Surprise Chair. Fraternal Initiation Device.?De Moulin, Greenville, Illinois. Early 20th Century. The victim, seated in the chair,?would be dumped onto his back and a gunshot would be fired from underneath the seat when the mechanism was activated. Upholstery, wood and metal construction. Label attached underneath. Trick chair metal mechanism still in working order. Gunshot blank no longer working. According to the De Moulin catalog, the ?Surprise Chair is one of the latest inventions on the market. This is one of the funniest trick chairs ever introduced. It has the appearance of a nice upholstered lodge chair and can be used by any seat of honor at the right of the presiding officer. The lodge may then take up the regular order of business and at any convenient time the chair can be caused to rock backward and at the same time explode, with a loud report, a blank cartridge which is discharged by an automatic firing mechanism under seat of chair."Condition: Unrestored, with surface dirt. Frayed and faded fabric overall. Pull chain?replaced with a piece of rope covered with tape. Torn fabric at upper edge of chair and back of chair. Visual of chair is intact. Oxidation?to?metal sections underneath seat. Third-party transportation required. 56 h x 22 w x 22" d. This item was formerly part of the collection of comedian and magician The Amazing Jonathan.