Spotting Collection

Boy Admires Spitfire
Spitfire Summer: A little boy wearing shorts and braces admires a Spitfire on the runway at Biggin Hill, Kent, England

Plane Spotters
Silhouettes of two plane spotters at London Gatwick Airport, England

The Cloud Bar, worlds first official cloud spotting outpost, beside beach, Anderby Creek, Lincolnshire, England, June

WW1 - Observation balloon in flames - Boyelles, France - 3rd February, 1918

WW2 - Merchant Mine Disposal
A pair of photographs which show British WW2 merchant seamen spotting, and then disposing of an enemy sea mine. Date: circa 1942

WW2, Little Bo Peep
This illustration shows Peter the Royal Air Force Pilot, helping Little Bo Peep, by giving her the location of her lost sheep, after spotting them from the skies. Date: circa 1940

Seaside scene, Spotting the Winner, by Howard K Elcock. Showing stylish man, and woman on bench beneath trees, with man driving Rolls Royce along sea front. With pier and pavilion in background

How to Make Roof-Spotting a Pleasure
William Heath Robinson invention for keeping watch from attack. A warden perched up high above the streets with an umbrella for protection, tea-cup-holder and an easy chair. Date: 1941

Sri Lanka, Ratnapura District, Udawalawa National Park. Sri Lankan elephants viewd on safari at the Udawalawa National Park

BBC staff take turns firewatching on roof, WW2
BBC staff take turns firewatching on the roof during WW2 Date: 1941

Spanish bicycle troops on the Cuban coast during the Spanish-American War (colour litho)
2818882 Spanish bicycle troops on the Cuban coast during the Spanish-American War (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

School boy trainspotters
A group of school boys from Reigate Grammar School on a school trip to Nine Elms locomotive depot c.1948 standing on a platform next to a large steam engine. Date: 1948

Cornish "Huer"(engraving)
962173 Cornish " Huer" (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cornish " Huer")

Cheering the Trains (chromolitho)
2780174 Cheering the Trains (chromolitho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Cheering the Trains. Illustration for Chatterbox (1894).); © Look and Learn

The Spanish-American War: a Spanish lookout in a coconut palm (colour litho)
2818888 The Spanish-American War: a Spanish lookout in a coconut palm (colour litho) by Meaulle, Fortune Louis (1844-1901); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Spanish-American War)

Spotting the ace, A new game of patience (litho)
5217794 Spotting the ace, A new game of patience (litho) by Robinson, William Heath (1872-1944); Private Collection; (add.info.: Spotting the ace, A new game of patience)

Making observations of the accuracy of fire of siege artillery (colour litho)
3097624 Making observations of the accuracy of fire of siege artillery (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

American car (colour litho)
3641930 American car (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: American car. Illustration for The Book of Motors (Birn Brothers)

Trainspotters sitting on a gate on the edge of Cambridge watching the London express trains go by are disturbed by a courting couple. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. June 1954

The Davon patent brass spotting telescope, WW1
The Davon patent brass spotting telescope (War Office Broad Arrow), boxed by Broadhurst & Clarkson & Co, 83 Farringdon Road, London

Shark Spotting 2
A tiger shark spotted gliding along ion the marine park at Monkey Mia, Western Australia

Taking advantage of the situation... Street Lad - " Do you want an Errand Boy?" Shopkeeper - " No." Street Lad - " Yus you do, yours as just been runned over." !!

A Flettner FL282 Kolibri helicopter in US markings. This helicopter had two intermeshing rotors and was intended to operate from cruisers for spotting work in anti-submarine patrols

WW2 - 90cm A. A. Searchlight
WW2 British Home Front - a 90cm Anti Aircraft Searchlight. Date: circa 1940

WW1 - French troops watch a German Taube Aircraft pass over their trench. Advertorial postcard for Dubonnet. Date: 1915

Spotting for Guns / 1906
The French army, on the look- out for artillery attacks. Date: 1906

A Kite Balloon car over the Western Front, WW1
Two observers in the basket of a kite balloon pictured spotting activity on the ground below. The Kite Balloon section (often known as the balloonatics)

