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Exploding book. A Great Warning to You on Preparedness. Wake Up. An Alarming Report. Kelco Loud Book. Designed and sold by John J. Reinhold. Marietta, Pennsylvania. American. C. . See p. .
Blooks
The Art of Books That Aren’t :
With text and photography by Mindell Dubansky and introductory essay by Miriam Schaer
Blooks:The Art of Books That Aren’t is a catalog of an exhibition at The Grolier Club in from January through March , . ISBN 978-1-889937-21-2 Copyright © Mindell Dubansky Mindell Dubansky, publisher , , . Generous support for this publication was granted by Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund
Contents Once Upon A Blook
Miriam Schaer
Mindell Dubansky
Catalog of the Exhibition
Religion
Commemoration
Photography
Travel Souvenirs
Stimulating Substances
Food and Candy
Grooming and Fashion
Needlework
Household Items
Writing and Books
Gags
Props
Games and Toys
Safes and Banks
Once Upon A Blook Miriam Schaer
Blook! What the heck’s a blook? A furry Gorgrond ogron in Worlds of Warcraft? A printed publication based on blog content? A babbling stream with a speech defect? Yes to all and also, according to preservation librarian and bookbinder Mindell Dubansky, any book-like object that is not actually a book. Blooks can be sculpted or manufactured, decorative or functional, antique or contemporary, passive or interactive, as serious as tombstones or as playful as exploding cigars —and sometimes both, as the objects from Dubansky’s blook collection demonstrate in all their trompe l’oeil glory and kitsch in her engaging exhibit, Blooks: The Art of Books That Aren’t. Even in the twenty-first century—age of iPhones and e-readers—the codex is so universal a symbol that it remains the plaything of anyone seeking to benefit from its archetypical meaning as a repository of information. As a result, blooks can have as their subtexts almost anything books have as their texts.The consideration of blooks as a collectible in their own right stems from an acknowledgment that blooks are commentaries on the things they represent. They celebrate—modestly for the most part—the fake, the flawed clone, parody, imitation, appropriation. The commentaries can be hokey, like book-shaped cake pans and icecream molds; jokey, like Good Cookies for Smart Cookies (p. ), a book-shaped cookie jar; or dead
serious, like a prayer “book” to the memory of James Fagan, to , carved from black anthracite (p. ). Whatever the subject, they borrow the cultural mojo of books to enhance their own. Many of Dubansky’s blooks, even the sculptural ones, serve functional ends as book-shaped bookends, love tokens, souvenirs, containers and the like. Many are novelties, cheaply made items masquerading as books for their amusement value—blooks like Secrets of the American Cup or the Cause of the Controversy (p. ), which opens to reveal a liquor flask; Forever Amber (p. ), which is not a romance novel but housing for a small bottle of perfume; and other blooks that conceal items such as the Crosley Book Radio (p. ), the Album of Americana (p. ), or What I Know About Women (p. ). Personally, I fnd myself drawn to blooks with surprising interiors. I enjoy their riffs on the expected, their playful twists, even if the jokes are groaners. The seven cookbook-like volumes of Chef-an-ette (p. ), resting on a metal bookshelf, tilt forward to reveal hollow receptacles for personal recipe cards home cooks are meant to fill. The U.S. Occupied Zone of Germany, a “Stereo Book” (p. ), from the s surveys the postWorld War II occupation in a format novel for the time. The blook opens to an interior box with segmented areas showing stereographic
Cookie jar. Good Cookies for Smart Cookies. Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. See p. .
images of German cities, a map, and a viewer so readers can see the cities in three-dimensional depth. Practical to the the core, The Care and Feeding of Books (p. ), is an actual first-aid kit for damaged books. It houses most of the tools, tapes and salves DIY mending demands. One of my earliest encounters with a blook was with my own Baby Book—a white book-like box with pink lettering and fake gilt edges, filled with memorabilia from infancy on: inoculation records, snapshots, drawings, report cards, hospital wristbands and more all jammed together. I remember combing through it, looking for answers to the ordinary mysteries of a suburban childhood, hoping they’d be more interesting than they were. It’s anyone’s guess where that blook is now. As an artist, I’m most drawn to blooks that seem to anticipate contemporary artist books, especially ones by artists who carve or alter existing books, transforming them into sculptures unreadable except as art. Blooks have been with us a long time and we have lived with them as with an unacknowledged breed of dog or cat, enjoying their presence while failing to recognize their common heritage. Dubansky’s exhibit opens our eyes.
is an artist based in Brooklyn, New York. Her most recent book is The Presence of Their Absence.
