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Historic penguin sketches found (Slow news day story)
BBC.com ^ | Friday, 21 December 2007 | staff writer

Posted on 12/21/2007 5:36:54 AM PST by yankeedame

Last Updated: Friday, 21 December 2007, 00:02 GMT

Historic penguin sketches found


The signed chalk drawings
are to be cleaned and restored

Penguin sketches made by Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton have been found in a basement at Cambridge University.

The legendary explorers drew the pictures on blackboards, probably for public lectures, in 1904 and 1909.

Nobody knows how the fragile images, in need of cleaning and restoration, ended up at the University's Scott Polar Research Institute.

Staff are appealing for donations to help preserve the signed chalk drawings and put them on public display.

Chalk and charm

"People often compare Scott and Shackleton in terms of their achievements as explorers and their leadership qualities," said Dr Huw Lewis-Jones, the historian and curator of art who found the images.

"Now, albeit with a smile on our faces, we can judge their artistic abilities as well."

Because they are so special we want to make sure that they are preserved for the future

Heather Lane, librarian

He said they were still trying to trace how the pictures arrived at the institute but he was sure they were authentic.

"Some people may think they look a little crude but I think they are incredibly charming," he added.

"They were drawn at public lectures in front of an enthusiastic audience, to laughter and to cheers, and then signed with a flourish.

"It's like having the explorers' autographs, only more wonderful, because each has signed their name next to a hand-drawn penguin."

Saved from obscurity

Scott made his drawing in 1904, after returning from his voyage aboard the Discovery.

Shackleton, who also took part in the Discovery expedition, made his sketch five years later, after coming within 150km (90 miles) of the South Pole - the furthest south any group had been at the time.

"Because they are so special we want to make sure that they are preserved for the future," said Heather Lane, librarian and keeper at the Scott Polar Research Institute.

"We've managed to save these penguins from obscurity in the basement. Now we want to get them cleaned and restored so that visitors can enjoy them."


TOPICS: History; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: freepun; godsgravesglyphs; penguins; sketcbes; slownewsday
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Yeah, I know...I was a little disappointed, too. Here I thought the sketches were by a penguin, not of a penguin.
1 posted on 12/21/2007 5:36:55 AM PST by yankeedame
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To: yankeedame

Sounds like a serioubs find.


2 posted on 12/21/2007 5:37:59 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: yankeedame

Ooops,..that new Mexican janitor just cleaned all the boards for tomorrow’s lecture circuit. /s


3 posted on 12/21/2007 5:40:07 AM PST by Cvengr (Every believer is a grenade. Arrogance is the grenade pin. Pull the pin and fragment your life.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Ping, sir.


4 posted on 12/21/2007 5:41:02 AM PST by ConservativeMind
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To: yankeedame

I wonder how much time Scott & Shackleton spent discussing the Penguins’ happy feet?


5 posted on 12/21/2007 5:49:32 AM PST by Deaf Smith
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To: yankeedame
Shackleton, who also took part in the Discovery expedition, made his sketch five years later

Looks like the classic "before" and "after". That penguin did some hard partying in those five years.
6 posted on 12/21/2007 5:56:17 AM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since 1991.)
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To: 1rudeboy
Amazing what happens when people decide to do something besides "cut and copy" when it comes getting titles right...

"HISTORIC PENGUIN SKETCBES FOUND"
7 posted on 12/21/2007 6:18:32 AM PST by Issaquahking (N.H. FNC Debate "What did you do for America today?" Duncan Hunter for President!)
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To: yankeedame
What's that on top of the television set? (pause)

matter-of-factly) Looks like a penguin. (pause)

It's been a long time there, now, has it?

What's it doin' there?

Standin'!

I can see that! (pause)

If it laid an egg, it would roll down the back of the television set.

Ummmm. I hadn't thought of that.

Unless it's a male.

Yes. It looks fairly butch. (pause)

Perhaps it's from next door.

(yelling) NEXT DOOR?!? Penguins don't come from NEXT DOOR! They come from the Antarctic!

