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
Imagine The Godfather with Don Corleone bound in silk ropes, or Pulp Fiction’s dancers locked in a steel cage. What happens when the silver screen meets the dark room? From the lurid grindhouse prints of the 1960s to today’s glossy streaming thumbnails, BDSM imagery has long been a visual shorthand for transgressive desire. Film titles and promotional posters act as cultural signposts, instantly communicating a … Continue reading A Visual History of BDSM in Film Promotion
Today I’m exploring a surprisingly persistent yet taboo fascination: the erotic allure of nuns and monks both delivering and receiving spankings. Far from being a purely contemporary fetish, this motif threads through centuries of religious discipline, provocative art, and whispered convent anecdotes. I’ll draw on archival accounts of corporal punishment within monastic communities, Victorian‑era erotica, and a selection of historic artworks—including pieces from the Spanking … Continue reading History of Nuns, Monks, and Spanking
Let’s go on a journey through six provocative prints by John Smith (1652–1743), a renowned English mezzotint engraver who left a legacy of intricate prints that blend satire, sexuality, and power dynamics. Known for reproducing works by masters like Rubens and creating original pieces, Smith’s art from the late 17th and early 18th centuries subtly echoes modern BDSM themes: dominance and submission (D/s), bondage, sadomasochism … Continue reading BDSM Themes in Early Modern Mezzotints
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
The Diana Slip Lingerie company, active from the 1920s to 1940s, emerged as a significant entity under the ownership of Léon (Victor) Vidal, with its establishment rooted in France around 1930. The company opened a luxurious boutique by the upmarket Madeleine district in Paris, between rue Royale and the Place Vendome. Les Editions Gauloise (later, Les Libraires Nouvelles) was a company which comprised a diverse … Continue reading Diana Slip Lingerie
Artists have long turned to the works of others as a springboard for their own creations, a practice rooted in admiration, study, and reinterpretation. In the context of vintage BDSM art, this often involved drawing inspiration from photographs or sketches by peers, such as adapting poses, compositions, or themes to suit a personal style. This approach allowed artists to hone their craft, explore new techniques, … Continue reading Inspired Edges
The term “cuckold” might sound like a relic of a bygone era, but its legacy lingers in art, literature, and even modern slang. Historically, a cuckold was a man whose wife was unfaithful, often mocked with the symbolic imagery of horns sprouting from his head. From Renaissance theater to 18th-century sketches, cuckoldry has been a source of satire, comedy, and cultural fascination. But where did … Continue reading Cuckold
Orientalism and BDSM: A Fusion of Fantasy and Power In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism describes how Western writers, designers, and artists imitated or depicted aspects of the ‘Eastern’ world—spanning the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. This lens was steeped in romance and mysticism, projecting power, sensuality, and exoticism onto these cultures. Edward Saïd’s groundbreaking book Orientalism (1978) revealed how this Western … Continue reading Mystical Power Plays
The 1877 engraving “Warua Slave-Driver and Slave” from Across Africa portrays a slave-driver with a spear leading a bound slave across a sparse landscape, their minimal attire,loincloths and a headscarf, highlighted by detailed linework. It was published in the book Across Africa in 1877. A book by Verney Lovett Cameron (1844 – 1894) who was an English traveller in Central Africa and the first European to cross (1875) equatorial Africa from sea to … Continue reading Perceptions Diverge
