The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects
In 1898, W. Reginald Bray (1879-1939) studied the regulations published by the postal authorities. He discovered-much to his delight-that one of the smallest living creatures that could be sent by post was a bee and the largest, an elephant. Intrigued, he decided to experiment with sending ordinary and strange objects through the post unwrapped, including a turnip, a bowler hat, a bicycle pump, shirt cuffs, dog biscuits, seaweed, a flask, even a rabbit's skull. He eventually posted his Irish terrier and himself (not together), earning him the nickname, “The Human Letter.”
Over time his passion changed from sending curios to amassing the world's largest collection of autographs, also via the post. Bray sent out more than thirty-two thousand postal curios and autograph requests. "The Englishman Who Posted Himself and Other Curious Objects" tells this pioneer mail artist's remarkable story for the first time and includes delightful illustrations of some of his most inventive postal creations.
Bray’s own granddaughter, Zoë James, contributes a foreword to the book.
Published by Princeton Architectural Press, New York (October 2010)
Price $24.95/£14.99
ISBN 978-1-56898-872-6
Available from Amazon, Play.com, Waterstones, Borders and other online bookstores NOW
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Warnings -
Brain Pickings is not 100% happy when accessed via Internet Explorer
Spring Roll is in Japanese - you will need an online translator to enjoy its full glory
You will need to brush up on your German to read the Art Magazine review
Cinderela em Paris is in Portugese
Normalverteilt (normally distributed) is in German
