It is hard to escape the legacy of the Punch Magazine. From 1841 to 2002, the magazine cast a satirical eye on life in Britain. It charted the interests, concerns and frustrations of the country and today it stands as an invaluable resource not just as cartoon art and satire, but as primary source material for social historians.

This illustration is by Edward Linley Sambourne from Punch magazine published November 15, 1899, original, pulled from the magazine, not a modern reproduction. Full size including blank margins, 8 x 10 1/2 inches. Condition: excellent -- bright and clean, no handling wear, lays flat for easy framing; backside with unrelated text with some show-though on the facing side , please look closely.

GOOD-BYE, SAMOA! Farewell, she cried, and waved here nut-brown hand."

 "This cartoon, published in November 15, 1899, after the Anglo-German convention that settled the partition, illustrates the British leaving the Samoan Islands. It says in bold letters, "Good-Bye, Samoa!" which are probably words spoken by the British. Far away, there is a man waving in a boat, leaving the island, and the boat has a flag, none other than that of Great Britain. The cartoon indicates that the British decided to take no part in the partition (however, they tacitly had approved of it and had been compensated with territory elsewhere).

"Below the bold caption, it says, "'Farewell,' she cried, and waved her nut-brown hand." She, with a "nut-brown hand" must indicate Samoa, represented by the Polynesian woman. The way the cartoonist depicted the situation is rather cunning. The two parties, the British and Samoa, kindly exchanging good-bye's make it seem as though the two formerly had an amicable relationship, whereas in reality, the British contributed significantly to exposing Samoa to great turmoil. Or, if the cartoonist had not intended on telling the slanted version of the story to the public, sublimating the departure of the British conveys the relief on the part of cartoonist, which can be extended into the relief on the part of the British public

 "As such, Punch, or the London Charivari provides various insights on top of historical facts. Utilizing such media, one can see how the Samoan affairs were received by the British." -- Quotes from a paper by Yeonhwa Lee entitled "Samoa 1899 as Portrayed in Punch."

Over 3,000 Punch cartoons listed for sale, combine orders and save shipping charges. Questions are always welcome. 

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 WHAT IS PUNCH?

Punch, a magazine of humor and satire, ran from 1841-2002. A very British institution renowned internationally for its wit and irreverence, it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration. Punch was the world's most celebrated magazine of wit and satire. From its early years as a campaigner for social justice to its transformation into national icon, Punch played a central role in the formation of British identity -- and how the rest of the world saw the British nation. In its formative years Punch combined humors, illustration and political debate with a fresh and radical audacity. During its heyday in the late 1800s, it reflected the conservative views of the growing middle-classes and copies of it could be found in the libraries of diplomats, cabinet ministers and even royalty. In the Western world, Punch played a significant role in the development of satire. In the world of illustration, it practically revolutionized it. Over the decades as it charted the interests, concerns and frustrations of the country and today it stands as an invaluable source of cartoon art, satire, but as primary source material for historians.

”WHO IS THE ARTIST? 

Edward Linley Sambourne (4 January 1844 – 3 August 1910) was an English cartoonist and illustrator most famous for being a draughtsman for the satirical magazine Punch for more than forty years and rising to the position of "First Cartoonist" in his final decade. Unusually for a black and white artist, Sambourne used a huge library of photographic images to give accuracy to his work, which was characterized by a vivid and decisive linearity as well as an artistic inventiveness that took his images far beyond the simple concept of a cartoon or "comic cut". The quality of his work for Punch was acknowledged by the Royal Academy, which exhibited his drawings over a 20-year period.