Moomin findings in auctions — Extremely rare 50s booklet with unique images and story by Tove Jansson
Materials outside the "main materials" can sometimes have odd colorations. Hey, here we have Hallonmumriken! (My reference to the old defunct Swedish candy brand "Snusmumrikar", also known as "Mumrikar", coincidentally named after the same real Swedish colloquial word as Tove Jansson's Snusmumriken [Snufkin], which had a raspberry variant called "Hallonmumrikar", the most popular one). Despite in the books where Snusmumriken always plays his golden harmonica (that he inherent from his mother's paternal aunt from the Cedric story who was likely his role model for his lifestyle and philosophy) and wears green, outside materials often have him play other instruments like accordion and flute while in few cases in different colors (like most characters does, likely for more abstract stylization). Yellow dresses on Lilla My just trigger adult trauma in me over something I really don't want to get into. I interpret it as a red dress with yellow dots rather than yellow dress with red dots. The size of the rose in the glass shows their actual tiny non-human sizes (as Småtrolls, small trolls).
About the Booklet and its background
“En berättelse om Mumintrollet” [“A Story of Mumintrollet” is a very unique informative promotional material of a 16-page booklet with unique illustrations and story Tove Jansson specially made for the bank Finska föreningsbanken in 1956. It's 24X17 cm.
According to Magnus Palm's auction's description, story is about Mumintrollet working with flower delivery to earn 500 mark that he want to put inside Föreningsbanken's saving globe. This is also the only time the Hemul banker character "Bankhemulen/Bankfarbrorn" ["The Banker Hemul / The Bank Uncle"] appears.
I have no idea how much 1 Finnish mark (FIM) was worth in the 50s. 500 FIM seems to be almost 100 euros however it might be much different in the 50s.
Finska föreningsbanken (FBF) [Union Bank] (Suomen Yhdyspankki in Finnish) was a major bank in Finland until it shut down 1995 where it merged with the rival more Finnish-speaking bank Kansallis-Osake-Pankki (KOP) to gave birth to the larger well-known North European bank Nordea that we have today whose headquarters are still in Helsinki.
This booklet was printed by Offset oy and Taucher Reklam. The booklet was handed over to customers by the bank and 10 stories originally appeared as ads in Finnish newspapers as mentioned in the booklets themselves. Just like materials outside the original literatures, Tove Jansson's language use is more normalized, simplified and clarified although still rather distinct. This one was actually confirmed to have been written by Tove Jansson herself and is consistent with her style and surreal satirical deadpan humor and characterization.
I have a post of my translation of the ads for the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (where the comic strips was published in Sweden) where Tove Jansson provided unique illustrations but the writer for the written content was unclear since it doesn't match Tove Jansson's writing style. You can see that post HERE.
Unfortunately the auction sites don't showcase all 16 pages so I have collected the available ones and translated them into English. (Partially lost media?). It was shown as an auction I freaking missed in 2st May 2024 called "Tove Jansson och Mumin ur Magnus Palm samlingar" held by the collector Magnus Palm. Magnus Palm and Anders Landén was the responsible for the ultimate collectors' guide "Skatter från Mumindalen" released the same year. I have access to this book for free at nearby library but I don't think I ever saw this booklet in this book (or at least showcased the whole content).
There was a ton of things I missed 2024 because I wasn't really into Tove Jansson at the time (if I just saw Mumin och havet 1968 that was available at SVT since 2016 where I would find Tove Jansson very personally relatable and inspirational as a young artist!). The pages might not be in order since there's no page numbers to these and I took these pictures from different auction sites.
“No one in Mumindalen has seen something similar like this weird thing before! It was a glowing blue ball and it had exciting golden-figures on.
Mumin watched and Sniff watched with his whiskers trembling by surprise/astonishment. He has the urge to take the ball.
But, but — it was out of reach behind a thick glass inside the window of the bank.
It’s beautiful, Sniff said.
But what should you do with it?
— Then Mumintrollet said:
“I go inside and ask Bankfarbrorn [The Bank Uncle].
Because Bankfarbrorn knows almost everything.”
What happens next?"
As you can see at the iconic map over Mumindalen [Moominvalley] from Trollkarlens hatt 1948 (3rd book), the old layout of Muminhuset at the right corner have been replaced by a saving globe globe. Although closer inspection this is a complete recreation of that map. (Also, please ignore the doodles from the kid owning this booklet, that image was the one with the best resolution. I'm not sure if this was actually signed by Tove Jansson herself or the kid just signed her name. Tove Jansson was a very known celebrity in Finland.). You can see comparison at the bottom of my post.
