Curio

State Library of New South Wales
The adventures of "Chunder Loo"

The adventures of "Chunder Loo"

1916
Printed book
[Sydney]: Blyth & Platt, [1916]
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
Q91/57

In 1909 the boot polish company Blyth and Platt launched a series of advertisements in the form of a cartoon by Lionel Lindsay with rhyming verse by the journalist and writer Ernst O’Farrell. By 1916 the cartoons were so popular that the company published them in a single volume.

Sir William Dixson was a great admirer of Lindsay’s artwork and maintained a standing order for all Lindsay’s engravings. He was given this copy of Chunder Loo by Lindsay himself: a dedication at the top of the page reads: ‘To William Dixson Esq., with the compliments of the person responsible for drawings’.

Considered too ephemeral for serious collecting, editions of this volume are rare. As a presentation copy to Sir William, this volume is unique.

The central character Chunder Loo became a popular nickname in World War I (sometimes abbreviated to Chunder), and is also thought to be the origin of the word ‘chunder’ for vomit (as rhyming slang – Chunder Loo = spew).

The Blyth & Platt company sold its Cobra brand under the name ‘Crown’ to countries where ‘the very word Cobra or snake is anathema to the natives’.

Ernest O'Farrall, journalist and writer, joined the small staff of the Bulletin in 1907. For about 15 years he sub-edited hundreds of items, and, during World War I, wrote material in favour conscription. As 'Kodak' and under his own name, he regularly published popular sketches, stories and light verse, including the Chunder Loo adventures.