(yet louder) BURMA!!!

Why did you say Burma?

I panicked.

Oh.

Perhaps it's from the zoo.

Which zoo?

(angrily) How should I know which zoo it's from?!? I'm not Doctor bloody Bernofsky!!

How would Doctor Bernofsky know which zoo?

He knows everything.

Oooh, I wouldn't like that, that'd take all the mystery out of life.

8 posted on 12/21/2007 7:09:03 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Nobody Wants To Harm Ron Paul.They Just Want Him To Be Properly Medicated.)
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To: Cvengr
Ooops,..that new Mexican janitor just cleaned all the boards for tomorrow’s lecture circuit. /s
LOLOLOLOL!
9 posted on 12/21/2007 7:23:34 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Tuesday, December 18, 2007___________________https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: ConservativeMind; The Spirit Of Allegiance; blam; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; ...

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Thanks ConservativeMind! When I saw what this was, igloo my mind. Whomever saved the sketcbes, well, glacier knew what they were doing.

Of course, it seems a little unlikely that the actual provenance (provenience, since this is in Britain) is known, i.e., I wonder about the authenticity.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

· Google · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology magazine · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Mirabilis · Texas AM Anthropology News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo ·
· History or Science & Nature Podcasts · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


10 posted on 12/21/2007 7:28:26 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Tuesday, December 18, 2007___________________https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv; Tax-chick

This looks like something for someone who actually knows about penguins.... ;o]


11 posted on 12/21/2007 7:33:01 AM PST by Monkey Face (Someone seems to have purloined my words of wit and wisdom....)
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To: Alamo-Girl

Penguin Ping


12 posted on 12/21/2007 7:37:02 AM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: SunkenCiv
A friend of mine was in the US Navy assigned to a destroyer that visited the Research station in Antarctica. He asked two old grizzled Chief Petty Officers at the station, "What do you guys do for sex here at the South Pole?"

They replied, "Oh we just go out and find a penguin and have our way with it."

After a few weeks, my friend got desperate and went out, grabbed a penguin and started to have his way with it. Suddenly, peals of laughter broke out behind him and he turned to see the two old Chiefs laughing and pointing at him.

He said, "What? Isn't this what you told me you guys do?"

The two Chiefs said, "Yeah. But you picked the ugliest one!"

13 posted on 12/21/2007 7:37:33 AM PST by CholeraJoe (Some days it doesn't even make sense to chew through the restraints.)
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To: yankeedame

I have my doubts about their authenticity. The institute can’t trace them, they have no history of ownership, we’re in a revival of interest in Antarctica illustrated in several best-sellers on Scott and Shackleton published the last few years, the sketches seem extremely crude and difficult to verify on their own sake, and finally, who autographs lecture notes on a chalkboard?


14 posted on 12/21/2007 7:42:20 AM PST by SpringheelJack
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To: CholeraJoe

That’s so obviously one of those myths. Everyone knows you have to use a seal...


15 posted on 12/21/2007 7:46:14 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Tuesday, December 18, 2007___________________https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Monkey Face

I can’t help but be reminded of the late-70s book by Kliban, “How To Draw Cats”.


16 posted on 12/21/2007 7:49:59 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Tuesday, December 18, 2007___________________https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

“Seals Lie!”


17 posted on 12/21/2007 7:51:21 AM PST by CholeraJoe (Some days it doesn't even make sense to chew through the restraints.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I really enjoy Kliban’s stuff.


18 posted on 12/21/2007 8:02:15 AM PST by Monkey Face (Someone seems to have purloined my words of wit and wisdom....)
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To: SunkenCiv; CholeraJoe

It’s always best to have a tight seal.


19 posted on 12/21/2007 9:34:54 AM PST by wildbill
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To: SunkenCiv

L

20 posted on 12/21/2007 9:37:22 AM PST by Lurker (Pimping my blog: http://lurkerslair-lurker.blogspot.com/)
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