Germany/France, ca. 1750-1800. Elongate folio (40.6 x 16.8 cm). 42 leaves of blue laid paper with ca. 175 figures mounted and another ca 100 figures not yet cut-out. In later clamshell box (44.6 x 19.5 x 2.5 cm).

A wonderful, extraordinarily shaped scrapbook, allowing maximal use of elongated illustrations. Of particular interest are the Chinoiserie scenes of which there are quite a few. Taken from 18th-century prints by firms from the Augsburg school, and, probably, in particular those designed and printed by Martin Engelbrecht (1684-1756) and his brother Christian, who were successful German illustrators and engravers during most of the 18th century. Possibly there are also some French, slightly later figures in the album. Martin Engelbrecht was probably the first to create cards especially designed for miniature theatres: portable dioramas that became highly successful in the second half of the 18th and early part of the 19th centuries, before being replaced by the magic lantern, home film and video, the DVD, etc. They were, however, also used in scrapbooks, as is done here. It is rare to see so many of his engravings combined. Some show people, others are very accurate images of wild and domestic animals, garden objects, scenery, etc. Many are simply placed thematically together, but others are used to create whole page scenes. The majority are in contemporary hand-colouring. Leaves uncut. Paper strong and clean, except for a weak horizontal fold, that in the first, blank leaf resulted in a tear with an old repair, and in the two subsequent leaves in a small, marginal repair. Printing and colouring bright and contemporary. Loosely inserted are another four partly clipped leaves, one leaf with 33 small cut-outs showing various people, mostly in rural settings, mounted; together with three other, loose cut outs (a vase with a plant, three birds, some people on horseback). The inside of the clamshell box is covered in green-dyed paper. It contains a mounted label, with printed text "Die Wahre Freiheit Wird Im Geist Geboren" [true freedom is born in the mind], and a vignette resembling an envelope, but probably representing the initials MB, or MVB. A unique and fine item.