Anonymous: 20th century

English

  • Coat of Arms of the Vernon Family, woven altar frontal. Bakewell (Derbyshire): Haddon Hall, Chapel. Ref. Walter Bergmann Collection (ex Anthony Rowland-Jones, pers. comm., 2001: print, b&w; 2006, colour slide); Hunter (1966: 18, b&w). Two recorders in the shape of a chevron, in a dark colour on a blue field containing eight ‘crosses crosslet’ in gold, beside other armorial bearings of the Rutland and Vernon families. The recorders are an allusion to the Pype family and appear in heraldic devices associated with the Vernon family as early as 1467, in Tong (Shropshire) and Bakewall (Derbyshire) – see above. The recorders, seen in side-profile, have unusually large flared feet, and the characteristic beaks of both and the window/labium of one are clearly depicted. This is clearly a modern work with a kind of “Women’s Institute” character about it.
  • Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Fifth Edition (1954, dust jacket), Trophy, English. Ref. Blom (1954). A trophy of musical instruments comprising harp, horn, cittern, serpent, viol and baroque-style bass recorder with a bocal and one key, against a leafy background.
  • Mr Bubbles: Philip Plays Some Charming Tunes!, cartoon strip, English (1971). Ref. Sparky 347 (14 August 1971), D.C. Thomson & Co., London. The comic Sparky was totally politically incorrect, anarchic, surreal, comically violent – and fun. As well as ‘Mr Bubbles’ (an imp who lives in a plastic bottle – every time someone squeezes it he pops out and grants them three wishes), Sparky gave us ‘Keyhole Kate’, ‘Wee Tusky’, Hungry Horace’, ‘Baron von Reisch Pudding’, ‘Invisible Dick’ and a tyrannical editor just called ‘Sir’. It’s back cover featured a strip called Some Mummies do Have ‘Em, about Egyptian mummies coming to life after the museum has closed.In this two-page story, Philip’s father asks him to collect some sticks from the wood to tie up his Chrysanthemums. Inadvertently he puts the sticks he gathers on top of Mr Bubbles’ bottle and asked what wish he wants granted replies “Coo, I wish I could play my recorder like a snake charmer and the sticks would follow me home.” Philip’s recorder is a peculiar cylindrical model with an oddly bulbous foot, but it works well enough as the sticks follow him home – as does Farmer Clark’s Bull. Philip wishes he could charm all animals with his recorder playing. And so he does! More farm animals, and most of the town’s pets follow him home. When he turns around, he is appalled at the gathering of beasts who are fighting amongst each other, breaking all the sticks, and making an utter mess of his father’s garden. Philip’s final wish is for all the animals to go away again. His irate father sends him back to the wood to collect some more sticks. The last we see of him Philip strolls off, tooting his recorder. Will his experience repeat itself?
  • [Two girls] (20th century), English. Location unknown, formerly Helen Neale. Ref. Walter Bergmann ex Anthony Rowland-Jones (pers. comm., 2003). A rather twee depiction in Kate Greenaway style of two girls sitting close together, one holding a recorder.
  • [Boy with a Recorder] (20th century), charcoal on paper, English. Location unknown. Ref. Walter Bergmann ex Anthony Rowland-Jones (pers. comm., 2003). A young boy plays a neo-baroque recorder, only the head and upper body of which can be seen. The work is signed, but illegibly so: it reads something like “Youil Ferrony”.

Finnish

  • 1,50 mark stamp (20th century), Finnish. Three children, standing, play recorders.

French

  • Musicians, mural (fresco), late 20th century, French. Detail. Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme): Hall de la Maison de la Culture, Boulevard François Mitterrand. Ref Matte & Matte (2005, col.) A pastiche in which musicians play from a balcony and on the steps of a building. The stylized images are taken from a variety of sources that will be familiar to readers of Recorder Iconography There are at least 2 recorder players to be seen.

