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Quest for the Golden Hare
From September 1979 to March 1982, millions of people the world over became obsessed with a quest for buried treasure. The architect of this extraordinary cosmic charade was a painted by the name of Kit Williams, who hid the clues in a book called Masquerade. By the time the golden hare had been unearthed, it had led to an astonishing variety of dare-devil adventures and personal discoveries.
Bamber Gascoigne, chosen as the one impartial witness to the treasure's location and the solution to the mystery, subsequently wrote this book, which answers every question asked about the masquerade, including a step-by-step explanation of how the puzzle was conceived, and of the "perfect solution".
Bamber Gascoigne, chosen as the one impartial witness to the treasure's location and the solution to the mystery, subsequently wrote this book, which answers every question asked about the masquerade, including a step-by-step explanation of how the puzzle was conceived, and of the "perfect solution".
- GenresNonfictionPuzzles
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Bamber Gascoigne
25 books11 followersBamber Gascoigne was an Eton and Cambridge educated television presenter and author. He was for several years a drama critic for the "Spectator" and the "Observer", and has written a number of books on theatre, art and cultural history.
He came to fame as the presenter of the popular television quiz show, University Challenge (1962 - 1987) and subsequently wrote and presented a 13-part TV series, "The Christians" (1977), from which he also wrote a bestselling book. Gascoigne has remained a well-known figure for his television presenting and his books on history.
He came to fame as the presenter of the popular television quiz show, University Challenge (1962 - 1987) and subsequently wrote and presented a 13-part TV series, "The Christians" (1977), from which he also wrote a bestselling book. Gascoigne has remained a well-known figure for his television presenting and his books on history.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 13, 2015
Bamber Gascoigne had a part as witness to the burial of Kit Williams' Masquerade hare jewel that so consumed treasure hunters across the world from 1979 to 1982. It was a glorious idea: Kit Williams decided to create real treasure, to make up for the broken promises of manufacturers during his childhood (when promised buried treasure turned out to be a cut-out-and-send-off special offer) and make a precious jewel, bury it, and give everybody a chance to expose it and find it in his paintings. It was a phenomenally difficult task: the paintings are masterpieces of realist art - perhaps not to everybody's taste, but the expertise that went into them is beyond doubt - to begin with, and the jewel is an amazing labour of love; the riddle in the text was perhaps the most taxing task; it had to be difficult enough not to be solved immediately, and yet aimed at everybody, to fulfil KW's promise that a child could do it. I'm not so sure about that, I must say. The ending of the mystery is relatively well known: an acquaintance of an ex-girlfriend of KW managed to get at her and ask enough of the right questions to put him on the path of the jewel, while genuine riddle-solvers were hot on their heels, and that made the whole epsiode end with a bit of a whimper.
Bamber Gasgoigne tells the tale with real wit and verve. I enjoyed the stories of the, quite honestly, craziness of the quest for some people, how it took over their lives, took up their holidays, and savings, strained their relationships, made the people around them question their sanity. This was a book I'd, somewhat lazily, had half an eye out for over the course of twenty years or so. It was worth the wait!
Bamber Gasgoigne tells the tale with real wit and verve. I enjoyed the stories of the, quite honestly, craziness of the quest for some people, how it took over their lives, took up their holidays, and savings, strained their relationships, made the people around them question their sanity. This was a book I'd, somewhat lazily, had half an eye out for over the course of twenty years or so. It was worth the wait!
June 9, 2022
Kit Williams's 1979 book Masquerade contained, in its paintings, clues to the location of buried treasure, a hare of gold Williams had wrought himself. When Williams buried it, the author of this book, Bamber Gascoigne, was the official witness and the only other person present.
This book tells how Gascoigne got involved, his interactions with Kit, the tumultuous nature of the contest and its anticlimatic end, and especially the wide variety of searchers for the golden hare, whom he dubs Masqueraders, who submitted their theories of the solution to Masquerade's riddle to him and Kit.
I have a huge fondness for the book Masquerade, so I really enjoyed learning more about Williams and seeing the behind-the-scenes of how the book, puzzle and prize came together. But even outside of that, the phenomenon of the searchers and their wildly different approaches and theories proves fascinating.
It's hard to overstate what an international craze this was, the intensity and obsession of many of the searchers' approaches, and the complexity of their theories. A large portion of the book is taken up by the 'Case Histories' chapter wherein Gascoigne reprints solution submissions, which, as well as serving up many amusing submissions and escapades, also shows how vastly different mental edifices can be built on the same initial set of starting points, and how the pattern-seeking mind, gripped with a consuming idea, can make everything it finds fit into its initial assumptions.
The contest's disappointing denouement -- where the winner stumbled upon the location without understanding the actual puzzle, literally a day before a duo who had actually cracked the code located it themselves -- led many to believe this was yet another trick of Williams (yet another Masquerade!), and the contest was actually still on.
This book tells how Gascoigne got involved, his interactions with Kit, the tumultuous nature of the contest and its anticlimatic end, and especially the wide variety of searchers for the golden hare, whom he dubs Masqueraders, who submitted their theories of the solution to Masquerade's riddle to him and Kit.
I have a huge fondness for the book Masquerade, so I really enjoyed learning more about Williams and seeing the behind-the-scenes of how the book, puzzle and prize came together. But even outside of that, the phenomenon of the searchers and their wildly different approaches and theories proves fascinating.
