Category Archives: Movable Books

Women Paper Engineers: Work-in-Progress Research Show & Tell for the Movable Book Society 

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By Jacqueline Reid-Walsh

Title slide for Women Paper Engineers talk

On Saturday February 24, Rebecca Rouse and I had the privilege and pleasure of sharing a new research project with the Movable Book Society about Women Paper Engineers (you can watch the talk on YouTube). We began by contextualizing our topic within research on movable books generally. We connected some recurring questions that arise about terminology, the nature of movable books as a genre and with the invisibility of producers in library documentation. We observed that some producers (women) are less visible than others. Accordingly, we designed an initial survey to begin research mapping the field of women paper engineers.

Our questions are:

  • Do you know of any women paper engineers, past or contemporary?
  • Can you direct us to any examples of their work?
  • Is there a female “Meggendorfer,” meaning a woman paper engineer who was or is prolific, innovative, and commercially successful on a mass scale?

Finally, we asked if they were comfortable sharing their email with us so we could contact them. We are extremely gratified by the tremendous response and by the insights and experiences by the respondents, many of whom are movable book makers themselves. We have the work for our project mapped out!

Women Paper Engineers survey questions

We had approached the Movable Book Society due to our interest in women (and girls) who make movable books domestically or commercially. This research interest stems from an article we co-wrote for the Journal of Children’s Literature in Education called, “Understanding the Design Values of Baby Books: Materiality, Co-presence, and Remediation.” In this piece we focused on the materials of baby books and their affordances in terms of interactivity. We became fascinated by women makers and designers of “indestructible” and multisensory baby books and how this work has been credited only recently (see my recent post for more on this article: https://sites.psu.edu/learningasplaying/2023/12/07/journal-launch-and-presentation-analyzing-the-interactivity-of-baby-books/).

I am a recent member of the movable book society and attended several recent formal and informal meetings. I was impressed by the breadth of members’ knowledge, their openness and the genuine good will among the members who range across the spectrum of movable book involvement. I was also struck by the gender of the award winners and some of the comments in the informal sessions. We took the opportunity to extend our research in this context, thanks to the auspices of the new Director of the Movable Book Society Dr. Suzanne Karr Schmidt, Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Newberry Library. We have all become mutually acquainted through our research on movable books and facilitated by our participation in the Pop-App Centre conferences and journal JIB (Journal of Interactive Books). Accordingly, Rebecca and I derived an informal survey that was approved and sent to all the society’s members as mentioned above.

In our initial survey, we had 25 respondents who shared over 148 names of women paper engineers from all over the world with us! We see this project as a long-term one, and we welcome more thoughts and comments.

We wanted to share this information with the readers of the “Learning as Play” blog and invite anyone interested in participating to email Jacqui at jxr67@psu.edu. Thanks!

Object Talks: Moveable Board Books

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Jacqui Reid-Walsh

In late spring Dr. Emily Aguiló-Pérez (West Chester University, PA) gave a provocative zoom talk as part of the Object Talks: What Books as Material Artifacts Reveal series presented by the West Chester University Center for Book History and the Francis Harvey Green Library Special Collections. Her talk was entitled “Transmediating Texts for Children: The Case of Board Books.”

Dr. Aguiló-Pérez took a material culture approach to board (or baby) books – a little-studied kind of children’s book that can be made of other materials like cloth or plastic. Intriguing to me were the connections she made between board books and moveable books.

In her broad ranging slide-show she raised provocative historical and material connections about the past and present. Notably, she began with a brief discussion of the horn book (often composed literally of board) with a piece of paper protected by horn attached. Since it was small and bat shaped it could be worn on at the waist and be played with after the alphabet was learned.

In her discussion of contemporary board books she includes numerous aspects: the importance of size and shape; the affordances of various interactive components, especially flaps, folds and holes; and how many of these texts are transmediated from picture books or even classic novels. Her discussion of the use by the child players includes the category “chewables” (a perfect term!), as well as referring to other multimodal features like sound.

