The Bilioustine

Pictures and commentary courtesy of Mr. David Hricik. Additional comments by Dick Blacher.

The Bilioustine

A Periodical of Knock

Vol. #1, 1901

by Bert Leston Taylor and William S. Lord, 1901

This is bound in burlap over boards, printed “french” style (on every other page, though cut at the top).  It is #182 of 250 copies made, printed in two colors (red, black) on deckel edged very nice paper.   Unpaginated, but roughly 40 pages.  “Art is long.  Why not hair? - Fra McGinnis” is typical of the jabs in this parody of Elbert Hubbard, the Roycrofters (the Boygrafters), and the Philistine.  This is actually quite funny, and from what I can tell, extraordinarily rare.  8.25 by 5.25 inches.
 

The Bilioustine (A Periodical of Knock) was originally published in the Chicago Tribune in a column written by Bert Leston Taylor, "A Line-O’-Type-or-Two." It was reprinted in booklet form and significantly expanded in 1901 by William S. Lord (and a few cohorts), in Evanston, Illinois. Every page mercilessly skewers Elbert Hubbard, his writing, his books, and even his employees – i.e. Sinbad the Buzz-Saw for Ali Baba. This style of parody is extraordinarily difficult to bring off well, and I feel certain that for Mr. Lord and his friends, it was a true labor of love. Having read so much of Hubbard’s writing, I admit I cringed (and laughed out loud) at the dead-on accuracy of many of these send-ups. I believe Lord completed only the two editions pictured.

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