“This story about Mumintrollet and his friends has previously published ten in the row following ads in the country’s biggest daily newspapers. Now the funny story is also in a colorful picture book. Föreningsbanken wishes all of Mumintrollet's friends many pleasant customers with the company of the book."
I think this box is less likely to have been written by Tove Jansson. Not because of the explicit presence of "friends" since Tove will use more normalized clarified language despite avoid explicit non-family statuses, including romantic ones, as much as possible in favor of show-don't-tell minimalism except few platonic friendships (although a couple of times in the older novels do uses the plural term "friends" for the whole community). Tove Jansson is not that known with more formal marketing speech such as the SvD's ads.
Also “The country’s biggest daily newspapers” implies this was also translated into Finnish? Also there aren't much color to consider it a colored picture book. The only pictures are the back and front cover, color of the papers themselves and the last riddle section.
Mumintrollet's gift to Snorkfröken (and everyone)
""FIVE-HUNDRED MARK"! Mumintrollet sighed
"Now I'm in a hurry
But wait — this is only enough for a Saving-globe, then I can only you know collect five-hundred mark as MANY time as possible with it!
Then I have MONEY
and can buy a beautiful present for anyone!"
And even if Mumin didn't say it LOUDLY he thought about Snorkfröken.
— Then he hurried away because no one have even got five-hundred mark through sitting still.
And when Mumin thought about Snorkfröken's present and about all the beautiful map pictures that one can get when one emptying the moneybox he almost felt like increasing the pace.
Unfortunately the seller didn't took photo of the left page. I have no idea what Snusmumriken and Lilla My have to do with this image. Whatever Mumintrollet ran from them without them having anything to say or just ran pass them with them might have something to do on the next page.
Although it seems like this page was taken at the start of the story where Mumintrollet didn't have a Saving-globe yet.
Mumintrollet doesn't want to admit he just wants to buy a present especially for Snorkfröken out loud maybe due to embarrassment (that he have any special feelings towards her or a particular person) and just shouted he's going to buy presents for "everyone". Since he impulsively shouted that in front of his friends Snusmumriken and Lilla My then they would expect Mumintrollet to buy something for them too (that might explain their presence without being mentioned in the text). Mumintrollet is very commonly highly cautious with expressing his personal feelings towards one person in the books (like Snusmumriken's departure) despite his naivety and impulsivity which is actually a common thing to do for many people in real life regardless of relationship statuses. It might be a cultural norm thing as well as Nordic societies don't in generally favor you showcasing excessive emotions/expressions outward, especially not towards one particular person as it might imply you are weirdly obsessed.
Even if Snusmumriken normally don't care or nervous about most possessions, he does enjoy gifting, seemingly if it's practical or sentimental such as the tobacco pouch by Skogsungarna [The Forest Children] from Farlig midsommar 1954 (5th book) and the shark-tooth by Muminpappan that his father Joxaren admired in Muminpappans bravader/memoarer 1950/1968 (4th book).
Cat pics makes you the best student in school!
Left page:
""The world is so BIG and full of peculiar things", Mumintrollet said.
My mother have said, that were the sun disappears at the evening, there's today already tomorrow!
I will travel and see where the sun goes down when I have filled my Saving-globe with money.
There will never be night and no one need to go to sleep!"
"How would you find there?",
asked lilla My.
"I take ALL cat pictures I got from Bankfarbrorn with me," Mumin said.
"If I have them with me, then it's impossible to get lost!
"You speak so wisely that you doesn't even understand everything you have said," My said and pursed her little nose.
"But one thing I know:
Now we go home and eat! Because no matter how MANY cat pictures you have, you can't travel without food in your stomach!"
What happens next?"
It seems like Mumintrollet got naively impulsive and literal with Muminmamman's philosophical quote that likely refers to passage of time.
Also, Bankhemulen gave pics of cats to Mumintrollet? Best banker ever! I really wish to see that page though! Mumintrollet believe the cat pics would prevent him to get lost somehow. Maybe mentally lost, not physically. That's why I kept distracting my anxieties with cat content so that I don't get myself lost in my thoughts overthinking about everything.
This is one examples of Lilla My is the voice of reason reflecting the others' consciousness while being hilariously deadpan.