For instance, in her discussion of a book called What to Do with a Box, she describes it as a folded book. She notes how in the process of setting up the object it can become something else. For example, this could be a tent or a tunnel. Or it could be a plane. And so the child can explore the “box” in ways that follow but also go beyond its intended shape and the ideas the book offers the child.

Close up of What to Do with a Box book.

In her final book discussed, Room on the Broom, she analyzes both material and digital transmediations that may reproduce or shrink or expand the text from the original picture book depending on the textual qualities of the book and the appropriateness of the adaption. She observes how this example both reproduces and alters the original narrative.

She notes that what the board book maintains from the original picture book is its short length and images. Yet at the same time, the push, pull, and slide affordances change various aspects of the book. She observes that the movable parts invite the child to interact with it in new ways – but also that these ways are designated, not open, such as changing the point of view. This aspect aligns the books with what many board books set out to do: present/teach simple concepts to babies. She ends her presentation with an animated version of the book that expands the short text to a 25 minute film that is available on Netflix.

These are only some highlights of her fascinating talk that importantly draws attention to the overlooked category of moveable board books and includes it in the discussion of what is a movable book.

Discovering a previously unknown moveable book from the early 18th century

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[Guest blog post from Dr Sian King, an academic librarian in the UK who wanted to fill the vacuum left following retirement by spending many happy days in libraries and archives researching and writing! Having already done an MA in the History of the Book, the foundation was laid to pursue the topic in greater depth and with expert guidance. This blog post is based on her recent (2020) University of Birmingham Ph.D. thesis, The Distribution and Ownership of English Chapbooks and Other Cheap Print in South Wales and Its Borders, 1660-1730: Developmental Influences on Commerce, Religion and Education.]

During my research for a doctorate on the production and distribution of chapbooks and other cheap print in south Wales 1660 to 1730, I spent some time in Gloucester Archives examining their records on Robert Raikes (1690-1757), an early provincial printer. He set up the very first press in Gloucester in 1722, producing a newspaper, the Gloucester Journal, which his agents distributed far and wide. He was an innovative and entrepreneurial businessman who also spotted a market for small books of folk tales, poetry, scandalous tales and prophetic stories.

From the archive catalogue, I requested and examined a box labelled with the name of Robert Raikes which contained his will and one other small and delicate item which I unfolded with a growing sense of curiosity and wonder. Although slightly restored by some later hand, and also given a paper cover, the original very fragile item entitled The Beginning, Progress and End of Man lay within. It was a little book with flaps revealing ‘metamorphic’ pictures with text, printed by Raikes (no date) and sold by John Wilson in Bristol for 1d. After taking photos, I carried out some research on this genre and, of course, came across the Learning as Play website and Jacqui-Reid Walsh’s research.

Manuscript title page of Raikes' Beginnings ... and end of Man

The Raikes edition is based closely on the 1654 edition by Elizabeth Alsop (in London), even to the extent of possibly using the same woodcut blocks. The text is also identical, so it is hard to believe that Raikes did not somehow have access to a previous version. The book measures 16cm x 16 cm, (folded) and has been created from a single sheet 29.5 cm x 31.5 (approx.).

Raikes printing of Beginnings ... and ends of Man

The 5 pages with flaps closed

Raikes printing of the Beginning ... and ends of Man, flaps open

The 5 pages with flaps open

The date of publication is unknown, but based on Raikes relationship with John Wilson of Bristol gleaned from the advertisements in his newspaper, I have estimated 1725 to 1727. I have drawn the attention of archivists at Gloucester as to the rarity of this item, and they have now afforded it a separate catalogue entry with information . The hope is that they will also send a record to ESTC, but at least this unique item now has a record in the Union Catalog of Early Moveable Books.

The Mystery of Eleanor Schanck –was she British or American?

