A range of printed materials centered on BDSM and fetish themes, from books to magazines
Leonard Burtman (1921-1994) was a pioneer in fetish publishing in mid-20th century New York. Founding Burmel Publishing, he launched iconic magazines like Exotique, blending high fashion with BDSM themes. Despite legal challenges and allegations of piracy, Burtman expanded his empire, shaping modern kink aesthetics and influencing future adult content until the 1980s. Continue reading Leonard Burtman: America’s Underground Fetish Publisher
Charles Guyette (c. 1900–1976) was a pioneering theatrical costumer who transformed his New York shop into America’s first full-line fetish supplier by the mid-1930s. Notably, he offered handmade fetish items and imported European designs. After a prison sentence for obscenity, he shifted focus but inspired key figures in American kink culture. Continue reading Charles Guyette
The Dr. Lamb Library, launched in the early 1970s by Star Distributors and credited to Paul Little, is significant for pioneering taboo subject matter in literature, influencing BDSM and fetish genres. Its limited runs have made these vintage paperbacks valuable collectibles, fostering a subculture that traded and discussed explicit themes among enthusiasts. Continue reading The Dr. Lamb Library
In the dim hallways of Victorian England, where strict decorum hid the most intense cravings, a notorious piece of early BDSM literature appeared: Mysteries of the Verbena House. It first saw the light of day in 1882 under the pen name “Etonensis” (a cheeky reference to the elite Eton College) where the rod symbolised both authority and hidden excitement. The novel has since become a landmark … Continue reading Mysteries of the Verbena House
A Medical Treatise or Erotic Bible? Published in Paris in 1899 by Dr. Jean Martin Charcot’s circle (anonymously, under the pseudonym Docteur Jaf), Étude sur la Flagellation à travers le monde au point de vue médical, historique, religieux, domestique et conjugal is the most exhaustive 19th-century study of spanking, birching, and ritual punishment ever written. At 400+ pages with over 100 illustrations, anatomical diagrams, historical … Continue reading Étude sur la Flagellation
Exotique was a specialized fetish magazine published by Leonard Burtman under his Burmel Publishing Company imprint in New York City between 1955 and 1959. The magazine’s femdom theme, photos, and artwork mark it as a direct descendant of the first major fetish magazine Bizarre (1946-1959), produced by John Willie. Exotique was entirely devoted to fetish fashions and female-dominant bondage fantasies. The 36 issues featured photos and illustrations of dominatrix-inspired vamps (including wife Tana Louise and iconic model Bettie Page) wearing exotic leather and … Continue reading Exotique by Leonard Burtman
Ernst Schertel (1884 – 1958) was a multifaceted German figure: a writer, historian, scholar in religious studies, and specialist in the occult. He was also a dance pedagogue, an early promoter of nudist culture, a liberal free thinker, and a researcher of human sexuality with a particular interest in paraphilia, fetishism, and sadomasochism.SpankingArtWiki & Wikipedia Early Life, Education, Career and Contributions Schertel studied history and … Continue reading Ernst Schertel, Pioneer of BDSM Research
Weird Tales first hit newsstands in March 1923, founded by J.C. Henneberger and published by Rural Publishing Corporation. Its early struggles with financial woes nearly ended it, but the magazine found its footing under editor Farnsworth Wright, who took the helm in 1924. Wright’s vision shaped it into a haven for the weird and wonderful, featuring tales that defied convention.The magazine’s pages were graced by … Continue reading Weird Tales
Erziehungs-Flagellantismus. Sexualkundliche Untersuchungen und ihre Ergebnisse (also spelled Erziehungsflagellantismus in one word) is a German language book on educational flagellantism in sexological analysis. It was written by Dr. Heinrich Wörenkamp and Dr. Gertrude Perkauf and published in 1932 by Verlag für Kulturforschung, Vienna. Many of the photos and artworks presented in this book found their way to me, they inspired me to built my art … Continue reading Erziehungs-Flagellantismus
Giacomo Casanova (1725 – 1798), the infamous 18th-century Venetian adventurer, is synonymous with seduction, intrigue, and a life lived on the edge. His memoir, Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life), is more than just a recounting of romantic conquests—it’s a vivid window into the Enlightenment era, brimming with wit, audacity, and a touch of roguish charm. For readers of this blog, this literary … Continue reading Casanova’s Histoire de ma vie