Mindell Dubansky
My interest in blooks germinated from my passion for actual books. Throughout my adult life, I have been immersed in the enjoyment, study, making and conservation of books. I love everything about them, including their ability to transform, educate and inspire, their staggering beauty, their smell, sound and feel. I love them for their durability, companionship and power of encouragement. When I look at books, it is impossible for me not to connect emotionally and intellectually with their makers. I often imagine their bookmaking journey and try to observe evidence of their tribulations, successes and failures. The use of the book motif, especially the codex, in the design of objects has existed for over a thousand years. As a result, blook and book cultures have a parallel existence, and blooks provide a revealing side-angle view on the use and meaning of real books. Although the term “blook” has other meanings, in my usage, it’s a thing that looks like a book, but isn’t one. “Blook” is an abbreviation of “booklook,” and no other term describes the type of book objects I collect as accurately or succinctly. With this catalog and my blog, About Blooks (http://aboutblooks.blogspot.com/), I hope to bring the term into general use and help focus attention on this quirky and often humorous category of objects. As you page through this catalog you will notice that humor plays a large part in the design and intended use of many blooks, and you will perceive that the research and collecting of blooks engenders amusing, moving and intellectually stimulating experiences. For hundreds of years, since at least the medieval era, blook-makers have realized that infusing an object with bookish qualities creates a pleasurable emotional attachment to the object analogous to our connection to a favorite book, and this in turn, increases the marketability of the objects. Dennison Bookrack. Dennison Manufacturing Company. Framingham, Massachusetts. American. C. –. See p. .
This is perhaps why the book motif is so frequently used for the design of decorative objects, when other forms would suffice. Whatever its genesis, there is a strong sensual and psychological connection to the image of the book independent of its ability to be read. This comes as no surprise to book collectors, who understand that, in addition to knowledge, the book embodies beauty, relaxation, learning, spiritual enhancement and interpersonal connection. Blooks are commentaries on books and are similar to them in many respects. They share subjects, titles, usage, physical formats, binding styles, decorative motifs, materials and techniques. Early blooks are documented but no longer exist. For example, history tells us that Jean, duc de Berry, received a blook along with the illuminated Book of Hours made for him by the Limbourg brothers. The themes of the earliest-known blooks are religion and science, and most of these are rare and precious objects such as reliquaries or scien-
tific instruments. The mass-produced and cheap book object, like the mass-produced book itself, developed rapidly in the nineteenth century and continues today. Single and multi-volume blooks often mimic the forms and titles of particular genres of books, such as poetry, literature, history, religion, self-help, reference and instructional books. As it is widely regarded as being the best-selling book of all time, the Bible is a logical model for blooks, and several examples are presented in this catalog. Two were made to resemble large family Bibles: the German Bibel sewing box, which was obviously made to reflect the piety and prosperity of its owner (p. ); and Book of Books, one of many children’s block sets made for the purpose of teaching young Christians to memorize the books of the Bible (p. ). There are many secular instances of blooks imitating books. One lovely example is Friendships Offering (p. ), a daguerreotype case made to resemble a popular gift book of the same title and bound in a traditional gold-tooled leather binding. Blooks falling into the genres of writing, stationery and book repair often look very much like real books. They sometimes have believable book titles and utilize traditional bookbinding materials and binding styles, such as the ubiquitous half-leather binding. Many blooks are published in multiples, and these are often influenced by real book sets and series such as encyclopedias, sets of classic literature and history, and practical guides. Examples of these include the Keystone Stereographic Library: Tour of the World (p. ); Beautiful Britain, a five-volume jig-saw puzzle library (p. ); and Chef-an-ette, a seven-volume cooking reference device that was produced in many variaDaguerreotype case. Friendships Offering. Maker unknown. American. C. s. See p. .
