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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans - By Susan Halas Ellen GK Rubin, the “Pop-Up Lady.” Pop up books and paper ephemera with movable parts can be one of the most interesting and delightful genres of all the book arts. Endlessly fascinating and diverse they are situated at the intersection of many fields. In a host of creative ways pop ups combine books and toys, books and artists, books and engineering, books and science, as well as books and excursions into the third dimension to name a few. This is a category of book collecting with a long history where unusual antique items in good condition are in high demand and can command a hefty price tag. Likewise, equally interesting and intriguing modern material is readily available and can be purchased for nominal sums. Though the subject matter is often geared to children and their interests, there are many pop ups past and present that are aimed at the tastes and interests of more mature audiences. The internet has contributed not only to the much wider availability of pop ups but also to the sharing of knowledge about this format. Perhaps the most lively and useful of all the sites devoted to the subject is provided by collector Ellen GK Rubin (aka the Pop Up Lady) of Scarsdale, NY. Rubin is an expert whose own collection (more than 20 years in the making) is showcased at her site. Her knowledge of the field is broad, and her willingness to share what she knows is refreshing. If you click on no other link, be sure to visit her site and explore its many headings, links and videos: www.popuplady.com. According to Rubin, while e-books and other computer assisted publishing are replacing printed books, it is unlikely that this development will affect pop-ups now or in the future. That is because all pop up books are still assembled by hand and the machine has yet to be created that can fold and glue these intricate spreads. Most often, she said, pop-up books are issued in small editions. “First printings rarely exceed 5,000 copies. Of course,” she continued, “there are exceptions. Some of the works by Robert Sabuda printed as many as 300,000 copies. But by and large, most older and contemporary books came out in small first printings and most of these books seldom reached a second printing.”
Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans - By Susan Halas Facsimile Ernest Nisters are readily available and inexpensive. Rubin stressed that because their charm depends to a large degree on how well they function, condition plays an even more important role in determining their value than in other parts of the book world. Also, because so many of them were made for children, and children seldom kept them in pristine condition, even pop ups with larger printings are often hard to find in truly collectable condition. . Rubin notes that pop-ups and movables go back to the 13^th century but popular interest really gains momentum in the late 19^th century with the work of Ernest Nister and his contemporaries such as Lothar Meggendorfer. Enthusiasm waned with the passage of time and then picked up again in the 1970s. In her opinion, “It reaches its apogee in the mid-1990s." She also noted that pop-up and movable (non-book) ephemera of all periods is becoming more valuable, sought after and plays an ever increasing role in her own collecting. Rubin said that while interest in the field continues to grow and prices paid for rare or unique items are on the rise, the actual making of pop-ups, like other aspects of publishing is diminishing. Typically, she observed, “collectors go in for the WOW effect. But presently, the number of paper engineers working in the field is shrinking and publishers are ever more reluctant to commit funds to large and expensive formats that are entirely dependent on hand assembly. Where before you might have seen a book that measured 10x12” with nine unique spreads, now it’s more likely to be 7x9” with far fewer and less complex mechanisms.” Asked to name her current favorite she mentioned Knick Knack Paddywhack, a children’s book done as collaboration between illustrator Paul Zelinsky and paper engineer Andy Baron. She is quoted in the promotional material for this title as saying “This book has more actions linked to a single pull tab than any other mechanical book since Meggendorfer.”
Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans - By Susan Halas An array of modern pop-up books. Given that recommendation it’s not surprising that the book is also the winner of a Meggendorfer Award for the Best Paper Engineering given by the Movable Book Society. The Society meets every two years; its next gathering will be in Salt Lake City in 2012. Rubin also likes the work of paper engineer Andy Baron. He in turn recommends the Pocket Paper Engineer by Carol Barton as the best possible book for a beginner interested in making their own pop ups. Check his review for it at Amazon.com for his comments. One way to get an idea of the range in period, technique and subject matter is to take a look at the antique anatomical flap books in the collection of Duke University and contrast their intricate detail with the zany modern abstracts that shimmer, wobble and bounce in the 600 Black Spots. The Pop Up Lady’s site has many useful links to other artists, illustrators, paper engineers, pop up vocabulary as well as the care and repair of pop ups. Some of these may be too detailed and sophisticated for the beginner or casual enthusiast but they’re fun to view. With modern pop ups it's important to shelve them loosely and in a cool stable environment. Because these books are often printed on a thick gloss stock with a heavy application of inks and varnishes, if they are shelved tightly the parts may stick to each other or the adjacent page. Variations in temperature and humidity increase the chances of sticking so it is important to open them periodically and to check on the condition of the mechanisms. If you’re new to this field and wondering where you might start, here’s a brief list of some relatively recent and not too expensive titles that seem assured of a future in the world of collectible pop ups. THE HAGGADA OF PASSOVER with pop up spreads as adapted from the Bird's Head Haggada c.1300 in the Israel Museum, Koren Publishers, Jerusalem, Kidsbook Inc. 1997. Of the titles in my own collection this one seems the most likely to see an increase in future value. It’s bi-lingual Hebrew & English. It tells the story of Exodus by reproducing and animating an antique manuscript. Along with the text of the traditional Passover story it shows such scenes as Moses parting the Red Sea and the Plagues of Egypt … lice, frogs, blood, locusts, etc., each done as a different movable. It is issued with a protective slip case. A recent check of the bases turned up fewer than a dozen US copies offered for sale, all at surprisingly modest prices given the originality and complexity of the design. I also saw one copy in Canada at B-Line Books in Nova Scotia.
Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans - By Susan Halas A complex view of planes battling in mid-air from FLIGHT. THE SENSATIONAL SAMBURGER by David Pelham, Dutton, 1995. This is a pop up book in the shape of a hamburger with a different spread for the bun, the cheese, the lettuce, the patty and so forth. In the Samburger there’s a different yucky bug or slimy snail jumping out of every layer. This book and other Pelham titles can be pricey in good condition. He has produced numerous other works in a similar vein; they include a box of chocolate with many evil critters embedded in the caramel, or slugs in the pizza pie pepperoni. Because they are made to delight the sensibilities of the very young they often have been roughly handled and it is not easy to find them in pristine condition. Another David Pelham title with the sought after WOW factor is UNIVERSE, a three dimensional study by Heather Couper and David Pelham, Random House 1985. The book depicts scientific theories as envisioned with paper engineering. It is a large volume that gets even larger when it pops. It has six spreads devoted to the big bang, galaxies, star birth, the solar system, star death and the end of the universe. The art is sensational, the engineering divine and designed to look even better if viewed with a strong light behind it. Because this book also has many little side movables, some of them with strings or other little gizmos, be sure to check that everything is present and actually works. Pop up books by artists is a popular sub-category of the field. One of the most ingenious of this type is THE DWINDLING PARTY by Edward Gorey, Random House 1982. This is a gothic yet funny adventure of a Victorian family whose members each meet a different disastrous fate. It’s one of Gorey’s most creative works and I’ve seen it sold as low as $13 and as high as several hundred dollars. It is a book that has gone through multiple printings, so for top value it’s important that everything works and the number line begins with 1. A pop up with exceptional paper engineering is FLIGHT: Great Planes of the Century from the Wright Brothers to the Concorde, Viking 1985, with design by Keith Moseley and paper engineering by David Rosendale and Rodger Smith. This is a large book with vivid depictions of great moments in aviation done in pop-ups. It’s notable for an unusual point of view. For example, it shows a WWI dog fight between two planes as seen from above. There is also a spread showing the Concorde, that great French plane, ready for vertical take off rising almost 11 inches off the page. Some nice copies are listed at nominal prices. Unless you have deep pockets you’re probably not acquiring any original issue Ernest Nister work any time soon. However, good quality modern facsimile editions abound and they can be very inexpensive. One good example is ANIMAL TALES: A reproduction from an antique book by Ernest Nister, Collins, NY 1980. A good copy showing many endearing 3-D scenes from the farm yard of days gone by costs only a few dollars. Often the shipping is more expensive than the book.
Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans - By Susan Halas David Pelhams' SENSATIONAL SAMBURGER, complete with critters. And last but not least, a really fun title to be enjoyed with (but not touched by) children and/or grandchildren is DR. SEUSS POPS UP! a celebration of seven Seuss classics, Random House 2005. This is a vivid, delightful & complex book -- it pops, it rolls, it has all manner of pull tabs and considering the complexity it’s easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Look for it on eBay or any of the book data bases. For collecting purposes you’ll want a copy that is a stated FIRST EDITION and has a number line that reads 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Remember a taste for pop ups, once acquired, is an addictive pursuit and it’s easy to get hooked. Keep them clean, keep them cool, and keep those little fingers off the moving parts and you’ll have a collection that will bring many years of enjoyment that can’t be replicated on a Kindle or iPad. --------------- Reach Ellen GK Rubin, also known as the Pop Up Lady, at popups@popuplady.com Reach AE writer Susan Halas at wailukusue@gmail.com

Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans

- By Susan Halas

Ellen GK Rubin, the “Pop-Up Lady.”

Pop up books and paper ephemera with movable parts can be one of the most interesting and delightful genres of all the book arts. Endlessly fascinating and diverse they are situated at the intersection of many fields. In a host of creative ways pop ups combine books and toys, books and artists, books and engineering, books and science, as well as books and excursions into the third dimension to name a few.

This is a category of book collecting with a long history where unusual antique items in good condition are in high demand and can command a hefty price tag. Likewise, equally interesting and intriguing modern material is readily available and can be purchased for nominal sums. Though the subject matter is often geared to children and their interests, there are many pop ups past and present that are aimed at the tastes and interests of more mature audiences.

The internet has contributed not only to the much wider availability of pop ups but also to the sharing of knowledge about this format. Perhaps the most lively and useful of all the sites devoted to the subject is provided by collector Ellen GK Rubin (aka the Pop Up Lady) of Scarsdale, NY. Rubin is an expert whose own collection (more than 20 years in the making) is showcased at her site. Her knowledge of the field is broad, and her willingness to share what she knows is refreshing. If you click on no other link, be sure to visit her site and explore its many headings, links and videos: www.popuplady.com.

According to Rubin, while e-books and other computer assisted publishing are replacing printed books, it is unlikely that this development will affect pop-ups now or in the future. That is because all pop up books are still assembled by hand and the machine has yet to be created that can fold and glue these intricate spreads.

Most often, she said, pop-up books are issued in small editions. “First printings rarely exceed 5,000 copies. Of course,” she continued, “there are exceptions. Some of the works by Robert Sabuda printed as many as 300,000 copies. But by and large, most older and contemporary books came out in small first printings and most of these books seldom reached a second printing.”

Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans

- By Susan Halas

Facsimile Ernest Nisters are readily available and inexpensive.

Rubin stressed that because their charm depends to a large degree on how well they function, condition plays an even more important role in determining their value than in other parts of the book world. Also, because so many of them were made for children, and children seldom kept them in pristine condition, even pop ups with larger printings are often hard to find in truly collectable condition.
.

Rubin notes that pop-ups and movables go back to the 13^th century but popular interest really gains momentum in the late 19^th century with the work of Ernest Nister and his contemporaries such as Lothar Meggendorfer.

Enthusiasm waned with the passage of time and then picked up again in the 1970s. In her opinion, “It reaches its apogee in the mid-1990s." She also noted that pop-up and movable (non-book) ephemera of all periods is becoming more valuable, sought after and plays an ever increasing role in her own collecting.

Rubin said that while interest in the field continues to grow and prices paid for rare or unique items are on the rise, the actual making of pop-ups, like other aspects of publishing is diminishing.

Typically, she observed, “collectors go in for the WOW effect. But presently, the number of paper engineers working in the field is shrinking and publishers are ever more reluctant to commit funds to large and expensive formats that are entirely dependent on hand assembly. Where before you might have seen a book that measured 10x12” with nine unique spreads, now it’s more likely to be 7x9” with far fewer and less complex mechanisms.”

Asked to name her current favorite she mentioned Knick Knack Paddywhack, a children’s book done as collaboration between illustrator Paul Zelinsky and paper engineer Andy Baron. She is quoted in the promotional material for this title as saying “This book has more actions linked to a single pull tab than any other mechanical book since Meggendorfer.”

Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans

- By Susan Halas

An array of modern pop-up books.

Given that recommendation it’s not surprising that the book is also the winner of a Meggendorfer Award for the Best Paper Engineering given by the Movable Book Society. The Society meets every two years; its next gathering will be in Salt Lake City in 2012.

Rubin also likes the work of paper engineer Andy Baron. He in turn recommends the Pocket Paper Engineer by Carol Barton as the best possible book for a beginner interested in making their own pop ups. Check his review for it at Amazon.com for his comments.

One way to get an idea of the range in period, technique and subject matter is to take a look at the antique anatomical flap books in the collection of Duke University and contrast their intricate detail with the zany modern abstracts that shimmer, wobble and bounce in the 600 Black Spots.

The Pop Up Lady’s site has many useful links to other artists, illustrators, paper engineers, pop up vocabulary as well as the care and repair of pop ups. Some of these may be too detailed and sophisticated for the beginner or casual enthusiast but they’re fun to view.

With modern pop ups it's important to shelve them loosely and in a cool stable environment. Because these books are often printed on a thick gloss stock with a heavy application of inks and varnishes, if they are shelved tightly the parts may stick to each other or the adjacent page. Variations in temperature and humidity increase the chances of sticking so it is important to open them periodically and to check on the condition of the mechanisms.

If you’re new to this field and wondering where you might start, here’s a brief list of some relatively recent and not too expensive titles that seem assured of a future in the world of collectible pop ups.

THE HAGGADA OF PASSOVER with pop up spreads as adapted from the Bird's Head Haggada c.1300 in the Israel Museum, Koren Publishers, Jerusalem, Kidsbook Inc. 1997.

Of the titles in my own collection this one seems the most likely to see an increase in future value. It’s bi-lingual Hebrew & English. It tells the story of Exodus by reproducing and animating an antique manuscript. Along with the text of the traditional Passover story it shows such scenes as Moses parting the Red Sea and the Plagues of Egypt … lice, frogs, blood, locusts, etc., each done as a different movable. It is issued with a protective slip case. A recent check of the bases turned up fewer than a dozen US copies offered for sale, all at surprisingly modest prices given the originality and complexity of the design. I also saw one copy in Canada at B-Line Books in Nova Scotia.

Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans

- By Susan Halas

A complex view of planes battling in mid-air from FLIGHT.

THE SENSATIONAL SAMBURGER by David Pelham, Dutton, 1995. This is a pop up book in the shape of a hamburger with a different spread for the bun, the cheese, the lettuce, the patty and so forth. In the Samburger there’s a different yucky bug or slimy snail jumping out of every layer. This book and other Pelham titles can be pricey in good condition. He has produced numerous other works in a similar vein; they include a box of chocolate with many evil critters embedded in the caramel, or slugs in the pizza pie pepperoni. Because they are made to delight the sensibilities of the very young they often have been roughly handled and it is not easy to find them in pristine condition.

Another David Pelham title with the sought after WOW factor is UNIVERSE, a three dimensional study by Heather Couper and David Pelham, Random House 1985. The book depicts scientific theories as envisioned with paper engineering. It is a large volume that gets even larger when it pops. It has six spreads devoted to the big bang, galaxies, star birth, the solar system, star death and the end of the universe. The art is sensational, the engineering divine and designed to look even better if viewed with a strong light behind it. Because this book also has many little side movables, some of them with strings or other little gizmos, be sure to check that everything is present and actually works.

Pop up books by artists is a popular sub-category of the field. One of the most ingenious of this type is THE DWINDLING PARTY by Edward Gorey, Random House 1982. This is a gothic yet funny adventure of a Victorian family whose members each meet a different disastrous fate. It’s one of Gorey’s most creative works and I’ve seen it sold as low as $13 and as high as several hundred dollars. It is a book that has gone through multiple printings, so for top value it’s important that everything works and the number line begins with 1.

A pop up with exceptional paper engineering is FLIGHT: Great Planes of the Century from the Wright Brothers to the Concorde, Viking 1985, with design by Keith Moseley and paper engineering by David Rosendale and Rodger Smith. This is a large book with vivid depictions of great moments in aviation done in pop-ups. It’s notable for an unusual point of view. For example, it shows a WWI dog fight between two planes as seen from above. There is also a spread showing the Concorde, that great French plane, ready for vertical take off rising almost 11 inches off the page. Some nice copies are listed at nominal prices.

Unless you have deep pockets you’re probably not acquiring any original issue Ernest Nister work any time soon. However, good quality modern facsimile editions abound and they can be very inexpensive. One good example is ANIMAL TALES: A reproduction from an antique book by Ernest Nister, Collins, NY 1980. A good copy showing many endearing 3-D scenes from the farm yard of days gone by costs only a few dollars. Often the shipping is more expensive than the book.

Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans

- By Susan Halas

David Pelhams' SENSATIONAL SAMBURGER, complete with critters.

And last but not least, a really fun title to be enjoyed with (but not touched by) children and/or grandchildren is DR. SEUSS POPS UP! a celebration of seven Seuss classics, Random House 2005. This is a vivid, delightful & complex book -- it pops, it rolls, it has all manner of pull tabs and considering the complexity it’s easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Look for it on eBay or any of the book data bases. For collecting purposes you’ll want a copy that is a stated FIRST EDITION and has a number line that reads 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.

Remember a taste for pop ups, once acquired, is an addictive pursuit and it’s easy to get hooked. Keep them clean, keep them cool, and keep those little fingers off the moving parts and you’ll have a collection that will bring many years of enjoyment that can’t be replicated on a Kindle or iPad.

---------------

Reach Ellen GK Rubin, also known as the Pop Up Lady, at popups@popuplady.com

Reach AE writer Susan Halas at wailukusue@gmail.com