I have here for sale a Rare  DIABLERIES STEREO VIEW - #55 CONFERENCE PAR MLLE SATAN, produced by COLLECTION S.L. around 1860.

Fascinating stereo cards, which were made exclusively in France, beginning in the 1860s, and continuing on until around 1900.  The cards, called 'Diableries' (which translates roughly as 'Devilments') depict a whole imaginary underworld, populated by devils, satyrs and skeletons which are very much alive and, for the most part, having fun.  The cards are works of art in themselves, and are known as FRENCH TISSUES, constructed in a special way to enable them to be viewed (in a stereoscope) illuminated from the front, for a normal 'day' appearance in monochrome, or illuminated from the back, transforming the view into a 'night' scene, in which hidden colours magically appear, and the eyes of the skeletons leap out in red, in a most macabre way ! Collectors prize these cards, which are quite delicate, and must be handled with care, in order not to damage them.  

The scenes depicted in these Diableries were made in clay, on a table-top, with amazing skill, by a small bunch of gifted sculptors, and then photographed with a stereo camera. The resulting stereo pair of prints was made on thin albumen paper, and water-colours were applied - not to the front surface, as in the case of normal stereo cards, like the 'Scenes in Our Village' cards shown elsewhere on this site - but to the back of the prints. The eyes of each skeleton were then pricked out with a sharp instrument, and small pieces of red gel, or blobs of reddened varnish, were applied to the back of the pricked holes. Behind this pair of prints was added a layer of tissue paper, which hid the 'works' to the rear surface of the view. The print and the backing tissue were then mounted together, sandwiched between two cardboard frames - each with twin cut-out 'windows' for the prints, and the whole was glued together to make a French Tissue stereo card.

Some damage to the photographs, tears , please see photos for the condition. 

18cm x 9cm.

Postage and packing : I know that you will be looking forward to receiving your order, each book is carefully wrapped in packing paper ( I have changed from bubble wrap to try and reduce my use of plastic) and posted in a Jiffy bag if size permitting, if not it is double wrapped in corrugated cardboard, brown paper and then securely taped. 

To keep the cost of the postage down to the most economical level per book, you may consider buying more than 1 item from my eBay account. You can then request a combined postage cost and I will combine the items into the fewest parcels as possible - saving you money :)

 

My main posting days are Monday and Thursday ie. If you place an order and payment is received after Thursday 12.00 noon your order will be posted out on Monday. 

If you place an order and payment is received after Monday 12.00 noon your order will be posted out Thursday morning. If you require your book urgently please contact me and I will do my best. :)

Please note that all local taxes , import duties and vat are at the customers own expense.