Real World References- The Venerable Store of Nell
Mar 19, 2017 18:03:33 GMT -5
Todd, clemtownkernel, and 1 more like this
Post by dmikester on Mar 19, 2017 18:03:33 GMT -5
This is an attempt to catalog all of the real-world references made in the various offerings from the MPC, which include the experiences and each issue of Curios and Conundrums. In general, this is meant to be read after you’ve either completed the experience or have gone through and read/solved everything in a given issue of Curios and Conundrums, as this will take a big picture approach and will discuss all parts of an experience and will, when appropriate, spoil answers to puzzles in the Curios and Conundrums issues. My hope with this is that we can have some enlightening discussion about non-puzzle specific items, and I especially hope that you feel free to add to the list, as I’m only one person and will likely miss some references and/or not research something closely enough. If I leave something off entirely here, like say a crossword puzzle, that’s because there are no real-world references included, only the usual puns and fun wordplay. Enjoy!
Spoiler- Only read after solving all of Volume 1
Front Page
There are references to various Fall holidays, including Halloween, Day of the Dead, Guy Fawkes Night, and St. Andrews Day.
Mysterious Travel
This is a lengthy article about The Orient Express, and both ads on the main page of the article are for the Orient Express. Here’s a great article from Atlas Obscura with many beautiful ads and pictures:
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/an-illustrated-history-of-the-orient-express
Fennings’ Fever Curer
There are a surprising number of articles about this product and similar British products. Here are a couple of them:
www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/fennings-fever-cure/story-20123649-detail/story.html
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display?id=10666
Bestiary
The haugbui is a real Norse legend, though there seems to be much more information on the draugr. Here are some links to info about both the haugbui and the draugr:
www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/hogboon/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draugr
Esoteric International Superstitions
A very straightforward article about superstitions around the world. The Wikipedia article about superstitions is solid and comprehensive:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstition
The Curator’s Kitchen
This time, the column is on Sealing Wax as opposed to an edible recipe. Here’s a page that contains all of these recipes and some more context for them:
codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/recipes/sealingwax.htm
Fry’s Dainties
A real vintage ad. Interestingly, Fry’s apparently made the original modern chocolate bar as we know it today. You can read more about it in the Wikipedia entry, and there’s more history in a BBC article:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._S._Fry_%26_Sons
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7423087.stm
Colt Automatic Pistol Ad
Strangely, I couldn’t find this exact ad despite a lot of Googling, but there are many examples of vintage Colt Firearm ads online. Colt is of course one of the most famous of all gun manufacturers; here’s their official history:
www.colt.com/Company/History
Canadian Pacific Ad
You can find this ad on Pinterest, but the history behind this ad is very interesting (and oddly timely right now given that immigrants originally bound for America are instead going to Canada). Here is a link with examples of these posters (though not this exact one) and a link with a ton of the history of Canadian immgiration if you really want to deep-dive:
www.russborough.com/antique_prints/posters/canada_immigration_posters.html
www.pier21.ca/research/immigration-history/settling-the-west-immigration-to-the-prairies-from-1867-to-1914
Get to Know The Scrivener
Appropriately for a scrivener, there are a number of references to books. The William Whateley book mentioned is available online for free (do a Google Books search) as is the King James Bible. She is pictured reading The Absolute Sandman by Neil Gaiman (which I can’t recommend enough). Finally, they directly talk about the famous short story Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, which is a must-read.
Science and Technologies
The Tempest Prognosticator was a real invention explained in the article. You can read all about it in this blog post:
www.victorianweb.org/technology/packer/merryweather.html
The Blonde Witch of Lime Street
This is a great historical story. For even more info than the article in C&C, check this article out:
www.cicap.org/n/articolo.php?id=101010
Mary Garden Perfume Ad
A real ad, and the story behind it is interesting. This is one of the first examples of a celebrity endorsing perfume. Here’s an article about this specific perfume:
www.perfumeprojects.com/museum/bottles/Mary_Garden.shtml
Spoilers- a handful of crossword answers
Heavy Spoilers- Only read after solving all of Volume 1
Spoiler- Only read after solving all of Volume 1
Title
The title of this issue directly refers to the novel The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens.
The title of this issue directly refers to the novel The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens.
