Shabby Collection (page 6)

Christmas card in the shape of a battered top hat -- May you spend a jolly time under the old roof. Date: circa 1890s

Battered old boot-shaped Christmas card with blue tits and snow. Date: circa 1890s

Building detail, Stari Grad (Old Town), The Bay of Kotor, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotor, Montenegro, Europe

Moulting Chinstrap penguin standing on rock

Moulting chinstrap penguin standing on rock

Man and woman performing a comic song
Man and woman in shabby costume, performing a comic song

Title page and frontispiece, Travels through Africa

Billboard advertisements, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
Billboard advertisements at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, for Whiteways Devonshire Cyder and The Royal Navy. circa 1949

Two brothers and their sister in a backyard
Two brothers and their sister pose for their photograph in a rather untidy-looking backyard. Date: circa 1940s

Dorchester Hotel
The exterior of the Dorchester Hotel, in exclusive Park Lane, London. Date: 1972

Frenchwoman at her door, Bouchain, France, WW1
A Frenchwoman speaks with a British soldier at her front door in Bouchain, northern France, during the First World War. The German words painted on her door say No lodging for troops. 25 October 1918

King & Eight Bells Pub
The King and Eight Bells public house, Cheyne Row, Chelsea, London, once a popular haunt of Londons artistic Bohemian set. Date: 1930s

British troops relaxing, Croix du Bac, near Armentieres, WW1
British troops relaxing at Croix du Bac, near Armentieres, northern France, during the First World War. An elderly Frenchwoman is serving them with coffee in china cups. Date: May 1916

Cuba / Havana Floridita
Havana: the Floridita Bar, Ernest Hemingways favourite drinking place. Date: 1983

Racial / Gipsies / Bible
Mrs Tanner receives a Bible from a rather shabby-looking evangelist Date: 1950s

Green gipsy caravan at the side of the road
A green gipsy caravan at the side of the road, painted green with red and yellow decorations, and a blue door

Edwardian workman on his front doorstep, Pembrokeshire
A middle-aged Edwardian workman, standing on the front doorstep of his newly built house, somewhere in Pembrokeshire, South Wales

Transformation from young tramp to soldier
Before-and-after pictures of a young vagrant transformed into an army cadet over a three-month period with the help of former Oxford Liberal MP Frank Gray

Vagrants asleep on bench on Thames Embankment, London
Two tramps in shabby overcoats, flat caps and muddy shoes, spend the night on a bench on Londons Thames Embankment

Red-haired gipsy boy looking out of his caravan
A young red-haired gipsy boy looks out of the back of his caravan at an encampment in Surrey

Gipsy family looking out of the back of their caravan
Members of a gipsy family -- two women and three boys -- looking out of the back of their caravan at an encampment in Surrey

Colourful but shabby gipsy caravan
A colourful but shabby gipsy caravan, with a guard dog chained to it. In the background some washing is drying on a hedge

Gipsy man and his pet dog
A gipsy man and his pet dog, at an encampment in Surrey. The man sits precariously on a crumpled red tin

The Unemployed and the Workhouse, satirical postcard
Two workmen are digging a hole outside a workhouse. A dishevelled tramp figure asks them why they are working when the workhouse would give them a home for free

Union Workhouse, Tonbridge, Kent - Billy Brown
Two inmates of the Tonbridge Union workhouse with a handcart. The men are in the standard workhouse uniform of jacket, trousers, waistcoat, and billycock hat

Old man in Kashgar, western China
An old man sitting at the side of a road in Kashgar, western China. Photograph by Ralph Ponsonby Watts

Steaming a Hat
Photograph demonstrating how to steam a hat in order to freshen shabby headwear

Colourful shop fronts early morning, street scene, Patan, Kathmandu, Nepal

Decaying house in Panaji formerly known as Panjim, Goa, India

A gasoline station near Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile, South America

Dan Leno / 1927 Pyke
DAN LENO Music hall entertainer

Girls Making Dolls 1878
Three little girls sit at a table in a shabby-looking room, making dolls for children better off than themselves

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Embracing the Shabby Charm: A Journey through Time and Places" Step into a world where shabbiness tells stories, where every worn-out detail whispers tales of resilience and character. Just like Charlie Chaplin's iconic Little Tramp, these hints invite us to explore the beauty that lies within imperfections. In Solva, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, an old farm stands proudly amidst rolling hills. Its weathered walls echo the hard work and dreams of generations past. It's a testament to the enduring spirit of those who have tilled this land. Luke Fildes' masterpiece "Houseless and Hungry" captures the plight of those forgotten by society. The image reminds us that even in our modern world, there are still battles against poverty and hunger that need fighting. A small Fiat 500 parked on a back street in Rome takes us back to simpler times. This vintage gem carries memories of countless journeys through narrow cobblestone streets – a symbol of Italian style mixed with nostalgia. At a London bus stop, we witness the bond between mother and daughters as they wait for their next adventure together. Their shabby surroundings fade away when love fills their hearts - reminding us that true happiness can be found in simple moments shared with loved ones. Disraeli Measuring the British Lion is not just a cartoon; it reflects political struggles throughout history. In its playful depiction lies hidden messages about power dynamics and national identity – lessons from which we can still learn today. "The Poor - dogs in shabby clothes" evokes both sympathy and humor as our furry friends don ill-fitting garments. These adorable misfits remind us that appearances may deceive but kindness knows no boundaries – whether human or canine. Arthur Rackham's Cinderella transports us to a fairytale realm where magic mingles with adversity. Despite her shabby attire, Cinderella teaches us about inner strength, resilience, and ultimately finding our own happily ever after.