This title is a wonderful example of early commercial pop-up books. One of the early pioneers in mass-market generation of pop-up books was a German named Ernest Nister. He was creating many wonderful books of very high quality in both stories and in the full-color printing and die-cutting.
This example was printed in Bavaria and distributed in the United States by Dutton & Co., a New York publisher. In looking at the videos and the photos, you can see the detail that has been put into the illustration, the cutting and the paper engineering that makes the die cuts pop up to reveal a three-dimensional scene.
These stories on these pages are whimsical scenes of idyllic rural life with the family.
Pop-up number 1 is a picture of lambs in the background with children playing jump rope and there are dogs.
Pop-up number 2 is a 3 layer die cut of children and mules and mother on the beach.
Pop-up number 3 is a scene of children playing ring around the rosey, children overlooking, dog and mother holding baby. Once again, pieces detached but included.
Pop-up number 4 is sheep, children, dog older sister.
In addition to the 2-page popup spreads, there are 16 pages of text poems, stories, rhymes, etc. These pieces of literature are a wonderful window into a by-gone world and truly are an anthropological treasure. The book measures 9 ½” by 7 ½”. The miracle with this particular piece is that it is remarkably intact for a pop-up book that is 121 years old.
Please enjoy this wonderful piece.