Eric Kroll

Elmer Batters was an erotic photographer who specialised in the appeal of the female leg and foot. In one of the short essays included in this collection of photographs he claims to be a 'leg man' rather than a fetishist, but to a non-expert the distinction seems a little close. Not a few of the images in this magnificent collection show women in the act of kissing feet. Batters has many albums to his name, published by the accomplished Taschen publishing house, a legend in the presentation of erotic images in a way that is totally sympathetic to lovers of the erotic female body. Batters uses an individual style which is instantly recognisable in its use of scenes, perspectives and inventive cropping. His subject is thus drawn into prominence surrounded by a wealth of other feminine features that add superbly to the superb banquet of images of the female body. Do not expect a book that departs significantly from his other books, but treat this one as yet another contribution to his art and you will not be disappointed. An excellent collection… (more)

'Bizarre' was a magazine which started in the early 1950s, catering to a broad spectrum of fetish tastes in bondage, corsets, high heels, tightly fitting boots, nylon stockings, exotic clothing, rubberwear, leatherwear, male cross-dressing, pony girls, male slaves, and corporal punishment. It relied heavily on readers' contributions, photographs and letters, which are always of questionable veracity in the erotic sphere, but it seems to have attracted a broadly based subscriber base, allowing it to continue to 26 detail-packed volumes. There are a few regular contributors of stories in the two thick volumes of this edition. Taschen have done a magnificent job in reproducing a complete set of the host of issues, although it is clear that the quality of the original material has limited the contrast and clarity of the very large number of illustrations – line drawings and photographs. This certainly detracts from the visual appearance of the two volumes, although simply making this treasure trove of relatively early fetish material constitutes a major achievement that has been only marginally diminished. Enthusiasts of most erotic preferences will certainly be able to spend hours digging through the wealth of detail that is presented here. The nature of the subject matter is such that the book retains its validity over fifty years later, but nevertheless it represents a testimony to the undercurrent of permissiveness that existed in the USA even in that era.… (more)