Right page:
""The Saving-globe and the cat pictures teaches you a lot of THINGS", Mumin thought for himself
"You see for example, that it's as l-o-n-g way from Mumindalen to Turkey like from Turkey to Mumindalen.
And what's the city that the teacher asked for — No one KNEW that other than me! That was read on my newest cat picture just beside another city."
(And Mumintrollet BLUSHES when he have answered because it's not that easy to be the wiser than the others!)
One so great and new knowledge made even the teacher surprised and the others listened be all ears. And whispered quietly to each other:
"Let Mumintrollet do with his knowledge until we also have a Saving-globe at home!"
What happened next?"
Apparently Mumintrollet goes to school here. Seemingly he got the answers right from just watching some cat photo. I first assumed it was just him fantasizing a school scenario of being the best in the class from just watching cat photos and saving cash.
If you ever wonder, yes Mumindalen is located around Helsinki in Finland (in Trollvinter 1957, a family photo of the Mumintrolls was signed "Helsingfors" [Helsinki]). Whatever it's visible to humans (for being tiny) or in a different paralleled dimension (like many other Nordic folkloric beings does) is not really known.
While not having the full context behind the cat pictures since there are only few pages available right now but it implies to me that you get rewarded with cute cat photos when storing money at the bank!
Ceremony of earning the Saving-Globe
Left page:
“One should be f-a-s-t when one is a florist”, Mumin said. “I wish I was a LITTLE BIGGER and a LITTLE HANDIER.
Then I would have handed out flowers straight away and already today get five-hundred mark for my Saving-globe!
— And here Mumintrollet must stay because around him swarms the bugs/insects and wanted to drink the honey out off the flowers. “Help, all the bugs are coming at me”, whines a little angry voice. And the little sister My sticks out her head amongst the flowers. (My is an important person and so tiny that she can fit in anywhere)
"I cut them off, so that we can continue. You get no Saving-globe if you just stand and let the others drink honey from your flowers."
"Thanks", said Mumintrollet." "As a reward you can come with me to Föreningsbanken and retrieve the Saving-globe. And when you — you can even help with fill it, if you really want it PLEASE/GLADLY.
In this context it’s very likely referring to the more common term for “småkryp” to referring bugs/insects rather than small beings (“småkryp” in Mumin commonly mean “small being” since it was used for smaller trolls, Ti-ti-oo and the small dragon. Likely because “små kryp” literally means “small crawlers” as in something close to the ground however normal Swedish speech is much more likely used for bugs/insects).
Also, this is the ONLY time I have found where Lilla My is explicitly referring to as Mumintrollet’s little sister. She was adopted in her first appearance of the comic strips but she was never referred as a sister other than little sister to Mymlan [Mymble]. Lilla My suddenly became adopted in the last two books Pappan och havet and Sent i november without explanation, years after the first comic strip appearance where in between for the mainline books she lived with her older sister. Even there she was never called Mumintrollet's sister.
It could also be that Lilla My is a little sister to someone (Mymlan, not Snusmumriken since that was very quickly discontinued right after Muminpappans bravader 1950 and removed in its revisited version Muminpappans memoarer 1968 that the English localization ignored and the family tree was outdated draft for early productions which explains they NEVER recognize each other as siblings at all absolutely elsewhere) like a title just like when Snorkfröken’s early alternative name was “Snorksystern” [“The Snorksister”] which refers to being a sister to someone (Snorken) however quickly discontinued after Trollkarlens hatt 1948 (the earliest book available in its original version that almost never got a revision) and totally removed in Kometjakten’s total 1968 revision Kometen kommer that made her more independent from her brother.
The parentheses sounds like an introduction to My and I'm really not sure if this was the end or around the start of the booklet.
Right page:
Soon will Mumintrollet have five-hundred mark and the BIG moneybox dawns. Bankfarbror gave Mumintrollet the golden-blue glowing Saving-Globe and said many beautiful words to him. Mumin's nose was pale with excitement, and his hands tremble a little.
But he behaved with dignity and Snorkfröken looked admiringly at him under her light fringe.
— It was so solemnly that not even Snusmumriken dared to take out his harmonika. But he decided to play party music afterwards outdoors.
And soon they came out into the yard Snusmumriken plays a happy Moneybox-song!
"We help Mumin to carry the moneybox!" screamed/shouted everyone. But Mumintrollet was already on the way home in leaping-march
He want apparently admire his own Saving-globe for a little while in calm peace.