tions (p. ). Some of the most engaging blooks are those that seek to more closely resemble books through the addition of title pages, prefaces, contents pages and text. Book-shaped candy boxes often use this device. Examples include the Whitman’s Library Package (p. ) and I’m Scotch (p. ), a box for anthropomorphic butterscotch. Other examples in this selection that include printed text are The Book of Smoking Knowledge (p. ), Hans Christian Andersen Story Spoons (p. ) and Curly Locks (p. ). Blooks have been made in many countries, by people of all ages, races and creeds, to fulfill a variety of functions. Handmade blooks have been created by people from all walks of life, including artisans, parents, laborers, lovers, friends, soldiers and prisoners. They can be both practical and whimsical objects. Many are made as gifts or simply to help pass the time. Unique handmade blooks can often be characterized by a geographical region or time period; examples of these are Bavarian wachsbuchs, North American spruce gum book boxes and the trench art lighters made in Europe during the First World War. Many early types of handmade book objects have been continuously made and reinvented by commercial manufacturers. These include the book safe, the puzzle box, the book flask and the trick snake book. Handmade and commercial book objects are remarkably similar in their forms, materials and meanings. Probably the most passive use of a blook is its most common use, which is as an unassuming receptacle for hiding, storing and protecting treasured or secret objects. Book boxes and book safes imitate a book’s ability to disappear on the shelf and protect its contents, as can be seen in the example of the book safe included here, Scotchman’s Diary Book safe. Scotchman’s Diary. John Jones. Transco Hidden Treasure Book Safe. Transco Adult Games, Incorporated. American. . See p. .
(p. ). Conversely, book boxes can also serve to focus attention on and enhance their contents. Examples of these are The Herold, a large, imposing store display for sardines (p. ); the beautiful and interesting Huntley & Palmers book biscuit tins (pp. and ) and the playful Knitting Volumes yarn box (p. ). Active blooks are dynamic objects that engage, surprise and sometimes, both literally and figuratively, shock their readers. While book-shaped containers can be beautiful objects, it is the interactive blooks that interest me the most because they are creative, fun and enjoyable to share. I have included many examples of dynamic blooks in this selection, including the Instructeur Magnétique Américain grammar game (p. ), Be Prepared exploding book (p. ), Bookcorder tape recorder (p. ), and Secret Sam's Dictionary spy camera, periscope and shooter of plastic bullets (p. ). Most people associate blooks with kitsch and humor and have not experienced those that are somber, thought-provoking, elegant and emotionally poignant. I have endeavored to present a diverse selection of blooks, including those that commemorate the personal loss of a loved one, such as the In Memory slate book (p. ); celebrate important life events, such as the carved wooden treasure box made for Hattie Amanda Johanson (p. ); or are the product of an historic event, such as the beautiful, detailed straw-work sewing box made by an unknown French prisoner during the Napoleonic Wars (p. ). On the flip side are the playful, humorous and sometimes slightly vulgar blooks. While these objects would be funny even if they weren’t in book form, it is perhaps because the book is such a significant cultural object that blooks are so funny when they turn out to be pranks—take for example the austere whiskey flask Secrets of the American Cup or the Cause of the Controversy (p. ) and the punchline book Crime Does Not Pay by Dusty Evsky (p. ).
Students of bookbinding history will be interested in the ways in which bookbinding styles have been interpreted as blooks. Account books, albums, fine bindings, and trade bindings have all been translated into decorative elements of blooks. One of the most used styles is the archetypal half-leather binding with raised cords and gold or marbled edges. This is the binding that is most often associated with nineteenth-century reference works, history books and literary classics, and the style people think of when they are asked to describe a “real book.” The characteristics of medieval bindings are also common. Pseudo-medieval covers, bosses and clasps have been widely used in the design of book boxes, toys and Halloween props. Many blooks are modelled after photograph and scrap albums and autograph books. Examples are Photographs, an altered book safe (p. ) and Album, a realistic velvet-covered box made for the storage of cartes-de-visite (p. ). The trend of making blooks in traditional bookbinding styles has been ongoing since the eleventh century and continues today, as evidenced by the numerous computer and electronics cases made in imitation of historical bindings. Readers may observe that there are several altered books in this selection. The remaking of books into book objects is an old practice. Individuals have practiced it regularly throughout time, especially as it relates to the making of hollowed-out books for the containment of objects. There have been several periods in time when the practice has also been used widely by small manufacturers. One of these is the nineteenth-century French practice of hollowing out books to make bars, inkwells and boxes for the tourist trade; another was the s practice of using old books for novelty items such as punchline and exploding books; and the most recent is the current craze for destroying books to make everything imaginable. items such as punchline and exploding books; and the most recent is the current craze for destroying books to make everything imaginable.
