[WANTED NOTICE] Criminal Trombinoscope. [New York, circa 1880-1900]. Wooden cabinet (75.2 x 58.2 x 26 cm), door decorated with an original oil painting, opening onto 10 hinged pivoting racks, each with 25 slots, housing 100 photographic portraits, 9 x 5.5 cm. Extraordinary system cabinet designed to hold photographic portraits of wanted criminals: it was made in the United States around 1880, probably for a New York detective agency. It contains a collection of 100 photographic portraits of American criminals, on albumen paper, dating from the late 19th century. 34 portraits are stamped "C. W. Bigden photographer", and 2 are stamped "Fay photography". Most of them bear handwritten indications on the back, giving the identity and description of the criminal, the date of arrest, the sentence, and so on. These include Charles Brown "The Murderer of Berkley"; Frank Weader "Horse Thief"; Joseph Quinn "Pickpocket"; William Scholl wanted for "Bruglary", etc. The door closing the cabinet is adorned with a large oil painting depicting a crime scene at night. An anonymous naive painting: the murderer turns as he leaves, while his victim lies on the ground with his throat slit. The night scene seems to represent London, and the clock tower in the background, indicating the time of the crime, appears to be Big Ben. However, as the corpse is that of a man, it cannot be Jack the Ripper, who only preyed on women, occasional prostitutes. A unique object, the most curious unearthed by Philippe Zoummeroff. It was featured in the Crimes et légendes catalog published by the Serge Plantureux bookshop (1991, no. 800: with cover reproduction). Provenance: Zoummeroff Collection (Zoummeroff sale: Bibliothèque Philippe Zoummeroff. Crimes et Châtiments, May 16, 2014, no. 188)