The Rebus

A good challenge to the designer/illustrator this, the use of pictures, letters of the alphabet and numbers to make words and sentences. See Tony Augarde's excellent The Oxford Guide to Word Games, OUP Oxford NY 1984, Chapter 9. "The Rebus".

01 from Giovanbattista Palatino, Libro Nuovo, Rome 1561.

02 from an advert in Lois Lane comic, "Superman's Girl friend", November 1958. 13 x 15 cms

03 Mary Kendal Lee, illustrator of Nicholas Thomas, The Naughty Kitten

04 A rebus print by Cajetan - Geiger, 27 x 38cms German c1830.

 
 

see also Helmut Skarbina

Rebus 1613 from Magasin Pittoresque 1848 - 1852

J.Martinet, 1783 two examples (single)