JF Ptak Science Books LLC

 
In my Livres qui Rient collection are a number of pretty unusual book  images, including this lovely bit (from a 1910 or so issue of The Illustrated London News), the post-Victorian ultra-lux book-holder manufactured by Mr. J. Foots & Son of London.  Actually I substituted the word “book” for “foot”, not that an entire-body portable sauna named a “Foot Bath” isn’t smirky enough, and, anyway,  both have a double-“o” in the middle so they are nearly the same word, though not really).  I love that this guy is absorbing whatever that pipe (watch out!) is sending his way with a flourish in his hair, a tight and tidy smile on his face, and one free hand which snakes up and out of the hot box to steady his book and turn a non-sweattied page. 

It seems that the Foots expanded their horizon from Sweating Books to
their enormous, live-in Tea RV.  The only thing missing is a motor (advertised though not evident),
but, since this fellow is English and of course a lover of tea, then as
long as his caffeine delivery system is laid out properly in front of
him and settled by a fine white linen, it really doesn’t matter if he
goes anywhere at all.  Right, Jeff? 

*(Donlanesque is an uncommon reference synonymically related to Lincolnesque.)