Unlike common misconceptions of Snusmumriken (based on false memories caused by apophenia for more familiar stereotypical cliche tropes such as a cold distant sage loner that he never actually fit), his solitude and social life is rather normal and actually not that different from others'. The only difference is that his solitude never blurs into loneness, is aware of it and don't actually need socialization but choses anyway because he simply enjoy it when he feels like it. He's rather cheery, playful and humorous by default and do enjoy playing and entertaining with others. He's just like everyone else when it comes to becoming far more bitter and unsocial than normal during isolated instances of bad mood such as during his way departing and returning to his home Mumindalen.
A fun picture-riddle
Now you and Mumintrollet and the SAVING-GLOBE surely are already old acquaintances. But Mumintrollet have still something to say to you. But he’s a sly dog, he don’t tell what he has in his mind like that without furthermore — you yourself should find out!
Mumintrollet want to entrust you, about what he and his friends think about the SAVING GLOBE.
That you will find out if you on the previous page: where you see some images, all represent animals, that you know. Beside each image are a serial number. Take the first letter in the name for each one of the animals.
So you put together the letters, you got — but in the right order. The sentence you figure out will tell what Mumintrollet thinks about the Saving-globe.
When you are done with the answer you can write it here:
…………….…………………
— And it's probably, that you realize that you and Mumintrollet think exactly the same!
This booklet seems to end with this riddle. It seems to not work if it was translated into Finnish.
That rat (the part of the riddle) looks like those ambiguous Sniff-like beings often seen all over Mumin however it’s very unlikely they are all rats and might simply happen to resemble those through stylized minimalistic abstractions. Sniff himself is very much not a rat since he got offended when Tofslan & Vifslan called him a rat back when he insulted them by calling them rats. Sniff is often just called “lilla djuret” [“the small animal”] but what kind of animal is never mentioned. However his mother Sås-djuret (“sås” being a multi-meaning pun which means “sauce”, “smudgy” and “slow-moving” meanwhile "djur" means "animal) who looks identical to him is called “ett sås-djur” which implies Sniff is also a Sås-djur (since mixes/hybrids don't actually exist in Mumin). Although elsewhere, Sniff does referred to as “en sniff” (notice the smaller letters as capital letters are rarely used for referring someone's kind in Swedish) with the plural form “sniffar” by both Tove Jansson herself and Swedish-speakers outside the main sources akin to the common name convention of being named after one's kind.
Well if you don’t know Swedish and want to engage in this riddle on your own, you can:
Translate these animal’s names into Swedish (through a translator or dictionary)
Take the first letter for each animal's Swedish word in numeral order
Put the result on translation and you get your answer.
The kid who owned this copy of the booklet in this picture have already answered “EN ROLIG SAK” [“A fun thing”] which is the correct answer:
“A globe on your own
(that you could put 500 mk to your account in Föreningsbanken) helps you to get your wishes come true. It’s fun to drop marks in it and Bankföreningen’s bank-lady/aunt will open it and store the money for you when you get it full. Every day you get a small rent for your money in the bank, so that you eventually get a good amount more money out from the bank. Then you can buy yourself something you have for long time wished for after all.”
"Tant" can either mean aunt or old lady. But what if the banker you meet at the bank NOT young nor female? Or was the bank ONLY hiring old ladies? We aren't sexist and agist but you still must be female and over 40s to work as a banker here! That's the opposite of a restaurant on Gotland I ate as a child where the staff was only a bunch of very young men and one very old lady.
Comparison between the original map and the remade map used for this booklet.
There's a photo without the doodling but it wasn't scanned as well and I'm too tired to fix the angle.
Another old Moomin gift from defuncted bank
The booklets in order from left to right with the last fourth one missing.
At the Swedish comic database Seriesam I found extremely rare editions of Tove Jansson's comic strip arcs of Muminserien in 4 booklets that was handed over to the customers by the defunct Swedish bank Göteborgs Bank for free in 1970 which you can view HERE.
The booklets in order were:
Föreningsliv i Mumindalen [Club Life in Moominvalley] (13th arc, 1957)
Den gyllene svansen [Moomin and the Golden Tail] (18th arc, 1958)
Mumintrollet och marsinnevånarna [Moomin and the Martians] (11th arc, 1957)
Vi bor i en djungel [Moominvalley Turns Jungle] (10th arc, 1956)
Here's some action pages for this booklet that are the ONLY information I could find on the internet (all in Swedish):
Auctionet.com, from Magnus Palm's collection and the most detailed one.
Auctionet.com, another auction page
