Contraptions

by W. Heath Robinson, Geoffrey Beare (Editor)

Showing the ingenuity of their creator and the humour for which he is best remembered, these 180 images feature some of Heath Robinson’s most elaborate contraptions. In addition to specialist inventions for Stiltonising cheese, testing artificial teeth, or extinguishing a bedside bomb the collection touches on social issues, with cartoons such as The Folding Garden and Space economy in a suburban maisonette mocking modern living.

Genres: Art, Humor, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published November 25, 2021

About the author

William Heath Robinson (31 May 1872 - 13 September 1944) was an English cartoonist and illustrator best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines for achieving simple objectives.

His brothers, Thomas Heath Robinson and Charles Robinson were also artists.

In the U.K., the term "Heath Robinson" entered the language during the 1914–1918 First World War as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance, much as "Rube Goldberg machines" came to be used in the U.S. from the 1930s onwards as a term for similar efforts. "Heath Robinson contraption" is perhaps more often used in relation to temporary fixes using ingenuity and whatever is to hand, often string and tape, or unlikely cannibalisations. Its continuing popularity was undoubtedly linked to Second World War Britain's shortages and the need to "make do and mend".

Reviews

[Will O'kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant collection from one of my favorite comics, W. Heath Robinson! See my other review on his work for more details.

[Mansour S منصور السدحان · Rating 3 out of 5]

a book with superb art with perspective, anatomy, composition and people’s expressions. but, the contraptions are a hit and miss. and I think I understand why. Heath worked for a newspaper thus he have to deliver quantity over quality. some of his ideas are brilliant but others are just mediocre at best and ones in between. I guess my expectation was high and it affected my judgment, maybe! like if I saw the cartoons in a newspaper on a daily basis and didn’t pay a considerable amount for a hardcover book, maybe then I wouldn’t be so judgmental. although I’m still standing by my opinion on the quality of the ideas showcased here.
so, I gave each cartoon a score out of ten and calculated the average and the results was this: 5.3/10 ! not quite impressive!
but the art is without a doubt a 10/10, so taking it in consideration we get a 7.65/10 which translates to 3.8/5 …so should I give it 3 or 4! 🤔 hmmmm..
I’m a lover of good Art yes, but I was honestly somewhat disappointed in some of the contraptions and thus I’ll go with 3! 🤷🏻‍♂️

note: most of the men Heath draws are bald and overweight!



كتابٌ رائعٌ في فنه ورسوماته بما فيها من، منظور، وتشريح، وتكوين، وتعبيرات وجوه الناس. لكنّ الافكار او الاختراعات المستخدمة فيه غير موفقة كلها. وأعتقد أنني أفهم السبب، ف(هيث روبنسون)عمل في صحيفة، لذا عليه أن يُقدّم الكمّ على الكيف. بعض أفكاره رائعة جدا، لكنّ بعضها الآخر متواضع. أعتقد أنّ توقعاتي كانت عالية، وربما أثّر ذلك على حكمي! لو كنتُ أشاهد الرسوم الكاريكاتورية في صحيفة يوميًا، ولم أدفع مبلغًا كبيرًا مقابل كتابٍ ذي غلافٍ مقوّى، لما كنتُ مُتسرعًا في الحكم. مع ذلك، ما زلتُ مُتمسكًا برأيي في جودة الأفكار المعروضة هنا.

لذا، أعطيتُ كلّ عملٍ درجةً من عشرة، وحسبتُ المعدّل، وكانت النتيجة: ٥.٣/١٠! ليس مُبهرًا تمامًا!

لكنّ الفنّ بلا شكّ ١٠/١٠، لذا اذا اخذته بالاعتبار، نحصل على ٧.٦٥/١٠، أي ٣.٨/٥... فهل أُعطيه ٣ أو ٤؟ أنا من عشاق الفن الجميل، صحيح، لكنني بصراحة شعرت بخيبة أمل بعض الشيء في بعض هذه الأفكار والاختراعات، لذا سأختار ثلاثة!

ملاحظة: معظم الرجال الذين يرسمهم (هيث) صلع ويعانون من زيادة الوزن!

[Dylan Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of comic art from Edwardian Artist W.Heath Robinson that reads like a combination of Rube Goldberg and P.G Wodehouse.