Die Geschichte von Hansel und Gretel oder: Vom Zuckerigen Haus
(The Story of Hansel and Gretel or: The Sweet House)
(Movable Book)
Lothar Meggendorfer (mechanical design)
Esslingen near Stuttgart: J. F. Schreiber, [1887]. First edition.
Publisher’s number 46². Large quarto (33 x 25 cm).
Title page plus six chromolithographed plates with movable elements operated by original pull tabs.
Original pictorial paper-covered boards backed in green cloth.
Title Page Text:
Die Geschichte von Hansel und Gretel Oder: Vom Zuckerigen Haus.
Ein lustiges Ziehbilderbuch mit sechs Bildern und Reimen.
Die mechanische Teil eingerichtet von L. Meggendorfer.
Esslingen bei Stuttgart. Verlag von J.F. Schreiber.
Translation:
The Story of Hansel and Gretel or: The Sweet House.
A fun movable picture book with six images and rhymes.
The mechanical part set up by L. Meggendorfer.
Esslingen near Stuttgart. Publisher J.F. Schreiber.
Condition:
Very Good. Complete and fully functional. Pages have been professionally resewn, preserving the original backstrip, which remains in very good condition. All mechanical parts are present and working as intended. All movable parts are original except for two: the girl's arm and the bear figure on the sugar house scene have been expertly restored with accurate facsimiles based on original components. Original tabs reinforced. Interior bright and clean, with occasional light soiling and minor signs of handling.
Description:
A rare first edition of one of Meggendorfer’s most elusive and imaginative movable books. Issued by the celebrated German publisher J. F. Schreiber, this title represents an inventive retelling of the classic Grimm tale. In Meggendorfer’s version, the role of the wicked witch is replaced by a menacing bear who chases the children and is ultimately lured to his demise in a stream. The gingerbread house becomes a whimsical setting filled with unexpected narrative and visual surprises, including a Jacobin-cap-wearing bear brandishing a saber with a rooster-head hilt.
Each of the six color lithographed scenes includes rhymed captions and intricate paper engineering. Movable components allow readers to animate Hansel, Gretel, the bear, and various environmental elements.
Historical and Publishing Context:
This 1887 edition was preceded by a non-movable picture book of the same title issued by Schreiber in 1869, with a second edition appearing in 1875 (cf. Wegehaupt IV, 683). Meggendorfer's contribution involved redrawing the illustrations and adding mechanical elements. As noted by H. Krahé, the movable design was based on that earlier version, originally illustrated by another artist. A second edition of Meggendorfer’s movable version followed in 1891. In 1909, Gustav Weise of Stuttgart issued a new adaptation—this time a non-movable picture book and dice game titled Hansel and Gretel, a Fairy Tale Game, reflecting the tale’s enduring popularity.
Bibliographic References:
Katzenheim p. 118; Krahé, Spielwelt 48 and Puppentheatermuseum 50; Ries 711, 39.
Please refer to photos for further detail. Inquiries welcome.
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