Front Page
There are references to various Fall holidays, including Halloween, Day of the Dead, Guy Fawkes Night, and St. Andrews Day.
Mysterious Travel
This is a lengthy article about The Orient Express, and both ads on the main page of the article are for the Orient Express. Here’s a great article from Atlas Obscura with many beautiful ads and pictures:
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/an-illustrated-history-of-the-orient-express
Fennings’ Fever Curer
There are a surprising number of articles about this product and similar British products. Here are a couple of them:
www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/fennings-fever-cure/story-20123649-detail/story.html
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display?id=10666
Bestiary
The haugbui is a real Norse legend, though there seems to be much more information on the draugr. Here are some links to info about both the haugbui and the draugr:
www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/hogboon/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draugr
Esoteric International Superstitions
A very straightforward article about superstitions around the world. The Wikipedia article about superstitions is solid and comprehensive:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstition
The Curator’s Kitchen
This time, the column is on Sealing Wax as opposed to an edible recipe. Here’s a page that contains all of these recipes and some more context for them:
codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/recipes/sealingwax.htm
Fry’s Dainties
A real vintage ad. Interestingly, Fry’s apparently made the original modern chocolate bar as we know it today. You can read more about it in the Wikipedia entry, and there’s more history in a BBC article:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._S._Fry_%26_Sons
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7423087.stm
Colt Automatic Pistol Ad
Strangely, I couldn’t find this exact ad despite a lot of Googling, but there are many examples of vintage Colt Firearm ads online. Colt is of course one of the most famous of all gun manufacturers; here’s their official history:
www.colt.com/Company/History
Canadian Pacific Ad
You can find this ad on Pinterest, but the history behind this ad is very interesting (and oddly timely right now given that immigrants originally bound for America are instead going to Canada). Here is a link with examples of these posters (though not this exact one) and a link with a ton of the history of Canadian immgiration if you really want to deep-dive:
www.russborough.com/antique_prints/posters/canada_immigration_posters.html
www.pier21.ca/research/immigration-history/settling-the-west-immigration-to-the-prairies-from-1867-to-1914
Get to Know The Scrivener
Appropriately for a scrivener, there are a number of references to books. The William Whateley book mentioned is available online for free (do a Google Books search) as is the King James Bible. She is pictured reading The Absolute Sandman by Neil Gaiman (which I can’t recommend enough). Finally, they directly talk about the famous short story Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, which is a must-read.
Science and Technologies
The Tempest Prognosticator was a real invention explained in the article. You can read all about it in this blog post:
www.victorianweb.org/technology/packer/merryweather.html
The Blonde Witch of Lime Street
This is a great historical story. For even more info than the article in C&C, check this article out:
www.cicap.org/n/articolo.php?id=101010
Mary Garden Perfume Ad
A real ad, and the story behind it is interesting. This is one of the first examples of a celebrity endorsing perfume. Here’s an article about this specific perfume:
www.perfumeprojects.com/museum/bottles/Mary_Garden.shtml
Spoilers- a handful of crossword answers
Crossword
Three real-world references in this one (interestingly all British). Queen Victoria, Doctor Who, and Shakespeare are all referenced.
Three real-world references in this one (interestingly all British). Queen Victoria, Doctor Who, and Shakespeare are all referenced.
Heavy Spoilers- Only read after solving all of Volume 1
Horoscopes
All of these horoscopes refer to stories and novels by Charles Dickens. All highly recommended.
Aries- Hard Times
Taurus- Going Into Society
Gemini- Bleak House
Cancer- The Uncommercial Traveler
Leo- Great Expectations
Virgo- A Message from the Sea
Libra- Our Mutual Friend
Scorpio- Hunted Down
Sagittarius- A Tale of Two Cities
Capricorn- The Haunted Man
Aquarius- A Christmas Carol
Pisces- The Pickwick Papers
All of these horoscopes refer to stories and novels by Charles Dickens. All highly recommended.
Aries- Hard Times
Taurus- Going Into Society
Gemini- Bleak House
Cancer- The Uncommercial Traveler
Leo- Great Expectations
Virgo- A Message from the Sea
Libra- Our Mutual Friend
Scorpio- Hunted Down
Sagittarius- A Tale of Two Cities
Capricorn- The Haunted Man
Aquarius- A Christmas Carol
Pisces- The Pickwick Papers