I collect blooks from a wide variety of genres, countries and time periods, choosing to illustrate the subject as a whole rather than specializing in any one subject. The collection presently dates from the early eighteenth century to the present, with most items dating from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. My collecting and research goals are to define and illustrate the scope of the subject of objects made in book form; to locate or obtain representative objects; to research and collect materials and information that support their understanding and interpretation and to share my knowledge with others. In this catalog you will see many examples of blooks that were inspired by particular genres and titles of books. The single object that turned my interest in blooks into a desire to collect and seriously study them is a humble blook made to resemble a prayer book, carefully carved from anthracite coal, which I purchased over twenty years ago at a Manhattan flea market. Much later, thanks to assistance from staff of the Anthracite Museum in Scranton, I discovered that the coal book was made to commemorate the life and untimely death of a Pennsylvania miner, James Fagen (February , –July , ) (p. ). Fagen was killed in a mining accident, leaving behind a young wife and child. When I first held this powerful object in the palm of my hand, I was surprised that I had a visceral response of sorrow, even though I knew nothing yet of its maker or the man it memorialized. This powerful emotional experience was the catalyst for my future desire to study the material culture of book objects and their connection to the history of the book. The Grolier Club is the leading bibliophiles’ institution in New York, and its members' exhibitions are a unique opportunity for Club members to share their personal collections with other mem-
bers and the public. This was the first exhibition of blooks at the Club. It was also the first survey exhibition of blooks in the United States, and possibly the first in the world. The exhibition includes a small percentage of objects from a much larger collection and is a minute fraction of the blooks that exist internationally. In addition to the thematic arrangement of blooks, the exhibition featured forays into specific subjects. These were displayed in the wall cases in the corridor leading to the exhibition room, on the second floor. They included a chronological arrangement of small and miniature book objects from the late nineteenth to the late twentieth centuries, arrangements of book-shaped greeting cards from the s and s, an assortment of novelty gag books from the s through the s, print advertisements for book objects from the s through s and a selection of patents and ephemera. The study of blooks is a new field, and this exhibition and catalog are an early effort to illustrate its history and content. While the objects could have been arranged in multiple ways, such as chronologically, by material or by country of origin, a thematic approach was chosen to reflect the purpose and use of the objects. While many of the blooks are artistic works that exist primarily for their beauty or meaning alone, most are practical, everyday objects. In all of the objects, the patina of use adds to their historical evidence and interest. In cases where evidence of makers or past ownership was present, research was conducted to identify patents, information about manufacturers and makers, personal histories and historical context. The themes presented are religion, commemoration, photography, travel souvenirs, stimulating substances, food and candy, grooming and fashion, needlework, household items, writing and books, gags, props, games and toys, and safes and banks.