Watanabe E9W1 Model 11 Slim -designed to be stowed aboard the larger Japanese submarines for spotting over the horizon prey 35 built

Wooden Propeller painted with either an RE8 or a BE2E on a spotting and reconnaissance mission leaving English coastline over the North Sea.. J. Willey J

Romantic cyclists couple end of the day
digital art silhouette

Powdery mildew, Erysiphe euonymicola, white spotting on the leaves of a Euonymus foliage garden shrub in Ravello, Italy

Hollyhock rust, Puccinia malvacearum, early pustules on the lower surface of a hollyhock leaf

Damage to tomato leaves by two-spotted or red spider mites, Tetranychus urticae in a garden greenhouse

Picture No. 10869784
Birdwatcher - using Spotting Scope Date:

Apples severely affected by apple scab, Venturia inaequalis

Golden delicious apples severely affected by apple scab, Venturia inaequalis

Flettner FL282 Kolibri helicopter in flight. This helicopter had two intermeshing rotors and was intended to operate from cruisers for spotting work in anti-submarine patrols

A line-up of Flettner FL282 Kolibri helicopters. This helicopter had two intermeshing rotors and was intended to operate from cruisers for spotting work in anti-submarine patrols

Foliar nematode, Aphelenchoides spp, coming from an Anemone leaf immersed in dilute detergent

Mexico, Gulf Coast, Tanaxpillo Island, tourists in a boat looking at group of Macaques dotted around the islands shore

Black Leopard (Panthera pardus) lying on side watching

Canada, Ontario, Algonquin Provincial Park, Alces alces, Moose, crossing highway, side view

Taylorcraft Auster IV Aeroplane; Second World War, 1944
Illustration showing a Royal Air Force Taylorcraft Auster IV airplane, with an artillery spotter on board, pictured in action over Italy, 1944

A woman birdwatching off Cape Cornwall, Cornwall, UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

A woman birdwatching off sea cliffs on Cape cornwall in Cornwall, UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

German Look out Post
A German look-out post, up a tree, spotting enemy artillery

Loch Ness Spotting
Watching for the Loch Ness monster through a pair of binoculars

Emile Aubrun spotting submarines from his aeroplane
The French aviator Emile Aubrun (1881-1967) at Cherbourg demonstrates that submarines under water can be detected from aircraft flying at a height of 500 metres

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"Spotting the Beauty: A Boy Admires Spitfire at The Cloud Bar, Lincolnshire" In the picturesque coastal town of Anderby Creek, Lincolnshire, England, June brought with it a breathtaking sight - a young boy gazing in awe at the majestic Spitfire soaring through the sky. This momentous occasion took place at The Cloud Bar, known as the world's first official cloud spotting outpost nestled beside the tranquil beach. As history unfolded before his eyes, this boy joined a long lineage of plane spotters who have marveled at aviation wonders throughout time. From witnessing WW1 observation balloons engulfed in flames over Boyelles to observing daring merchant mine disposal during WW2, these brave individuals captured moments that would forever be etched in their memories. But spotting wasn't limited to war-related events alone; it extended to everyday life by capturing scenes like "Little Bo Peep" strolling along the seaside and Howard K Elcock's masterpiece "Spotting the Winner. " In this idyllic painting, a stylish couple sat on a bench beneath lush trees while a man drove his Rolls Royce along the seafront. With an enchanting pier and pavilion gracing the background, it was truly a scene worth spotting. For those seeking adventure beyond land-based sightings, roof-spotting became an unexpected pleasure. Discovering hidden gems from above offered an entirely new perspective on architecture and urban landscapes alike. Venturing further afar led us to Sri Lanka's Ratnapura District within Udawalawa National Park - an oasis for wildlife enthusiasts indulging in nature's wonders. Here we found ourselves immersed in stunning scenery while engaging in thrilling shark spotting adventures that left us both exhilarated and humbled by these magnificent creatures' presence. Amidst all our explorations lay one constant companion - The Davon patent brass spotting telescope from WW1.