Fair Dinkum - Playing The Slots

Our final visit to Carter's Steam Fair is a trip to their penny arcade - a space lovingly devoted to the era before 'Dance Dance Revolution' and 'House of the Dead'.

I'm from a generation that can get misty-eyed about Ms Pac-Man and Space Invaders - but the graphics on these early twentieth century models really eats them alive. Every one's a winner.

And if all the jet planes and space travel are a little too wholesome for you - there is a more adult option.A saucy little something for just a penny.

Disgraceful!

Illustrated Book Of The Week -Frederick's of Hollywood Catalogue (1968)

Before Heidi Klum strutted down the catwalk in 7 foot wings and a g-string for Victoria's Secret, before Kate Moss posed as a burlesque dancer for Agent Provocateur - there was only one place to buy sexy lingerie - Frederick's of Hollywood.

Founded in 1946 by the inventor of the push-up bra, Frederick Mellinger, Frederick's was the saucy little secret under many a housewife's daywear. Glamourised by its celebrity clientele, it offered underwear that was racy, seductive and unapologetically naughty, allowing women to get in touch with their inner Bettie Page (and forget their outer Doris Day). At its peak, Frederick's distributed more than 50 milllion catalogues per year.

This fine example is from 1968. '68 was a turbulent time in America: the Vietnam war was in full swing, the civil rights movement was causing riots in the streets, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated and Nixon was elected. The Beatles produced the White Album, and Hair hit Broadway.

Apparently Frederick's  was profoundly unaffected by the revolutions going on around them - Woodstock was less than a year away, and they were showing us opera length gloves and up-dos. Twiggy was a superstar, but they offered seven different ways of padding one's derriere to achieve a womanly curve - for example:

Despite seeming anachronistic, even for its own time. The style of the catalogues and charm of their products still holds true. After all, who doesn't love a lilac transparent peignoir with a maribou trim?

STH - Putting The Graphic in Pornographic

Porn Mags aren't usually very aesthetically pleasing. They can be invaluable for retro style tips (handlebar moustaches and terry toweling shorts, anyone?), and if you're a big Jeff Koons fan, you might find something artistic in their super saturated tawdriness, but when people talk about 'graphic' pornography they're usually not discussing the designer's layout skills.

These copies of cult gay porn zine STH (or "Straight To Hell", as it formally known) buck that trend. Subtitled variously as "The Manhattan Review Of Unnatural Acts, The American Journal Of Cocksucking And Current Affairs, The US Chronicle Of Crimes Against Nature, The New York Review Of Cocksucking, The American Journal Of Revenge Therapy and The American Journal Of Dicklicking" - STH was founded in 1973 by "Reverend" Boyd Macdonald - its simple mission: to share dirty and depraved true life stories of gay sexual experiences. 

Like the work of Robert Mapplethorpe and Kenneth Anger, STH plays with the line between filth and art - articles by William S Burroughs sit happily alongside highly descriptive passages about truckers engaging in watersports. Gore Vidal was a fan, and Mapplethorpe himself contributed images to the magazine - but there's nothing highbrow about its contents - it's pure, unadulterated smut.

The covers of these issues, from the mid-Eighties, perfectly illustrate the magazine's high/low mix. They seem to be equally influenced by Russian Constructivism and the 'vice cards' that advertise prostitutes services in phone booths. Whether it's art or pornography (or something in between) - it's extremely stylish.

I'm glad to report that STH is still going, after 35 years - it is now available at all good bookstores, or via its website www.straight-to-hell.net.

Illustrated Book Of The Week - In The Fog Of Milan

To continue with our Milanese theme, We have Bruno Munari's classic children's book 'Nella Nebbia Di Milano' The design of this book is truly masterful, Everything about it is perfect ! From the layout to the colours to the paper it's printed on. My Italian is still not perfect so I have not been able to read the story, but I'm sure that is also great. The beginning and end sections are printed on thick tracing paper on both sides so that you literally discover the images appearing out of the fog. Then you arrive at the grand circus in the centre,where everything is in colour, with various cutout to reveal shapes and colours on other pages. Finally, you disappear off again into 'the fog of Milan'
Genius !

Smiling Through Perversity

I don't know about you, but all this good taste is making me itch. Let's have some proper old-fashioned sex and violence shall we?

This magnificent bit of smut is another find from my Brussels trip., It was discovered in one of the many excellent antique stores on Rue Blaes.

I don't know anything about it, but I do know that looking at it makes me want to open a '30's style brasserie, just to make it the centrepiece. I can't imagine anything better to look at while enjoying a plate of steak frites. 

I particularly like the fact that despite the erotic carnage taking place, and the obvious distress of most of its participants, the bearded man in the centre is loving every minute of it. Good on you, mate!