The Wasp — 1876 — page 69: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a large building labeled "HOUSE OF" (likely "House of Corruption") being auctioned off. An elderly man with a long beard stands as the auctioneer or seller, holding papers marked "SOLD" and displaying auction notices. Atop the building perch numerous well-dressed gentlemen in top hats—appearing to represent corrupt politicians or city officials—crowded together in a chaotic manner, suggesting they've infested the structure. A sign reads: "FOR SALE / PRIVATE AUCTION / TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER / OFFERS REQUIRED." The cartoon satirizes municipal corruption and the apparent sale or transfer of city government to the highest bidder, mocking how politicians treat public institutions as personal commodities. The crowded figures suggest systemic graft and self-interested exploitation of city resources.