Fedor Flinzer - Tommy Murr's Diary - 1886

Tommy Murr's Diary: Written by Himself is an exceptionally scarce and highly prized 19th-century children's picture book, originally published in 1886 by the prestigious fine-art publishing house Meissner & Buch of Leipzig and London. This charming English-language adaptation is loosely inspired by the classic satirical character "Kater Murr" created by the German Romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann. The volume is presented in a landscape-oriented quarto format measuring approximately 28 X 22 cm, bound in original paper-covered pictorial boards over a slim cloth backstrip. The unpaginated interior is printed on heavy late-Victorian paper stock, accented by beautifully decorated endpapers that reflect the premium manufacturing standards of its era.

The true highlight of this rare publication is its suite of stunning, vibrant chromolithograph plates executed by the legendary German illustrator Fedor Flinzer (1832–1911). Renowned across Europe as the "Saxon Cat Painter," Flinzer was celebrated for his masterful, anthropomorphic depictions of felines, which are showcased here with a rich, watercolor-like visual depth. Because Meissner & Buch utilized a complex, multi-layered color printing process, the ink on these full-page inserts possesses a textured, layered quality that remains highly sought after by collectors of historic children's literature and fine vintage illustration. Complete copies of this fragile, late-Victorian masterpiece are extraordinarily difficult to source in the modern antiquarian trade.



Condition Report

• Collation & Completeness: 100% complete. Thoroughly collated against known bibliography. Contains the absolute total of 24 unpaginated leaves (configured as 16 text pages and 8 standalone full-page plates, with standard text-to-verso printing on designated inserts). No leaves have been excised, and the narrative flow is continuous.
• Interior & Plates: Fine. The interior blocks remain remarkably well-preserved. The full-page chromolithograph plates executed by Fedor Flinzer are exceptionally bright, crisp, and vibrant, retaining their deep color saturation and signature textured ink quality. The heavy late-Victorian paper stock remains clean, showing minimal age-toning and escaping the heavy foxing typical of this period.
• Binding & Extremities: Fair only; exhibits wear commensurate with age and handling. The original paper-covered pictorial boards are moderately soiled, with distinct rubbing, paper loss, and exposure at the corners and outer edges. The slim cloth backstrip (spine) is damaged, showing significant wear and material loss.
• Structure & Hinges: Fragile. Both inner hinges are cracked. Due to the nature of the landscape quarto binding design, the signature thread loops have slackened, leaving certain leaves shaken and becoming detached. However, all individual sheets remain entirely present within the volume.