Between the Covers

Hardcover. A combined photo album and music box designed by W.H.S. Thompson and H. Bunnett and made in Germany, featuring chromolithographic sporting scenes and a fully functioning comb and cylinder musical movement device mounted inside the album behind a glass door. Thick quarto. Bound in padded leather over boards with a blind-embossed tennis scene on the front cover, a floral design stamped in blind on the back cover, decorative borders in gold and in blind, a brass clasp and four small brass bosses on the back cover.

The front half of the album consists of 14 thick cardboard leaves, including an illustrated chromolithographic title leaf and 13 leaves with cut-out mounting frames for photographs, 10 of which are illustrated with sporting scenes: including Golf and Cricket, La Crosse and Base Ball, and American Foot Ball. A wooden music box chamber comprises the back half of the album, designed to blend in with the rest of the album on the outside. The glass door mounted at the center of the box is framed by another chromolithographic illustration of Skating, Snowshoeing, Sleighing, Toboggening, and Ice Yachting. The comb and cylinder device mounted inside includes the brass key to be inserted in a winding hole located on the back cover.

There are three small contemporary owners' names (dated 1895, 1899, and 1916) in ink on the front pastedown, the spine back is torn at the head and tail and is split along the right vertical edge, else very good with toning to the cardboard leaves. The framed photo mounts are empty, with two miniature contemporary portrait photographs (of an infant and young man) mounted at the center of two non-illustrated leaves. A charming Victorian album designed and made in Germany for the American market. A list of the chromolithographic illustrations is available.

Item #426585