It's hard to overstate what an international craze this was, the intensity and obsession of many of the searchers' approaches, and the complexity of their theories. A large portion of the book is taken up by the 'Case Histories' chapter wherein Gascoigne reprints solution submissions, which, as well as serving up many amusing submissions and escapades, also shows how vastly different mental edifices can be built on the same initial set of starting points, and how the pattern-seeking mind, gripped with a consuming idea, can make everything it finds fit into its initial assumptions.
The contest's disappointing denouement -- where the winner stumbled upon the location without understanding the actual puzzle, literally a day before a duo who had actually cracked the code located it themselves -- led many to believe this was yet another trick of Williams (yet another Masquerade!), and the contest was actually still on.
Want to Read
December 29, 2025This book recounts what happened before and after the Masquerade book, by Kit Williams, was published.
October 13, 2010
What a great read! In 1979, Kit Williams released "Masquerade", his phenomenally successful picture book: a book which hid in its pages the location of a buried golden hare. The hunt lasted more than two years, and Gascoigne - the only man besides Williams to know the hare's resting place - is therefore perfectly positioned to tell 90% of this tale. (see below for the other 10%)
Gascoigne gives us insight into the unique mind of Williams, from his upbringing to his early career, and to the meeting that led to the book's development. We see how Williams designed the riddle, the events of the publishing, and the ensuing publicity. Gascoigne devotes a good third of the book to "case histories": examinations of many of the 'Masqueraders', as dedicated treasure-hunters were known, and their various theories and idiosyncrasies. These are particularly delightful as some of these people continue to hold to their own beliefs even though the answer to the riddle has now been revealed.
Gascoigne has an easy writing style and is clearly enjoying himself immensely, and it shows in his descriptive and insightful account of the entire event from creation to resolution. He debunks many frustratingly incorrect theories that developed, and waxes philosophical on what the quest revealed about human nature. It's a great parallel to be drawn with religion: everyone is given the same clues, but some people manage to extrapolate ludicrous theories based on one element while ignoring all others, and other people manage to tie their own interests back into the clues even where it clearly requires immense stretches of logic.
This is capped off by the 'perfect solution' submitted by the only two men who ever figured out the whole riddle. This is a very enjoyable read if you have the original book by your side as well, and - after learning of the devotion of many of the Masqueraders - the circumstances surrounding the solving of the puzzle are almost heartbreaking!
The only downside is that the book, as it was published in the early 1980s, was too early to uncover one final scandal: the man who found the hare was not who he claimed, and in fact further investigation revealed it wasn't luck or insight that led him to the location, but instead insider knowledge. It was a dirty end to an otherwise marvelous modern myth, and it's a pity that the news came out after this book was published. But never mind: this is a great summary of a breathtaking real-life event.
Gascoigne gives us insight into the unique mind of Williams, from his upbringing to his early career, and to the meeting that led to the book's development. We see how Williams designed the riddle, the events of the publishing, and the ensuing publicity. Gascoigne devotes a good third of the book to "case histories": examinations of many of the 'Masqueraders', as dedicated treasure-hunters were known, and their various theories and idiosyncrasies. These are particularly delightful as some of these people continue to hold to their own beliefs even though the answer to the riddle has now been revealed.
Gascoigne has an easy writing style and is clearly enjoying himself immensely, and it shows in his descriptive and insightful account of the entire event from creation to resolution. He debunks many frustratingly incorrect theories that developed, and waxes philosophical on what the quest revealed about human nature. It's a great parallel to be drawn with religion: everyone is given the same clues, but some people manage to extrapolate ludicrous theories based on one element while ignoring all others, and other people manage to tie their own interests back into the clues even where it clearly requires immense stretches of logic.
This is capped off by the 'perfect solution' submitted by the only two men who ever figured out the whole riddle. This is a very enjoyable read if you have the original book by your side as well, and - after learning of the devotion of many of the Masqueraders - the circumstances surrounding the solving of the puzzle are almost heartbreaking!
The only downside is that the book, as it was published in the early 1980s, was too early to uncover one final scandal: the man who found the hare was not who he claimed, and in fact further investigation revealed it wasn't luck or insight that led him to the location, but instead insider knowledge. It was a dirty end to an otherwise marvelous modern myth, and it's a pity that the news came out after this book was published. But never mind: this is a great summary of a breathtaking real-life event.
March 19, 2014
A great history of the global obsession and eventual controversy that was Kit Williams' "Masquerade". I first learned of this book in 1990 so I was a good decade too late to even attempt to find the treasure, but the book taught me that I had much more to learn before I go tackling riddles. It seemed impossible to me, so I just focused on the beauty of the art inside.
Walking in London, I saw a copy of Masquerade packaged together with The Quest For The Golden Hare in the window of a book shop. The price was £40 for the pair, and I grabbed it. My copy of Masquerade was long gone (the binding went so my favorite pages decorated my walls) so I jumped at the chance for a new copy and to read about the discovery.
Since this book outlines the riddle in the appendices, I highly recommend finding a copy of Masquerade to refer to once you finish this one.
Walking in London, I saw a copy of Masquerade packaged together with The Quest For The Golden Hare in the window of a book shop. The price was £40 for the pair, and I grabbed it. My copy of Masquerade was long gone (the binding went so my favorite pages decorated my walls) so I jumped at the chance for a new copy and to read about the discovery.
Since this book outlines the riddle in the appendices, I highly recommend finding a copy of Masquerade to refer to once you finish this one.
Want to Read
September 27, 2015(found via: http://hazlitt.net/feature/goes-all-w... ...on 20150927)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews