HISTORY of the BOOK: Resources and References

Movable Books over the Years

Mechanical and movable books have varied in purpose and structure over the years, but they all have one thing in common: the use of paper engineering to bring static images to life, be it through the use of rivets, tabs, folds and cut paper. ¹ The earliest known movable books date back to the thirteenth century, in which volvelles, or revolving paper discs layered on top of one another, were used to help illustrate scientific subjects, such as natural science, astronomy, mathematics, mysticism, fortune telling, navigation, and medicine. ² Other movable books with "turn-up” or “lift-the-flap” mechanisms began to appear in anatomy books as early as the fourteenth century, allowing the user to view separate flaps featuring different sections of the body that were layered on top of each other and hinged together at the top of the page. ³

In the eighteenth century, books began to be created and sold for juvenile audiences, which led to the production of more interactive and movable books, such as the Harlequinades also known as metamorphoses books, which were “lift-the-flap” style books that, per the University of North Texas Libraries's "Pop-Up and Movable Books" Exhibition, consisted of two engraved scenes that were split in the center by a series of flaps “layered on top of one another and attached at the top and bottom of the scene, so each could be lifted up from the center”. ⁴ The different half-scenes on the top and bottom flaps were interchangeable with one another and allowed for the turning up of the flaps to create variations in the scenes. ⁵

In the early nineteenth century, other movable books began to appear, such as the paper doll books, which included a paper doll and additional paper cutouts of outfits for the doll to change into as the story progresses, as well as toilet books, which were “lift-the-flap” style books, and peep-show books, which often contained elaborate constructions of scenes from famous stories or events that were viewed through a small hole in the book's cover. ⁶ Later in the nineteenth century and onward, “with the birth of industrial printing, chromolithography, and new publishing markets aimed at upper-class children” and the “recognition that children's books could entertain as well as instruct” as noted in the University of Virginia Libraries's "Pop Goes the Page" Exhibition, more movable books, which often utilized tabs at the bottom of the pages to animate illustrations, and pop-up books, which often contained three-dimensional forms that would unfold and rise as the page opened, became popular. ⁷

Unfortunately, when World War I began, the production of movable books began to decline. ⁸ Per the University of Virginia Libraries's "Pop Goes the Page" Exhibition, with the “Great Depression and post-war changes in consumer culture, publishers were forced to alter the production process, lowering standards to reach a mass audience”. ⁹

Fortunately, in the 1960’s the pop-up book made a comeback, and its popularity carried over into the 1980’s and 1990’s, during which time a pop-up renaissance took place. ¹⁰ As one can see there have been many types of movable books throughout the years, utilizing different movable mechanisms from volvelles to “lift-the-flap” books to three-dimensional pop-up books and more. Furthermore, these books have been used for various functions, ranging from scientific and medical study to children’s entertainment. While this introduction provides a brief history and insight into movable books, the secondary resources below will provide more in-depth knowledge about the history of movable books from the Middles Ages to the 21st Century, as well as a look into different movable book collections. There are also a few primary resources listed towards the bottom of the page that provide a look into actual movable books from the nineteenth century.

Secondary Resources: Electronic Resources

"Pop Goes the Page: Movable and Mechanical Books from the Brenda Forman Collection" Digital Exhibition by University of Virginia Libraries¹¹

This digital exhibition published online in 2000 by the University of Virginia Libraries explores the history of pop-up books from the volvelles of the Middle Ages to children's books of the twentieth century. ¹² The exhibition utilizes Brenda Forman's collection of over 800 movable books to offer information about multiple icons in the pop-up book world and to provide various examples and pictures of these different types of pop-up books. ¹³ The exhibition was curated by the amazing Johanna Drucker, who at the time was the Robertson Professor of Media Studies at the University of Virginia Libraries, but who now is a Breslauer Professor of Bibliographical Studies at UCLA. ^{14 15}

"Pop-Up and Movable Books: A Tour Through Their History" Digital Exhibition by University of North Texas Libraries¹⁶

This digital exhibition created by the University of North Texas Libraries provides a history of movable and pop-up books from the thirteenth century to the twenty-first century. ¹⁷ The exhibition, which focuses primarily on books published after 1850 from the Gustine Courson Weaver Collection at the University of North Texas Libraries, provides an “overview of the important artists and publishers involved in creation and distribution of novelty books and, just as importantly, to provide an image for the examples described whenever possible”. ¹⁸ While there does not appear to be any curator information or specific publishing dates listed for the digital exhibition on the website, it appears that the University of North Texas Libraries staff created this exhibition in the early 2000’s. ¹⁹

"The POP-UP World of Ann Montanaro" Digital Exhibition by Rutgers University Libraries: ²⁰

This digital exhibition, created in 1996 by Rutgers University Libraries, contains a brief history of pop-up books from the 13th century to the 1990’s, as well as a collection of photographs and information on multiple pop-up books from the collection of Ann Montanaro. ²¹ Ann Montanaro, who collaborated on the organization of the exhibition and authored the captions and discursive texts, was the Head of Systems and Bibliographic Database Management at Rutgers University Libraries at the time that the digital exhibition was published. ²² Montanaro is also the author of Pop-up and Movable Books: A Bibliography, and she is the founder of The Movable Book Society. ²³ The exhibition was designed and organized by Michael Joseph, who was The Rare Book and Jerseyana Catalog Librarian at Rutgers University Libraries at the time the digital exhibition was published. ²⁴

Video Resources

A History of Pop-up and Movable Books: 700 Years of Paper Engineering:²⁵

In this lecture by Ellen G. K. Rubin, which was published by the Smithsonian Institution in November 2010, Rubin provides an overview of the history of movable books and their different uses from the thirteenth century to the twenty-first century and displays slides with examples of these various movable books when possible. ²⁶ Rubin, “a pop-up book collector with more than 6,500 books and thousands of uncataloged movable ephemera”, lectures and writes about her collection of books, host workshops, and curates exhibitions, such as the exhibition titled Brooklyn Pops Up! The History and Art of the Movable Book at the Brooklyn Public Library that she co-curated in 2000. ²⁷ Rubin also maintains her own website devoted to pop-up books called The Pop-Up Lady: Specializing in movable paper. ²⁸

Print Resources

Interactive Books: Playful Media before Pop-Ups by Jacqueline Reid-Walsh:²⁹

In this copy of Interactive books: Playful media before pop-ups published in London in 2018 by the Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, Jacqueline Reid-Walsh provides a historical and comparative study of early movable books from the mid-17th to the early-19th centuries in relation to the children who engage with these books. ³⁰She focuses on “turn-up books, paper doll books, and related hybrid experiments like toy theaters and paignion (or domestic play set) produced between 1650 and 1830”. ³¹ Jacqueline Reid-Walsh works at Pennsylvania State University as an Associate Professor of Education, Language & Literacy Education, and Women's Studies. ³²

Movable books: An illustrated history : pages & pictures of folding, revolving, dissolving, mechanical, scenic, panoramic, dimensional, changing, pop-up and other novelty books from the collection of David and Briar Philips by Peter Haining:³³
In this 1979 edition of Movable books: An illustrated history : pages & pictures of folding, revolving, dissolving, mechanical, scenic, panoramic, dimensional, changing, pop-up and other novelty books from the collection of David and Briar Philips, which was published in London by New English Library, Peter Haining provides both a history of children’s movable books from the fifteenth century through the twentieth century, as well as information about and multiple pictures of various types of movable books in the David and Briar Philips movable books collection, including harlequinades, paper doll books, peep-shows and more. ³⁴ In addition to writing about movable books, Haining’s background includes authoring and editing numerous books about witchcraft, crime and terror up until he passed away in 2007. ³⁵

Primary Resources

Below are a few movable books from UCLA's Special Collections from the nineteenth century.

Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper: Versified and Beautifully Illustrated with Figures:³⁶
This copy of Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, which is "versified and beautifully illustrated with figures", was published in London in 1814 for S. and J. Fuller, Temple of Fancy, Rathbone Place. ³⁷ This book is an example of a paper doll book popular in the early nineteenth century. ³⁸ The photographs to the right, taken from the book, show the cover of the book, the paper doll of Cinderella at the beginning of the story, and an additional cardboard cutout that provides the Cinderella paper doll with a costume and scene change to go along with the story's ending of Cinderella getting married. ³⁹

Dame Wonder's Transformations Series: Miss Rose.:⁴⁰
This copy of Miss Rosefrom the Dame Wonder's Transformations series, which was published in London by Dean & Co. sometime between 1811 and 1854, contains illustrations throughout the book that show the character of Miss Rose changing outfits as the story evolves. ⁴¹ In order to allow these transformations to occur, each leaf has a cut-out through which the illustration of Miss Rose’s face on the last leaf can be seen. ⁴² As the leaves are turned, Miss Rose appears to change. ⁴³ This book is another example of a movable book during the nineteenth century.

Curious Creatures: A new MOVABLE TOYBOOK of Animals by Lothar Meggendorfer⁴⁴
Curious Creatures: A new MOVEABLE TOYBOOK of all Kinds of Animals is a movable book by Lothar Meggendorfer, a German illustrator during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries ⁴⁵. This particular book, which appears to have been published in 1890, is the English edition of Meggendorfer's German book titled Allerlei Thiere, which was first published in 1888 by Braun & Schneider. ^{46 47} The book contains stories and movable illustrations about eight creatures, which come to life when the reader moves the tabs at the bottom of the pages. In the images above, taken from the book, you can see the cover of the book, as well as one story and accompanying illustration about a tree frog, and a final picture that demonstrates how the frog moves when you pull the tab at the bottom of the page. This is just another example of a darling movable book from the nineteenth century.

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Notes

¹“University of Virginia Library Online Exhibits | Pop Goes the Page: Movable and Mechanical Books from the Brenda Forman Collection,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

² “UNT Libraries: Pop-up and Movable Books: A Tour Through Their History,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

³ Ibid.https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

⁴ Ibid.https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

⁵ Ibid.https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

⁶“EXHIBITION: POP-UPS,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

⁷“University of Virginia Library Online Exhibits | Pop Goes the Page: Movable and Mechanical Books from the Brenda Forman Collection,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

⁸“EXHIBITION: POP-UPS,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

⁹“University of Virginia Library Online Exhibits | Pop Goes the Page: Movable and Mechanical Books from the Brenda Forman Collection,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

¹⁰Ibid.https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

¹¹Ibid.https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

¹²Ibid.https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

¹³Ibid.https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

¹⁴Ibid.https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

¹⁵“Johanna Drucker | UCLA GSEIS,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://gseis.ucla.edu/directory/johanna-drucker/].↩

¹⁶ “UNT Libraries: Pop-up and Movable Books: A Tour Through Their History,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

¹⁷ Ibid.https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

¹⁸ Ibid.https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

¹⁹ Ibid.https://www.library.unt.edu/rarebooks/exhibits/popup2/].↩

²⁰“EXHIBITION: POP-UPS,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

²¹Ibid. https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

²² Ibid. https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

²³ Ibid. https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

²⁴Christopher Hawtree, “Obituary: Peter Haining,” the Guardian, December 5, 2007,http://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/dec/05/guardianobituaries.booksobituaries].↩

²⁵“A History of Pop-up and Movable Books: 700 Years of Paper Engineering,” Video, 2016, https://library.si.edu/webcasts/pop-up-and-movable-books.https://library.si.edu/webcasts/pop-up-and-movable-books].↩

²⁶Ibid.https://library.si.edu/webcasts/pop-up-and-movable-books].↩

²⁷Ibid.https://library.si.edu/webcasts/pop-up-and-movable-books].↩

²⁸“The Popuplady - Specializing in Movable Paper,” accessed March 23, 2018, http://www.popuplady.com/].↩

²⁹Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline. 2018. Interactive books: playful media before pop-ups. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.[https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22742966666&cm_ven=sws&cm_cat=sws&cm_pla=sws&cm_ite=22742966666&clickid=wPrR-HwzjRD0yh%3AXDITeK1q4UkjzoA2NTWXCR80&cm_mmc=aff-_-ir-_-353196-_-77798&ref=imprad353196&afn_sr=impact].↩

³⁰Ibid. [https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22742966666&cm_ven=sws&cm_cat=sws&cm_pla=sws&cm_ite=22742966666&clickid=wPrR-HwzjRD0yh%3AXDITeK1q4UkjzoA2NTWXCR80&cm_mmc=aff-_-ir-_-353196-_-77798&ref=imprad353196&afn_sr=impact].↩

³¹ Ibid. [https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22742966666&cm_ven=sws&cm_cat=sws&cm_pla=sws&cm_ite=22742966666&clickid=wPrR-HwzjRD0yh%3AXDITeK1q4UkjzoA2NTWXCR80&cm_mmc=aff-_-ir-_-353196-_-77798&ref=imprad353196&afn_sr=impact].↩

³²Ibid. [https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22742966666&cm_ven=sws&cm_cat=sws&cm_pla=sws&cm_ite=22742966666&clickid=wPrR-HwzjRD0yh%3AXDITeK1q4UkjzoA2NTWXCR80&cm_mmc=aff-_-ir-_-353196-_-77798&ref=imprad353196&afn_sr=impact].↩

³³Haining, Peter. 1979. Movable books: an illustrated history : pages & pictures of folding, revolving, dissolving, mechanical, scenic, panoramic, dimensional, changing, pop-up and other novelty books from the collection of David and Briar Philips. London: New English Library.[https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1451714].↩

³⁴Ibid.[https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1451714].↩

³⁵ Ibid.[https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1451714].↩

³⁶Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper: beautifully versified, and illustrated with figures. 1814. London: Fuller.https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1008132].↩

³⁷Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper: beautifully versified, and illustrated with figures. 1814. London: Fuller.https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1008132].↩

³⁸“EXHIBITION: POP-UPS,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/montanar/p-ex.htm/].↩

³⁹Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper: beautifully versified, and illustrated with figures. 1814. London: Fuller.https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1008132].↩

⁴⁰Miss Rose.(Between 1811 and 1854). London: Dean & Co., 35, Threadneedle Street. https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2329212].↩

⁴¹Ibid. https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2329212].↩

⁴²Ibid. https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2329212].↩

⁴³Ibid. https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2329212].↩

⁴⁴Meggendorfer, Lothar. Curious Creatures: A New Movable Toybook of All Kinds of Animals London: H. Grevel & Co., 33 King Street, Covent Garden, W.C, 1890.https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2303857].↩

⁴⁵“University of Virginia Library Online Exhibits | Pop Goes the Page: Movable and Mechanical Books from the Brenda Forman Collection,” accessed March 23, 2018, https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/popgoesthepage/walkthrough].↩

⁴⁶“Ketterer Kunst, Kunstauktionen, Buchauktionen München, Hamburg & Berlin,” accessed March 23, 2018, http://www.kettererkunst.de/kunst/kd/details.php?obnr=411102334&anummer=385&detail=1].↩

⁴⁷Meggendorfer, Lothar. Curious Creatures: A New Movable Toybook of All Kinds of Animals London: H. Grevel & Co., 33 King Street, Covent Garden, W.C, 1890.https://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=2303857].↩