The Home for the Literarily Bent
Antique Smut
Peek-A-View Volumes 1 and 2
04 months ago
by Todd
in Antique Smut
Front cover for Peek-A-View Volume 1
Published in 2007 by Metro Books
I imagined that these books would be relatively simple because both books consist wholly of reproductions of pinups from the 1930s through the 1960s. However, each time I sat to try to write it, I was left with the nagging feeling that something was missing from my review. Eventually I realized that the thing missing from my review was the same thing that was missing in the books: context.
While the pinup reproductions are printed fairly well, there is no accompanying text to the books. While the subtitle says that the books contain pinups from the 1930s through the 1960s, there is virtually no other information available about the images inside. While I do know some of the history of pinup art, many people do not. As I looked at the book with the lack of information in mind, I was left with several questions. Among them: What is the significance of pinup art? Where did pinup art appear? Who made pinup art? Why? In the book, why were these images in particular chosen? Are they supposed to represent the best pinups in the editor’s opinion? Perhaps they are representative samples from the major artists of the pinup era? Perhaps they represent the works of one or two major collections? Are these works all from American artists? The list goes on and on.
Front cover for Peek-A-View Volume 2
Sadly, it would not have taken the compiler(s) much time or space to answer these questions, and answering them would have done much to not only give the images and subject matter a place in time and culture, it would have made both the book and its images more significant.
While the books are not printed on the highest quality of paper or with the greatest printing techniques, they are adequate reproductions of pinup art. Also, the images in these books are only printed on one side of the page, so if you would like to cut them out to use as pinups or frame them as art, you can easily do so without having to agonize over which side of the page to use, assuming you find the book cheaply enough. However, if you want something more than art reproductions, this book is very disappointing.
Undinism A Study of a Bizarre But Not Unnatural Eccentricity Involving a Sexual Interest in Urine, Urination, Seeing Others Urinate, Etc.
01 year ago
Front cover for Undinism A Study of a Bizarre But Not Unnatural Eccentricity Involving a Sexual Interest in Urine, Urination, Seeing Others Urinate, Etc.
By D.O. Cauldwell, M.D., Sc. D.
Published in 1950 by E. Haldeman-Julius
D. O. Cauldwell was a retired physician who became a prolific author and well known sexologist. This book’s publisher, E. Haldeman-Julius, was known for pamphlets covering a variety of taboo topics. These pamphlets were sold cheaply and were quite popular in their time. They were also printed using the cheapest materials possible. My copy is a good example of the lack of care given to printing. Even after it was trimmed, one of this book’s folios remained folded forcing a previous owner to tear the pages apart to read the text.
Undinism begins with an introduction that explains what undinism is and makes the point that it is a common part of sexuality. Cauldwell then discusses undinism as it relates to childhood, its causes, and undinistic voyeurism.
It is here that the book begins to get really interesting, as the rest of the text oscillates between letters, Cauldwell’s responses, and other undinistic topics. Cauldwell discusses such topics as undinistic sexuality among the elderly, urine drinking, golden showers, dominance, masochism, and so on. Surprisingly, voyeuristic interest in animal urination is a theme that appears repeatedly. One of the book’s best moments is Cauldwell’s admission that he unsuccessfully attempted to give his wife a golden douche. While many of Cauldwell’s ideas are antiquated, the views he expresses in Undinism are surprisingly progressive and frank.
Given the cultural and legal environment of the time this book was published, this book is surprisingly frank. While Cauldwell hides behind his status as an M.D., this book is clearly designed to titillate.
Uses and Pleasures of the Rod
02 years ago
by Todd
in Antique Smut
Uses and Pleasures of the Rod front cover
by Lady Cynthia Lovebirch & Others
Published in 1972 by Venus Library
If the cover and publisher’s note is accurate, this book was published in Victorian England. While searches of the book’s title and author proved fruitless on shedding light on this claim, the plot and language of the book certainly lend it credence.
The book pretends to be the report of a series of lectures given in the homes of various high society ladies as they share with each other the virtues of corporal punishment for not only the correction of wayward ladies but for their erotic amusement. There really isn’t much plot here per se; each of the various “lectures” includes a demonstration of corporal punishment and introduces a new wrinkle in the manners of spanking, whipping, and/or flagellation and includes an episode of lesbianism. While some readers might find the lack of plot development here off-putting, pervert that I am, the lack of plot bothered me not one whit.
When I began reading the book, the dated Victorian prose was a bit difficult to discern, especially because so much of what transpires is described euphemistically. However, as I continued reading not only did I grow more comfortable with the prose, I felt enamored with the beauty of the language used. Reading this book made it almost seems possible that folks I have known who reported they enjoy Shakespeare because of the beauty of his prose weren’t pulling my leg after all. Almost.
In addition to the lovely prose, this book includes lots of obscure words I hope to add to my active vocabulary. For instance, tribade (in this work it is merely a synonym for lesbian, though apparently it is more properly lesbian frottage), Calligype (I presume a noun form of Callipygian: having finely developed buttocks), rotundities (self-explanatory), and so many terms for various sorts of women’s undergarments I lost track. If my elementary school teachers would have used this book as a source for vacabulary lists, the school-aged me would have enjoyed English class instead of dreading it.
There is one point of warning; many of the spanking victims are teenaged servants. However given the age when this was presumably written their inclusion can be forgiven.
If you enjoy lesbianism, Victorian writing, corporal punishment, old time women’s underwear, or flogging, spanking, and the like, Uses and Pleasures of the Rod is for you. If not, why are you here anyway?