John Gilbert Date: C. 1860
An Embarrassing Moment by John Gilbert Date: C.1860

RF - Sable-point rabbit, grooming face

Embarrassing position of the commanding officer, or love at first sight (colour litho)
5990872 Embarrassing position of the commanding officer, or love at first sight (colour litho) by Valda, Salvator (c.1880-1926); Private Collection; (add.info)

Why Should I Blush (valentine), c. 1840. Creator: George Kershaw
Why Should I Blush (valentine), c. 1840

Surveying on the New Guinea Coast, a Nocturne (engraving)
1046889 Surveying on the New Guinea Coast, a Nocturne (engraving) by Nash, Joseph (d.1922); Private Collection; (add.info.: Surveying on the New Guinea Coast, a Nocturne)

Street scene with a row of closed shops and a closed public toilet (colour litho)
977948 Street scene with a row of closed shops and a closed public toilet (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

"There was a Young Lady of Lucca, whose lovers completely forsook her", from A Book of Nonsense
LLM386698 " There was a Young Lady of Lucca, whose lovers completely forsook her", from A Book of Nonsense, published by Frederick Warne and Co

Cartoon about Marriage, mid nineteenth century (colour litho)
CHT293656 Cartoon about Marriage, mid nineteenth century (colour litho) by Daumier, Honore (1808-79); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Bridegroom and best man unable to find the ring at a wedding (chromolitho)
6032019 Bridegroom and best man unable to find the ring at a wedding (chromolitho) by Browne, Tom (1872-1910); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Brides Garter, c. 1820 (coloured engraving)
CHT177473 The Brides Garter, c.1820 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris

Civil Service Stores (engraving)
2777103 Civil Service Stores (engraving) by Tenniel, John (1820-1914) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Civil Service Stores. Cartoon, 11 March 1876)

NFS (London Region) Boy trapped in a milk churn
Boy trapped in a milk churn is set free at Brigade HQ on 4 July 1947. The milkman had brought him to the fire station in his milk float. Date: 1947

Raising a toast to the club (colour litho)
3641841 Raising a toast to the club (colour litho) by Browne, Tom (1872-1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: Raising a toast to the club. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Camille Pelletans accident (litho)
2795658 Camille Pelletans accident (litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Camille Pelletans accident)

An Echo of Summer Holidays (colour litho)
6001233 An Echo of Summer Holidays (colour litho) by Granville-Smith, Walter (1870-1938); Private Collection; (add.info.: An Echo of Summer Holidays)

The Adventures and Misadventures of a Brahma Bull (engraving)
1055808 The Adventures and Misadventures of a Brahma Bull (engraving) by Marie, Adrien Emmanuel (1848-91) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Brahma Bull)

A mother registering her baby at the town hall (colour litho)
3656815 A mother registering her baby at the town hall (colour litho) by Lavrate, Edmond (1829-1888); Private Collection; (add.info.: A mother registering her baby at the town hall)

Young Husband, First Marketing, 1854 (oil on canvas)
3613982 Young Husband, First Marketing, 1854 (oil on canvas) by Spencer, Lilly Martin (1827-1902); 74.9x62.9 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Cheers, mother-in-law! (colour litho)
3102338 Cheers, mother-in-law! (colour litho) by German School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cheers, mother-in-law! Postcard, early 20th century.); Look and Learn / Elgar Collection

Don Quixote falls from his horse in front of the Dukes (pair of 82436)
CAY82435 Don Quixote falls from his horse in front of the Dukes (pair of 82436) by Velazquez, Zacarias Gonzalez (1763-1834); 15x23.5 cm; Caylus Anticuario, Madrid, Spain; Spanish, out of copyright

Snob on His Travels! (colour litho)
3648161 Snob on His Travels! (colour litho) by Morgan, Matthew " Matt" Somerville (1839-90); Private Collection; (add.info.: Snob on His Travels! Why we are SO respected in France)

Woman Taken Unawares, late 1880s / early 1890s. Creator: Edgar Degas
Woman Taken Unawares, late 1880s/early 1890s

