LOUIS WAIN: CATS DINING OUT \"THAT BIRD IS RATHER HIGH, YOU EAT IT\" POSTED 1905
![LOUIS WAIN: CATS DINING OUT \](img-large/g/Z8cAAOSw4shX68yD/s-l1600/LOUIS-WAIN-CATS-DINING-OUT-THAT-BIRD-IS-RATHER-HIG.jpg "LOUIS WAIN: CATS DINING OUT \")
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LOUIS WAIN: CATS DINING OUT \"THAT BIRD IS RATHER HIGH, YOU EAT IT\" POSTED 1905:
$5.50
Vintage Artist Drawn Postcard: LOUIS WAIN:
Davidson Bros, Series 6091
Comic, Edwardian Fashions and Humour
DINING OUT IN A RESTAURANT
Anthropomorphic cats
\"THAT BIRD IS RATHER HIGH,
YOU EAT IT TOMMY\"
Posted Epping, 7th September 1905
LOUIS WAIN (1860 – 1939): Louis Wain- Cat Book Illustrator
Louis Wain was born 5th August 1860,the eldest child of Roman Catholic parents who were employed in the textileindustry. He was what was termed a \'sickly child\'. He had a hare lip, and inhis twentieth year he grew a moustache which he kept for the rest of his life;because of this it was hardly noticeable.
His first ambition was to have a careerin music for which he claims he started a career as a violinist. He abandonedthis in his mid-teens and signed up for the West London School of Art in 1877.There he studied until 1880 and then stayed on for a further three years as ateacher. Wain then decided to become an artist and left home to earn his ownliving. Wain\'s first published drawing was \'Bullfinches on the Laurels\'featured in \'Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News\' on 10th December 1881under the erroneous title \'Robin\'s Breakfast\'. He then joined the magazine on apermanent basis reporting on animal and agricultural shows around the country.Over the next few years, the magazine printed numerous black and white drawingsby Wain including his first sketch \'Odd Fish\' in 1883, and what was probablyhis earliest published cat picture \'Our Cats: A Domestic History\'.
In 1884 Wain fell out of favour of hisfamily by marrying his four sisters\' governess, Emily Richardson who was tenyears older than him. This was to be a short, tragic affair. Shortly after thewedding, Emily developed breast cancer and died three years later. To amuse hiswife during her illness, Wain bought a kitten called Peter which he spent hourssketching thus developing his work.
At the time, there was little demandfor cat illustrations and his drawings were kept for private use only. Catswere held in low esteem and it is no exaggeration to say that today\'spopularity of the cat is due, in part, to Louis Wain.
In 1886, Wain was asked by Macmillanto illustrate a children\'s book entitled \'Madame Tabby\'s Establishment\'. Theresults proved popular and encouraged Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News toask Wain to produce a double page cat drawing for the Christmas Issue. Theresult was \'A Kitten\'s Christmas Party\' containing over 150 cats and took Wainnearly two weeks to complete. Almost overnight, Wain became one of the mostpopular illustrators of the day.
As time passed, Wain\'s cats becameincreasingly human in their behaviour and appearance. 1890 was a pivotal year,according to his biographer Rodney Dale, when his cats began to walk on theirhind legs, don fancy neckwear, and sport monacles and walking sticks. Theybecame more and more uncatlike and more like naughty children. Wain was toproduce around 600 cat drawings each year in the 1890\'s for books, postcards,magazines and the occasional advertisement.
1890 saw Louis Wain elected as thePresident of the National Cat Club. He went on to gain a somewhat undeservedreputation as a expert in the species. Wain had a fascination with electricityand some of his theories were bizarre. For example, his assertion that thebuild-up of electricity in cat\'s fur gave it a tendency to face, and eventravel north, as a magnet does!
Wain\'s career was still flourishing in1900. By this time he should have been a very wealthy man indeed. Should havebut wasn\'t. Few could be more incompetent with money than Wain and as such,this led to his downfall. Wain never had the confidence to negotiate the feesand royalties he deserved. He invariably sold the rights to his drawings,losing thousands of pounds in revenue. Thus, Wain was always short of cash.
Between 1900 and 1910, a huge number ofbooks appeared with titles such as: The Louis Wain Nursery Book, The Louis WainKitten Book, With Louis Wain in Fairyland. Having Wain\'s name on the frontcover, virtually guaranteed high sales.
Despite phenomenal success, moneytroubles start to build up. In 1907 he was sued for debt in Kent County Courtand lost. He set sail for America to avoid the scandal, intending to be gonefor no more than four months. Once in America, he was offered a job by HearstNewspapers drawing comic strips and eventually stayed for over two years. Heleft America following the death of his mother in early 1910. Wain had hoped to make his fortunes inAmerica. However, he foolishly invested all his money in a \'wonder invention\'which was never developed due to the outbreak of World War I. He returned homefinancially worse off than when he left England two years earlier.
Back in England, Wain was forced towork harder than ever to keep his head above the water. Wain\'s career began todecline. War meant that he only illustrated six books between 1914 and 1918.Demand began to pick up again in the early 20\'s but never regained the popularityit enjoyed in the Edwardian era.
Wain\'s reputation as an eccentrichelped to obscure the fact that his mind was failing. After the War, hisdelusions became ever more bizarre. For instance, he became convinced that hissisters were stealing his money, and that he was surrounded by a group ofspirits who were filling him full of electricity. Eventually he became violent,actually throwing one of his sisters down the stairs of their home in Kilburn.The result was that on 16th June 1924, Wain was certified insane and admittedto the pauper ward of Springfield Hospital, Tooting, before being moved toBethlem Royal Hospital.
This was not quite the end of Wain\'scareer. A year later, bookseller Dan Rider was visiting the hospital andnoticed Wain drawing his cats. He set about publicising his plight, setting upthe Louis Wain Fund. In his last days, Wain was confined tohis bed, almost completely incoherent and isolated, he shouted loudly whenapproached for necessary attentions. He died of kidney failure and hardenedarteries on 4th July 1939, a month before his 79th birthday. Contributed by Sonia Bryant DavidsonBrothers(1901-1911)
London, England and New York, NY
Apublisher of continuous toned lithographic and tinted real photo postcards.Produced the comic postcards for Tom Browne, who may have had a commercialinterest in the company. They also published may other comics, holiday cards,moonlight scenes, art reproductions, and stage portraits. Some of their realphoto postcards on bromide paper were manufactured in the same format as theRotograph Company’s O series.
CONDITION
Antique 111 year old card in very blotchy, posted condition (1905). Some creasing, bumps and rubs. Please check scanned images.
POSTAGE
UK: Royal Mail second class post £1.00
Overseas: Royal Mail International Standard £2.75
I am happy to combine postage up to 5 cards.
Proof of Postage is obtained for all items I post.
Postcards are posted to you in hardback envelope.
PAYMENT
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RETURNS POLICY
If on arrival you are not happy with the postcardplease email within 14 days of receipt to arrange your return of the item.Oncereceived by meI will give you an immediate refund. Proof ofpostage must be obtained, and postcard must be in the condition it was sent.
Postage & Handling charge is not refundable.
LOUIS WAIN: CATS DINING OUT \"THAT BIRD IS RATHER HIGH, YOU EAT IT\" POSTED 1905:
$5.50