Polichinelle
A. Capendu, Editeur, Paris, ca. 1880
Movable Book – 5 Mechanical Scenes – Fine Condition
Large quarto (31 × 28.5 cm). Original pictorial boards. Complete with five fully functional movable scenes operated by pull-tabs. Illustrated in rich chromolithography. Text by “Mme de Grand Maison,” the pseudonym of French author Marie-Félicie Dufour (1846–1933), who wrote for Capendu in the 1880s. All original pull-tabs present and working.
A superb and exceptionally rare 19th-century French movable book, Polichinelle was published by Alexandre Capendu of Paris and showcases unique mechanical sophistication not seen in English counterparts. Unlike Dean & Son’s Royal Movable Punch & Judy series—which inspired this work—Polichinelle is distinct in that both the upper and lower parts of each scene animate simultaneously, offering a dynamic double-action movement rarely seen in toy books of the period.
No other copies of this edition have been located in institutional or commercial holdings, underscoring its extreme rarity. A related Capendu movable, Polichinelle des Champs-Élysées, has appeared in a single auction record, suggesting thematic continuity but different content and format.
The character Polichinelle, derived from Italy’s Pulcinella and popularized in France by the 17th century, had by the 1800s become central to harlequinade-style puppet and marionette shows. This edition offers a French reinterpretation of Punch-style storytelling with a distinctly Continental narrative voice and moral undertone, in keeping with Capendu’s educational publishing goals.
Scenes include:
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Polichinelle and Mother Michel – A humorous confrontation involving a lost cat and a near-spoon mishap.
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Polichinelle and the Gendarme – A comic escape from a bumbling police officer.
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Polichinelle and the Alligator – A witty exchange and slapstick chase scene.
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The Enemies of Polichinelle – A showdown in which Polichinelle uses his rope to lasso foes.
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The Songs of Polichinelle – The book concludes with a lyrical soliloquy expressing his mischievous charm.
Condition: Fine. Exceptionally well-preserved, with all mechanicals intact and operable. No repairs. The binding remains tight and original, and the pull-tabs show only minor age-appropriate handling. A bright, complete, and mechanically sound copy.
Collector’s Corner:
This book represents one of Capendu’s most original mechanical productions for the French market. While Capendu is known to have issued localized editions of English Dean & Son titles, Polichinelle stands apart in both its design and mechanical innovation. The dual-motion flaps are unlike anything found in Dean’s Punch & Judy books.
Marie de Grand’Maison (also known as Marie Melchior) was a prolific and patriotic French writer whose literary output ranged from moral education for youth to tales of national pride. Over 100 of her titles are catalogued by the Bibliothèque nationale de France, though little is published about her career. Her known collaborations with Capendu—possibly including other now-lost movables—place her among the few 19th-century female authors producing text for mechanical books.
Movable books featuring Polichinelle were part of a broader cultural moment in 19th-century France, where toy books, puppet shows, and educational literature were closely linked. This book, with its vivid scenes and kinetic humor, was not only designed to amuse but also to reinforce moral lessons through satire and character-based antics.
A nearly unrecorded title—no other copies can be located in institutional holdings, published bibliographies, or the marketplace at the time of listing.
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