"Sir, I have discovered the North Pole."

£200 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

More fun at the expense of Cook and Peary before a ready made polar studio backdrop. This time we have a group of revellers arguing over possession of a large piece of wood standing in for the pole itself. Alternately conspiratorial and adversarial, the capers are captions variously, “We have discovered the North Pole!”, “We all want the Pole”, “Interesting place this! Who arrived first?”, “I tell you, I discovered the North Pole! I tell you, I did! Rott!! Sirs, this is my Pole!” Signs advertise, “This way to the North Pole (I don’t think)”, “Visitors are requested not to get Up the Pole”, “Discoverers are requested not to move or damage The North Pole”, and finally - perhaps revealing the true purpose of these cards - “This way to the North Pole. It’s a Pub.” Cheren Grainger, p. 49 - though listing just one card from this group.

• Year: 1909

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.