The Clever Lady Knight (Die schlaue Ritterin), 1911. Creator: Moritz Jung
The Clever Lady Knight (Die schlaue Ritterin), 1911

Cartoon, narrow theatre seats
Cartoon -- a rather large lady and gentleman are dismayed to find that the theatre seating appears on the narrow side. Date: circa 1855

Is This Your Louse?, 1787. 1787. Creator: Thomas Rowlandson
Is This Your Louse?, 1787

Schubert fled from the room, (1907). Creator: Unknown
Schubert fled from the room, (1907). In 1822, the young Schubert meets the celebrated composer Beethoven:a courteous but somewhat formal welcome was accorded them

An Aristocrat Takes Breakfast, or Silk on His Stomach and Nothing Inside, 1849-1850, (1965). A young man in a silk dressing gown hurries to cover a meagre slice of bread with a book

Ladies buy your leaf!, c1822. A close-up view of the lower part of the Achilles statue in Hyde Park. Women stand below holding garments to drape over the fig leaf

1935 Frazer-Nash TT replica being pulled out of a ford during a motoring trial, 1936
Frazer-Nash TT Replica 1935 1496 cc. Vehicle Reg. No. BUV1 Later re-registered CKK238. Event Entry No: 1 Chassis No. 2145.. Place: Unidentified Trial. Date: 1936

Mrs. Tibbs and Mr. Evenson, c1900. Artist: George Cruikshank
Mrs. Tibbs and Mr. Evenson, c1900. An illustration for Sketches by Boz by Charles Dickens. From Hard Times and Sketches by Boz, Volume XI, by Charles Dickens. [Blackwood, Le Bas & Co. London, c1900]

Courtship in a Cowshed, c18th century. Artist: Julius Caesar Ibbetson
Courtship in a Cowshed, c18th century. From The Connoisseur Volume XCI, edited by F. Gordon Roe. [The Connoisseur Ltd, London, 1933]

Awkward Incident in Fashionable Life, 1876 (1891). Artist: Swain
Awkward Incident in Fashionable Life, 1876 (1891). A print from Society Pictures, drawn by George du Maurier, selected from Punch

Cartoon on a riding theme, 19th century. Just as he had with ineffable grace lifted his hat to greet the ladies, the horse went on his knees, and deposited the beau in a puddle at their feet

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"From embarrassing encounters to comical mishaps, this collection of images captures the essence of awkwardness. In 'Ending in Smoke' by Heath Robinson, a seemingly simple task goes hilariously wrong, leaving us in stitches. The iconic 'Dewey Defeats Truman Newspaper' reminds us that even reputable sources can make embarrassing mistakes. Meanwhile, the ballet performance featuring Ally Sloper from 1890 showcases an amusing twist on traditional dance moves. London's streets come alive with an unexpected encounter as we witness an awkward moment between a passerby and a prostitute. John Gilbert's painting 'An Embarrassing Moment' takes us back to the 1860s, where social blunders were just as cringe-worthy as they are today. In contrast to these human follies, we find ourselves chuckling at the sight of an RF - Sable-point rabbit grooming its face with utmost seriousness. And who can resist smiling at the dancing couple gracefully twirling across the floor? Love strikes unexpectedly in 'Embarrassing position of the commanding officer or love at first sight, ' reminding us that even those in power are not immune to embarrassment when it comes to matters of the heart. George Kershaw's valentine card titled 'Why Should I Blush?' adds a touch of whimsy and romance from years gone by. Venturing into new territories, we explore New Guinea Coast through a nocturnal engraving capturing surveyors hard at work under challenging circumstances. A street scene depicting closed shops and public toilets may seem mundane but holds its own peculiar charm. Finally, Frederick Warne and Co. 's colorful lithograph brings forth limericks such as "There was a Young Lady of Lucca, " tickling our funny bones with nonsensical verses. These diverse snapshots remind us that embarrassment is universal; it transcends time and place while providing endless amusement for generations.