PANORAMA D'UN STEEPLE-CHASE

Folding telescopic paper peepshow depicting a steeple-chase, printed in lithography with hand colouring. Pictorial card covers with four illustrated cut-out sections in between, joined in folding concertina style, with illustrated rear panel (six illustrated sections in total). The upper cover with a hole through which to view the scene, continuing through the four internal sections. The lower board with titles printed on blue-green paper. Each section 19 x 14cm, extending to c. 50cm in length. A very good example, the covers with some rubbing and a little loss to the illustration on the upper cover; the contents with a few old neat paper reinforcements/repairs to the blank paper joints between the panels and minor wear to the edges are otherwise in very good order. Internally the peepshow remains bright and without loss.

A particularly lively and visually striking peepshow by the French publisher Élie Haguenthal (1822-1881), wonderfully capturing the energy and social buzz of a contemporary horse race. Haguenthal was a leading maker of such novelties from around 1850 until his death, winning numerous medals at the annual 'Exposition des produits de l'industrie française' industrial exhibitions. An uncommon paper peepshow; we can trace no copies in either auction records or institutional collections worldwide.