To the Queen's Private Apartment – Very early Dean & Son movable flaps print
G. A. H. Dean & Co. Threadneedle Street [n.d., c.1840’s.]
Hand-colored lithograph with movable (lift up) overlay that reveals a scene underneath
Marked G. A. H. Dean, this dates this print to between 1838 and 1847
31 x 21.3 cm. (sheet) - 300 x. 220mm - (11¾ x 8¾)
Condition: Some slight edge wear and 3 small tears on right side - they do not go all the way to the flaps and do not effect flaps opening or scene inside.
Before Dean produced their infamous movable books – there were the movable prints. Their production of movable prints (and loose prints in general) seems to have diminished entirely, by the 1860s. Quite fragile and scarce, we have identified only a few in collections worldwide.
This early Dean print is part of a series featuring interactive movable flaps. It portrays a view of the doors leading to Queen Victoria's private chambers. When the flaps are opened, a playful scene is revealed, showing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert enjoying a lighthearted moment with three of their children—likely Victoria, Princess Royal, King Edward VII, and Princess Alice. The image captures Prince Albert crouched on all fours while one child playfully uses a garland of flowers as reins around his neck. To the left, another child tugs at his tie while holding a toy whip, adding to the mischief. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria gently holds the youngest child, seated on Prince Albert’s back.
The Yale Center for British Art has a copy of this early flap-style lithograph in its collection, as does the Royal Collection Trust
Collector's Corner:
Dean & Co., initially known as Dean & Munday until 1838, and later as Dean & Son from 1847, were prominent producers of vibrant lithographs for both adults and children. While there are numerous ads for their books, their movable prints were less frequently advertised. Between 1838 and 1847, as Dean & Co., they developed their movable print production, a craft further advanced by Dean & Son later in the 19th century for children's books. By the 1860s, their focus shifted more towards children's movable books, reducing their production of standalone movable prints. Unlike some competitors, Dean & Co. were both printers and publishers of their lithographs, leading in chromolithography during this period.
Other similar Novelty Prints by Dean & Co : ( At a recent auction, February 2023, for The Museum of Natural Curiosities offered by Potter & Potter Auctions went for $2,400.)
The Museum of Natural Curiosities. 12 ½ x 10”. The image depicts a man sitting on the back end of a horse-drawn cart, looking curiously inside. As the back panel is lowered, the back of the cart swings open to unveil two tigers and a lion who push against the door, resulting in the unsuspecting man tumbling to the ground.
The Royal Railroad Carriage two doors of the carriage open, revealing a scene of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, with some of their children and attendants
The Royal Oak (Tab moves to reveal six oval portraits of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, the Princess Royal, King Edward VII as Prince of Wales, Princess Alice and Prince Alfred.
To the Queen's Prìvate Apartment ( twin doors revealing the Queen & Albert)
A Peep at Windsor Terrace (forest scene with twin doors revealing children & dog)
Prince Albert Driving his favorites: Side of the carriage folds down to reveal his children riding within
A different flap print by Dean:
"Royal Aquatic Excursion" with just one movable flap revealing the barge's interior.[323 x 260 mm]. Depicts the Royal barge gliding on the water, adorned with the Royal Standard, manned by a crew of ten rowers and a helmsman, with ships visible in the distance. The print features a flap that opens to reveal the cabin's interior, where Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, three children, and a nurse are illustrated.
References:
Wood, Sileas. "Moving Pictures: Nineteenth-Century British Mechanical Prints." Print Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 2, June 2017, pp. 162-176. Print Quarterly Publications.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/45137227.
Homans, Margaret. Royal Representations: Queen Victoria and British Culture, 1837-1876. University of Chicago Press, 1998.
British Museum. "The Torn Hat; a Young Boy with a Whip in His Right Hand, Looking to Front, Wearing a Large Hat with a Hole in It and a Blue Sash Over His White Shirt, After Sully." Accessed January 6, 2024. Available at:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P...
Dean & Co. "Prince Albert driving his favorites." Hand-colored lithograph, 1843 or after. 9 3/8 in. x 12 1/2 in. (239 mm x 316 mm) paper size. National Portrait Gallery, London. Purchased, 1903. NPG D20926. Available to view online at:
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrai...
All books are returnable within 14 days of receipt if not delighted for any reason