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By Colette Slagle and Jacqui Reid-Walsh

Because we devoted the last blog to the interconnections between marking samplers and metamorphoric books we decided to examine more closely two handmade metamorphic books made by girls.  While our next blog will examine the connections between stitchery literacy and a 19th century artifact made by a American girl Betsy Lewis, in this blog we examine a late 18th century artifact made by Eleanor Schanck and we hypothesize her nationality.

In 1777 Eleanor Schanck created and dated a four-part turn-up book now held at the Cotsen Library at Princeton University. This is one of the few known homemade turn-up books that can be confidently identified as girl-made, as most handmade versions are anonymous, making it difficult to determine their provenance. It is unknown if it was created in England or the United States. In this blog in order to answer this question, we compare Eleanor’s turn-up book to known published British and American editions.

The Cotsen catalog entry describes it as 1 sheet folded into 4 panels with flaps, written and drawn with pen and ink, measuring 27 x 37 cm.  When you interact with the object since there are no individual movable flaps, you can only lift the entire top part or the entire lower part.  Looking at photos, it is hard to determine whether it had been cut and then later reattached, or if it was always uncut.

The early date of this handmade text raises question about which versions of The Beginning, Progress and End of Man and Metamorphosis could have served as a model for Eleanor.  While the 17th century British religious turn-up book was published on occasion throughout the 18th century, the American Metamorphosis is believed to have been first published after 1775 (Hamilton, illustration 26).  We therefore compare Eleanor Schanck’s handmade manuscript with the 1650 British 4-part turn-up book printed by Bernard Alsop, the 1654 British 5-part turn-up book printed by his widow, Elizabeth Alsop, and a facsimile of the earliest known American Metamorphosis, printed circa 1775 in Philadelphia (Hamilton 25).  Important to note is that the 4-part American Metamorphosis is itself closely based on the 1650 edition, with the exception of one stanza, which we discuss below.

For the most part, Eleanor’s version is similar to the 1650 version, however one substantial difference is the mermaid verse included in each.

The mermaid verse in the 1650 edition is as follows:

“The Mermaids voice is sharp and shril

As womens voices be ;

For if you crosse them in their will,

You anger two or three.”

1650 The Beginning, Progress, and End of Man. Photo courtesy of the British Library.

 

Eleanor’s version is as follows:

“Eyes look not on the mairmaids fase

Nor ears forbear her songs

Her face hath an alluring grace

More charming is her tongue”

1777Adam first comes first upon the stage [manuscript harlequinade]. Photo Courtesy of the Cotsen Library, Princeton University.

 

Eleanor’s version seems closest to the mermaid verse in the 1654 edition:

“Eys, look not on this Mermaids face,

And Ears, forbear her song :

Her face hath an alluring grace,

More charming is her tongue.”

1654 The Beginning, Progress, and End of Man. Photo courtesy of the Houghton Library, Harvard University.

 

The mermaid verse in the 1775 American Metamorphosis version is also similar to the 1654 edition:

“Eyes look not on the Mermaid’s Face,

Let Ears forbid her Song ;

Her Features have an alluring Grace

More charming than her Tongue.”

Facsimile of c. 1775 [Metamorphosis] in 1958 Hamilton, Early American Book Illustrators and Wood Engravers, 1670-1870, figure 26.

 

While the mermaid verses are quite similar in both the 1654 edition and the 1775 American Metamorphosis, Eleanor’s is most similar to the earlier British edition.  For example, she uses “forbear” rather than “forbid” in the second line, “face hath” rather than “features have” in the third line, and “More charming is her tongue,” rather than “More charming than her tongue.”  For these reasons, we speculate that Eleanor was working from the British editions, not the American.

Another significant difference we noticed between Eleanor’s handmade text and the 1650 British edition was the spelling of the word “lyon.”  The only known printed versions of the text that also uses this spelling is a 1688/9 version owned by Anthony Wood and published by Dunster, held at the Bodleian Library, an undated 17th century version, held at Penn State, and an undated British edition, owned by a private collector.  Based on this circumstantial evidence, we think Eleanor was likely British.

