Guerin-Muller & Cie. (Publisher)
Les Surprises, ou, Le bien et le mal (Surprises Good and Evil) (Movable Book)
Paris: Guerin-Muller & Cie., [ca. 1875]. Second edition. Large quarto (34 x 26 cm). Original half cloth over pictorial boards with mounted chromolithographed cover illustration. [6] stiff card leaves, printed rectos only, containing twelve hand-colored movable transformation scenes (two per leaf). French-language text. Illustrated by Carl von Haberlin (1832–1911). Printed by J. F. Schreiber, Esslingen (“Impr. J.F. Schreiber, Esslingen”).
Condition: Excellent. All six transformation plates (twelve scenes total) are complete, original, and function smoothly. Minor archival repairs around a few tab areas; some light cover wear and edge toning to the leaves. Binding tight and original. A very well-preserved example.
Description: Each illustration transforms via a pull-tab to reveal a contrasting moral scene. The original title page states: “containing twelve colored paintings executed with the greatest care from the original paintings by C. Haeberlin.
A children’s moral picture book contrasting praiseworthy and blameworthy character traits through movable transformation scenes including Generosity and Stubbornness, Industry and Pride, Docility and Neglect of Duty, Distraction and Diligence, Activity and Nonchalance, and Gluttony and Sobriety.
Edition: This copy represents the later Rue des Archives issue, published after Guerin-Muller relocated from Rue du Grand Chantier to 15 rue des Archives in 1874. Earlier copies bearing the Rue du Grand Chantier imprint appear to date from circa 1865–1867. Since A. Capendu succeeded or absorbed the Guerin-Muller firm around 1880, the present edition is best dated circa 1874–1880.
Collector's Corner:
This scarce mid-19th-century French transformation book serves as both entertainment and moral instruction for children. Les Surprises, ou, Le bien et le mal presents six pairs of opposing behaviors: each large-format illustration opens with a virtue—such as "générosité" (generosity), "travail" (work), or "docilité" (obedience)—and, with the pull of a tab, transforms to reveal its opposing vice: "obstination" (stubbornness), "orgueil" (pride), or "oubli du devoir" (forgetfulness of duty). This moral duality reflects the era's emphasis on character-building through visual storytelling.
The illustrator, Carl von Haberlin, was not merely a children’s illustrator. He was a respected German historical painter associated with the Stuttgart school and later became known for theatrical and narrative illustration work. He was a prominent German historical painter whose illustrations here were specially adapted into twelve intricate color scenes. This explains why the scenes in Les Surprises feel unusually dramatic and theatrical compared to many ordinary children’s books of the period.
Each movable plate features precise hand-coloring and finely engineered paper mechanics, a testament to the craftsmanship of early transformation books.
Published by Guerin-Müller—a precursor to A. Capendu and active from roughly 1850 to 1880—this title represents an important link in the evolution of French paper engineering. The movable format, used here to emphasize moral lessons, predates the more whimsical works of later 19th-century publishers.
“Impr. J.F. SCHREIBER, Esslingen” means the book was actually printed by J. F. Schreiber in Esslingen, Germany, even though it was published by Guerin-Muller & Cie
The book is exceedingly rare. Aside from this copy, we are aware of only one other example, sold by Ketterer Kunst (Munich) in 2011 for €1,800 (approx. $2,296).
References:
Carl von Häberlin. Lothar Meggendorfer 1847–1925: Werkverzeichnis. Comboxx, 2012.
Ketterer Kunst, Auction 379, Lot 640. Munich, November 2011. https://www.kettererkunst.com/details
Reference: Pech, Peter Wilhelm. Carl von Haeberlin (1832–1911): Studien zu Leben und Werk. 1982 page 334
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