A history of English sexual morals / by Ivan Bloch ; translated by William H. Forstern.

  • Iwan Bloch
Date:
1936
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A history of English sexual morals / by Ivan Bloch ; translated by William H. Forstern. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    689/700 (page 659)
    As when we reach to crop ye blooming rose From off its by'r ye thorns will interpose; So when we strive the beauteous nymph to gain, Ye pleasures we pursue are mixed with pain. At a later period playing cards with obscene pictures were quite common. The majority of the sets were transparent, and the obscene picture only became visible when the card was held up to the light. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century a favourite method of spreading obscene pictures was to sell them pasted inside the lids of snuff-boxes. In the year 1816 the courts fined a merchant a large amount for selling snuff-boxes painted with obscene pictures. In September of the same year the following case occurred at Union Hall. A certain James Price was arrested because he peddled without a licence. The inspector had seen him in Richmond going from house to house selling thread and snuff-boxes. When the snuff-boxes were examined it was found that many of them were covered with obscene drawings and etchings, some of which were of great artistic merit. Price was in the habit of offering these snuff-boxes at girls' schools, and did a roaring trade with the flappers. He was fined ten pounds with the alternative of three months in prison. Even as late as 1830 snuff-boxes with obscene paintings on them were exhibited in London shop windows. According to Pisanus Fraxi, no country in the world —up till a few decades ago—produced so many 4 smutty photos 5 as England. These photographs were mostly sold in the book and paper shops in the vicinity of Leicester Square. At the beginning of the 'seventies of last century a certain Mr. Henry Hayler produced such photographs 'from life' and enjoyed a European 'reputation'. On 31st March 1874 the police suddenly stopped Mr. Hayler's doubtful trade. His studio was on that day raided by the [659]