Facsimile of 16XX The Beginning, Progress, and End of Man. Photo Courtesy of Penn State Special Collections.

1777Adam first comes first upon the stage [manuscript harlequinade]. Photo Courtesy of the Cotsen Library, Princeton University.

 

*For a discussion of Eleanor Schanck’s artistic style, please see 2017 Reid-Walsh, Interactive Books pg. 218-219.

Marking Alphabets in Samplers and Metamorphosis Books

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By Jacqui Reid-Walsh and Colette Slagle

In our last blog, we observed that the alphabet border of the Metamorphosis text (particularly those written by Sands and illustrated by Poupard), resembled that of a sampler, noting that “the letter style is also ornate and appears ‘stitched’ rather than printed in the standardized letterpress style.”  Since then, we have been exploring this connection further, researching information on the history of samplers, marking, and—as Jacqui calls it—stitchery literacy (Reid-Walsh, Interactive Books 40).

Cynthia Cooper, the curator of textiles at the McCord Museum in Montreal, directed us towards The Workwoman’s Guide, an early nineteenth century needlewoman’s guide “for the inexperienced.”  It was written “By a Lady” and published in London in 1838.  Notably, figure 1 of the first plate depicts a model sampler used to exemplify different types of stitches that are used in marking linen.  The author states that “the sampler drawn gives an accurate idea of the canvass, and the shape of all the letters in the different alphabets” (5).

The Workwoman’s Guide, containing instructions to the inexperienced in cutting out and completing those articles of wearing apparel, &c., which are usually made at home; also, explanations on upholstery, straw-platting, bonnet-making, knitting, &c., By a Lady, London, 1838. Photo courtesy of Penn State Special Collections.

The various letter styles shown in the sampler are used for different kinds of marking from simple to ornate.  She notes, “The first alphabet is that in most general use; the second contains the small letters; the third is a correct representation of the Italian characters, which are much used for marking pocket handkerchiefs and other fine articles of dress; the fourth and last is quite a fancy stitch, and rarely employed” (5). Intriguing to our minds is the link between this Workwoman’s Guide and the 1814 Metamorphosis book published by Robert Porter with the subtitle, “also, an alphabet of large and small letters to aid females in marking linen.”  The Sands/Poupard versions only include “the first alphabet,” which has only uppercase letters, is the most commonly used for marking, and made of the simplest stitches (5).  By contrast, Porter’s 1814 version includes both this alphabet and the second alphabet The Workwoman’s Guide refers to, which “contains the small letters” (5).  Interestingly, the placement of each type of alphabet in the borders reinforces their function: the uppercase alphabet in the upper border and the lowercase alphabet in the lower border.  Although we have not seen every version of the Metamorphosis book, we are struck by how the lowercase alphabet only seems to appear in Porter’s version, where the specific aim is to teach girls how to mark linen.

The Workwoman’s Guide, containing instructions to the inexperienced in cutting out and completing those articles of wearing apparel, &c., which are usually made at home; also, explanations on upholstery, straw-platting, bonnet-making, knitting, &c., By a Lady, London, 1838. Photo courtesy of Penn State Special Collections.

The frontispiece of The Workwoman’s Guide provides an excellent example of this type of stitchery literacy being taught in the classroom.  The room is full of girls of varying ages and a young woman teacher sitting in the center, modelling how to measure and cut fabric.  The children are all busy working as well: sewing, cutting, and measuring fabric.  On the wall there is a prominently featured alphabet of capital letters.  This alphabet is immediately adjacent to the woman and girls who are modelling the sewing activity.  Higher up on the wall there are also several sheets with animals and accompanying text underneath, reminiscent of a bestiary.  These animals include a goat, camel, swan, dog, and owl.  The combination of the alphabet, the informational animal sheets, and the cutting and sewing of fabric emphasizes the pragmatic educational nature of the scene.