Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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M.0127
Conundrums

Artist: James McNeill Whistler and others
Date: 1853/1856
Collection: Private Collection
Accession Number: none
Medium: pen and brown ink
Support: off-white browned paper
Size: (a) 82 x 114 mm (3 1/4 x 4 1/2"); (b) 90 x 88 mm (3 9/16 x 3 1/2"); (c) 85 x 60 mm (3 3/8 x 2 3/8"); (d) 73 x 160 mm (2 7/8 x 6 5/8"); (e) 44 x 77 mm (1 3/4 x 32); (f) 81 x 145 mm (3 3/16 x 5 11/16"); (g) 63 x 142 mm (2 1/2 x 5 9/16"); (h) 45 x 120 mm (1 3/4 x 4 3/42); (i) 132 x 90 mm (5 3/16 x 3 9/162); (j) 132 x 90 mm (5 3/16 x 3 9/16"); (k) 100 x75 mm (3 15/16 x 2 15/162); (l) 135 x 110 mm (5 5/16 x 4 1/4"); (m) 74 x 105 mm (2 7/8 x 4 1/8"); (n) 162 x 101 mm (6 5/16 x 3 15/16"); (o) 72 x 104 mm (2 3/4 x 4"); (p) 99 x 197 mm (3 7/8 x 7 11/16"); (q) 62 x 121 mm (2 7/16 x 4 3/42); (r) 128 x 129 mm (5 x 5 1/16"); (s) 61 x 112 mm (2 5/16 x 4 3/8"); (t) 49 x 112 mm (1 7/8 x 4 3/8"); (u) 72 x 111 mm (2 3/4 x 4 5/16"); (v) 112 x 86 mm (4 3/8 x 3 5/16")
Signature: none
Inscription: various, see SUBJECT/ Description
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Conundrums

Titles

Description

Various words and titles are inscribed on the conundrums. Below are the conundrums illustrated, with the clues (pictures and lettering), and solutions, where known. What is actually written is given in quotation marks.

Conundrums: (a) ‘A Shrine’ = Awl/ tar = Altar
Conundrums: (a) ‘A Shrine’ = Awl/ tar = Altar
Conundrums: (b) Dunce / table = Dunstable
Conundrums: (b) Dunce / table = Dunstable
Conundrums: (c) ‘The fate of traitors’ = ‘B’/ head = Beheaded
Conundrums: (c) ‘The fate of traitors’ = ‘B’/ head = Beheaded
Conundrums: (d) ‘Not observing’ = In a tent = Inattentive
Conundrums: (d) ‘Not observing’ = In a tent = Inattentive
Conundrums: (e) ‘AB’, ‘A’ crossed out, ‘P/100’ = subject unknown, but P/100 = per cent
Conundrums: (e) ‘AB’, ‘A’ crossed out, ‘P/100’ = subject unknown, but P/100 = per cent
Conundrums: (f) ‘Desirable for pedestrians’ = ‘EE of’ / carriage = Ease of carriage
Conundrums: (f) ‘Desirable for pedestrians’ = ‘EE of’ / carriage = Ease of carriage
Conundrums: (g) 'Life is a' / Shad 'O' / 'how it' flies + Life is a shadow how it flies
Conundrums: (g) 'Life is a' / Shad 'O' / 'how it' flies + Life is a shadow how it flies
Conundrums: (h) ‘X EE’ small crosses / ‘marriage’ / tall crosses ‘ee’ = Before marriage, great ease, small crosses: after marriage, great crosses, little ease
Conundrums: (h) ‘X EE’ small crosses / ‘marriage’ / tall crosses ‘ee’ = Before marriage, great ease, small crosses: after marriage, great crosses, little ease
Conundrums: (i) ‘B-B-B-B/ C-C-C-C / E in Ds’ = Col. Forbes sent his forces into the East Indies; no image available
Conundrums: (i) ‘B-B-B-B/ C-C-C-C / E in Ds’ = Col. Forbes sent his forces into the East Indies; no image available
Conundrums: (j) 'D' / hanged man / 'An American citizen' = subject unknown
Conundrums: (j) 'D' / hanged man / 'An American citizen' = subject unknown
Conundrums: (k) Foot with lock = foot locker
Conundrums: (k) Foot with lock = foot locker
Conundrums: (l) Spire and shell / 'Ambitious' = Aspiring
Conundrums: (l) Spire and shell / 'Ambitious' = Aspiring
Conundrums: (m) Shell 'E / A poet' = Shelley
Conundrums: (m) Shell 'E / A poet' = Shelley
Conundrums: (n) Tall man in a street / 'A Poet' = Longfellow
Conundrums: (n) Tall man in a street / 'A Poet' = Longfellow
Conundrums: (o) 'A /B / meddling', 'Man (family) wife.' / 'Good Advice' = Be above meddling between a man and his wife
Conundrums: (o) 'A /B / meddling', 'Man (family) wife.' / 'Good Advice' = Be above meddling between a man and his wife
Conundrums: (p) Fisherman / horn/ pipe / 'an old dancing tune' = Fisherman's hornpipe
Conundrums: (p) Fisherman / horn/ pipe / 'an old dancing tune' = Fisherman's hornpipe
Conundrums:(q) Rose '&' loaf 'stuffs' / 'Mercantile news' = Roses and breadstuff are mercantile news
Conundrums:(q) Rose '&' loaf 'stuffs' / 'Mercantile news' = Roses and breadstuff are mercantile news
Conundrums: (r) Two bishops, man with 'SA' on his back / Dedicated to Bolingbroke' = subject unknown
Conundrums: (r) Two bishops, man with 'SA' on his back / Dedicated to Bolingbroke' = subject unknown
Conundrums (s): 'J' (the J is a cross)/ 'liers/sans' / 'French' = subject unknown
Conundrums (s): 'J' (the J is a cross)/ 'liers/sans' / 'French' = subject unknown
Conundrums (t): 'Standing [?]/ Sound of' / one cent piece inscribed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856' / '2 Save' [two soles]/ his mission - he.' = his mission to save souls ?
Conundrums (t): 'Standing [?]/ Sound of' / one cent piece inscribed 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / ONE CENT / 1856' / '2 Save' [two soles]/ his mission - he.' = his mission to save souls ?
Conundrums (u):Turntable / Inn/ 'G'/ woman's head = Turning heads ? ('BAZ' on separate sheet)
Conundrums (u):Turntable / Inn/ 'G'/ woman's head = Turning heads ? ('BAZ' on separate sheet)
Conundrums (v): 'N n' / dog / 'RL' / To increase a scholar's task' = In doggerel?
Conundrums (v): 'N n' / dog / 'RL' / To increase a scholar's task' = In doggerel?

Last updated: 8th April 2019 by Margaret