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Peepshow Pictures: A Novel Colour Book
London: Ernest Nister; New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. c. 1894
Large 8vo, (28) pp, 4 chromolithograph illustrations with pop-ups
Chromo glazed boards & red cloth spine.
(9 1/2 X 8") Height 247 mm, Width 200 mm, Depth 20 mm
Very Good with fine complete, all original pop-ups
Pictorial covered glazed board covers in very good condition. Very minor rubbing of bright image on front of a girl sitting on a stile holding and a dog under an umbrella a flowering limb, and Jack and Jill carrying a small child in a bucket (illustrated by Ada Dennis). There is very litle shelf wear and the original bright red spine cover is in fine condition. All parts of the book are original with little or no indication or need of repairs. A few pages are slightly separated at the seam but remain intact with original thread. Pages are in excellent condition, just one with very slight foxing.
Of interest is the first text and drawing pages illustrate a peep-show box drawn (by W Foster) as a character pointing to the words and round pictures that appear as through the round hole of the peepshow - an apparent reference peepshows as a favorite novelty during Victorian times.
The 26 pages are illustrated by lovely sepia pen-and-ink drawings, the four fine double-page pop-ups remain brightly colored, clean, with all original parts in perfect working order. The pop-ups include:
(1) The background shows brightly colored picture of a boy and girl waving a flag, playing a drum with a marching dog holding a rifle and the last lines of poem from previous page - The Sham Fight by Clifton Bingham. In front of them the double page scene shows 3 layers of small toy solldiers, some in line, some on horses, at a canon or fallen. A nice and unusual pop-up.
(2) The background is a bright, full farmyard with ducks, cows, sheep, pigs, doves, pigeons, chickens and a boy. There are two levels of pop-ups. The back pop-up continues with more ducks, chickens and pigs but includes two large cows and a calf. The front pop-up shows three charming young girls feeding doves,sheep and goats.
(3) The always beloved Punch and Judy show in the back pop-up also shows a young boy pulling two children in a wooden cart while several others stand in front of the puppet theatre. The top pop-up is of more children watching the show. The background is of London with Big Ben visible while one man sells ice-cream and another sells matinee tickets.
(4) The final text and pop-up are an unexpected change from the idealized world of childrens activities. The Pussy Family poem is followed by a family scene. Set in a room with cat family portraits on the wall, papa, mamma and their family sit down (well, not much sitting) to breakfast. Papa might as well forget reading his paper as all the various and somewhat naughty eating, climbing, crying and spilling activities go on around him . A fun pop-up to delight and enjoy.
In total, an exceptionally nicely preserved example of the characteristic Nister charm which continues to please as it did more than a hundred years ago.
Product Code: N-94
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