German

  • Children (ca 1900), 2 Meissen porcelain figurines, 12.7–14.3 cm, German. San Francisco: Butterfields, English and Continental Furniture and Decorations, 26 March 1996, Lot 2842. Ref. Artfact (2004). Each figure is in eighteenth century dress. The first two figures are of a barefoot girl or boy carrying a basket of flowers, in tones of violet, mauve, and puce; the next a figure of a barefoot musician playing a recorder, a seated dog at his feet; the last a young gardener holding a rake, each wearing a long yellow jacket over a vest and mauve breeches. Each figure is raised on a gilt-highlighted scroll-molded circular base, under-glaze blue crossed swords, impressed and incised numbers.
  • Children (20th century), 2 porcelain figurines, 19.8 & 21.6 cm, German. Bolton: Skinner Auctioneers, English and Continental Furniture and Decorations including Silver, 7 October 2000, Lot 546. Ref. Website: Artfact (2004). A figure of a girl with a dead bird, and a boy playing a recorder, both in 18th century style dress. holding flowers.
  • Logo (20th century), German. Advert for Alexander Heinrich Recorders. A logo in the style of a playing card with two busts jointed at the waist. One is an eighteenth century youth in a feathered cap and ruff; the other a modern lad in a polo-neck shirt. Each holds a recorder of modern design. There is a capital “A” in diagonally opposing corners, and the words “FLUTE A BEC” in each of the other opposing corners.
  • [Title unknown] (20th century), statue, sculptor unknown. Salzburg: Schloss Mirabell. Ref. Recorder & Music Magazine 3 (5): 181, b&w (1970). In full view of Salzburg’s busiest thoroughfare, two naked young women play syrinx and triangle and a young man plays a neo-baroque recorder.
  • Hitlerjugend (20th century), ? photograph, German. Two girls in Hitler Youth uniform play neo-baroque recorders of soprano and alto size.
  • Jungmädelbund  (1933), photograph, 17.8 × 24.1 cm,  German. Location unknown, sold . Ref. Website: Schubertiade Music (2012, b&w). A striking image of a procession of Young Girl’s League members playing soprano recorders as they walk down a hill.
  • Hitlerjugend Playing His Flute (c. 1934), monochrome drawing, German. Location unknown. Ref. Website: Alamy: Photograph, Image G39JGO (2010, col.) A young man wearing Hitler Youth uniform (safari shirt, scarf, satchel, short pants, belt, long socks, etc.) stands holding an ambiguous slender pipe which could be flute or perhaps a recorder.

Japanese

  • Biscuit tin (pre 1987), L. Madlon: Fruehling Assorted Cookies F-20, Japan. Perth (Australia): Collection Nicholas S. Lander. A pastoral scene in which a young girl, seated, plays a flared-bell recorder.
  • Biscuit tin (pre 1987), Traeum T-15 Assorted Cookies, Japan. Perth (Australia): Collection Nicholas S. Lander. Marketed by Myers, Melbourne, Australia. A pastoral scene in which a young girl, standing, plays a flared-bell recorder.

Netherlands

USA

  • Advertisement for Kamel Cigarettes (ca 1920), USA. Ref. American Recorder 39 (3): (1998). Stylised packaging of Kamel Red brand cigarettes (R.J. Reynolds Tobacco). Two attractive young girls sit back to back. One facing us smokes a cigarette; her companion plays a large (? alto) recorder of neo-baroque design.
  • [Title unknown] (ca 1983), drawing, artist unknown, ?USA. Ref. Advertisement for Thea Miller & Susan Andersen, Makers of Ancient Music Instruments, Early Music 11 (2): 267 (1983). Mock medieval: A young woman sits playing a recorder by a stream watched by a large cat; there is a castle in the background.
  • Cover illustration from Song of the Gargoyle by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1991), drawing, artist unknown, ?USA. Ref. Song of the Gargoyle, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Dell Publishing, New York (1991). The book’s cover shows the protagonist, 13-year old Tymmon – son of a court jester – playing a clearly depicted neo-baroque recorder to Toff, his gargoyle friend. 

Cite this article as: Nicholas S. Lander. 1996–2024. Recorder Home Page: Anonymous: 20th century. Last accessed 26 December 2024. https://recorderhomepage.net/recorder-iconography/anonymous-20th-century/