As very few blooks appear in reference books, one must look to other sources for information on their invention, development and context. Information can be found in books and websites geared to collectors, and in exhibition and auction catalogs. Some of the best resources are people who are experts in their respective fields. Nothing is more satisfying than the ability to engage with others who share one’s interest, as they not only offer valuable information and the benefit of their experience, but also often provide support and encouragement. All researchers and collectors long to find primary resource materials relating to their subject. For blooks, there are several sources: the objects themselves, the packaging material and instructions for use that accompany the objects, and descriptions and images of the objects in patents, trade catalogs, advertisements and contemporary periodicals. These documents are a treasure trove of primary resource information about blooks. As blooks were made for many purposes and audiences, over a long period of time and throughout the world, the sources they appear in are varied and interesting in themselves. The Internet and digitization have made it possible both to acquire the objects and to locate many previously elusive reference materials. Inventors never tire of exploring the potential of the book format when designing objects for public consumption. The great number of patents for blooks tell us many things about their history. Among these are the name and abode of the inventor and manufacturer, the date of patent, other related patents, an object’s intended purpose and how an object functions. A patent
also includes technical drawings of an object that are helpful in their interpretation. Additionally, patents can be used to trace the evolution of a particular type of object and help one to understand the historic scope of a genre. Blook patents indicate that the primary purpose of the manufactured blook is to be a practical and decorative container, and that such a container will add to the interest and profitability of an object. There was a boom of American patented blooks in the late nineteenth century, beginning in the s, with a book-shaped pocket lantern, patented in . Early in the s, patents were granted for lunch boxes, book safes, flasks, office boxes and funeral ornaments. In the s, these trends continue with the addition of stamp and medicine boxes, games, toys and book cameras. The s brings more photographically related blooks, writing desks the introduction of the book bank. Since then, patents for blooks have appeared with regularity. In trade catalogs, one can glean information about individual blooks and gain an understanding of their historical context. In the nineteenth century, when many people did not have ready access to shops and commercial merchandise, they depended on illustrated catalogs such as The Inventors Agency catalog (p. ) to provide them with a wide variety of useful and amusing objects for the family.This issue from , includes only one book object, a postage stamp holder “made in the pattern of a small book.”
Since that time, blooks have been advertised for sale in the mail-order catalogs of department stores, novelty companies, magic prop manufacturers and wholesalers. The catalog descriptions tell us something about an object’s design and color variants, marketing strategies, intended audience and price structure.
Illustrated Catalogue and Price list of The Inventors Agency. Chicago, Illinois. American. .
Trade catalogs continued to be a main source of sales through the twentieth century and are still relevant today. The four-page Jellinek catalog (seen below), is a rare sales catalog that is exclusively for blooks. Jellinek was a specialty shop located at Faubourg, Saint-Antoine, Paris, and this catalog was published some time during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. The catalog illustrates twenty-one deluxe leather book objects, made for home and business settings, including a parlor Bible, crank-up phonograph, radio, lamp, picture frame, album, book bars, waste-baskets and cigarette cases. While the distribution of printed trade catalogs has diminished, we continue to have access to them and other resources through the Internet. Popular and trade magazines provide researchers with illustrated product advertisements, as well as with informative articles about blooks and their makers. Because many blooks were intended as novelty holiday gifts, colorful ads were produced in issues leading up to the holidays in magazines such as Life and Saturday Evening Post, from the s through the s. Some of the popular blooks that were advertised in print ads include the Life Savers Sweet Story Books (p. ), Whitman’s Chocolates Library Package (p. ), the Crosley Book Radio (p. ), and the Raquel Vanity Book (p. ).
Trade catalog. Jellinek. 95, Faubourg. Saint-Antoine, Paris. French. Early 20th century.
The unattributed advertisement for the Raquel Vanity Book (p. ), tells us a lot about this lady’s compact. We learn that this “beauty book” was available in three leather variants, in eleven “smart” colors, and that the colors were designed to harmonize with the costume or purse. We also learn that the books hold (refillable) powder and rouge, and a mirror; we are told the cost of each variant (De Luxe Leather, $2.50; Ecrasé (crushed) Leather, $3.50 and Gold leather, $5.00), the full name and address of the company and information on its other products. Other vehicles of blook information can be found in trade, hobby and specialty magazines such and Popular Science, The Bride and Homemaker (p. ) and the journals of historical and collecting societies. These resources offer biographical information about inventors and collectors, historical information on genres of blooks, press releases and sales information for specific items, photographs and other relevant facts.
Advertisement. Raquel Vanity Book. Publication unknown. C. s. Ladies' compact. Raquel. Raquel Incorporated, New York. American. C. . See p. .
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Religion N
Some of the earliest religious blooks are pilgrim badges and cumdachs — book-shaped reliquaries made in Early Medieval Ireland to enclose holy books that were known to have been used by saints. Since then, many religious books, such as the Bible, Kabballah and Koran have been reinterpreted as blooks. Of these, the Bible is the most ubiquitous. The Bible has been a model for countless practical and decorative blooks used in the home and church, and also worn on the body. The functions of the Bible-related blooks shown here vary. They are teaching tools for children, gifts for those participating in religious rites of passage, food-related objects for religious events, and personal objects made to reflect the piety of their owner. The maple sugar made in this large, six-piece mold was probably made to serve at a communal holiday meal. It is carved in the form of a Bible and held together with four wooden pegs (two missing). Crosses framed with a broken-line border are carved in both covers. The spine, head and tail-pieces have details that represent bookish features, such as raised cords and a rounded spine. The piece that represents the book’s fore-edge is missing.
Maple sugar mold. Bible. Maker unknown. American or French-Canadian. C. . Carved wood . . . cm (. . . in)
This homemade, diminutive Bible box is inscribed with a cross that was either carved upside down, or mistakenly cut into the back cover. Though it is small, the craftsman took care to represent the presence of pages by inscribing the edges with parallel lines. The cover is attached to the box with a rivet at one point. Inside the box, there is a paper inscription by its first owner, ten year old, Geneva LaToer. Bible box. Maed 1853 for Geneva LaToer wen she was 10. Maker unknown. [American]. . Wood . . . cm (. . . in)
The wachsbuch is a Bavarian folk art object made from the s to the s. Most are non-functioning gift items of a Catholic nature. Wachsbuchs were made in many variations and sold in church and specialty shops. They are formed from extruded beeswax string with applied molded, colored wax decorations. This wachsbuch is unusual for its glass dome enveloping a figure of Baby Jesus. The front cover features a chromolithograph of a confirmation scene.
Wax book (wachsbuch) Maker unknown. Bavarian. Late nineteenth century. Beeswax, glass, metal, chromolithograph, textile . . . cm (. . . in)
Bible block sets are part of the Christian tradition of teaching children to memorize the sixty-six books of the Bible. This Book of Books has lost one of its books and its original slipcase, which looked like a Bible and could be stored on a bookshelf. The gold-edged wood books are covered in printed, colored papers. The patent explains the original intent of this object as a teaching tool and shows it with its titled slipcase. Educational device. The Book of Books. Endeavor Printing Company, John F. Scherer (Anniston, Alabama). American. C. . U. S. Patent 1,262,269. Gift of Linda Kaye-Moses. Wood, paper, metal Bookcase: . . cm (. . . in) Each book: . . . cm (. . . in)
This is an incomplete set of fifty-one wood books with handwritten titles. The set was once owned by Joey Morris, whose name is written on the box top. The box is recycled and two dividers were added to serve as shelves. The image on the print affixed to the top of the box is the model for this set. Educational device. The Sixty-six Books of the Bible. Handmade. Maker Unknown. American. C. -. Wood, paper, writing ink Bookcase: . . . cm (. . . in) Each book: . . . cm (. . . in)
Resembling a large family Bible, this marquetry sewing box reflects the piety of its owner. The box has a drawer that pulls out from the spine. The drawer is fitted with eight compartments for sewing supplies and four removable wooden spools. The doors of the covered compartments are illustrated with hand-drawn details of children.
Sewing box. Bibel. Maker unknown. German. Nineteenth century. Wood . . . cm (. . . in)
Stone books of various sizes and styles have been made for centuries as folk art by professional and amateur stonecutters. They were love tokens, paperweights and have also served as active emblems of revolution. The large number of stone books in existence suggests they have been treasured for generations. “Holy Bible” is the most common inscription on stone books. The sculptor of this stone Bible used the natural layering of the schist to create the illusion of paper edges. While it is extremely rustic and worn, the book is imbued with an uncommon sense of power, durability and faith.
Stone book. Holy Bible. Maker unknown. American. Late nineteenth century. Talc schist . . . cm (. . . in)
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Commemoration N
Blooks have often been made to commemorate important personal and historic events and to provide comfort to their owners. They include secular relics, death memorials, public monuments and war-related objects. Personal devotional books, often our most precious posessions, are imbued with spiritual powers, and still more powerful when combined with the memory of special intmate and family events. We keep them all our lives and pass them on as heirlooms. The anthracite book commemorating the life and untimely death of the Pennsylvania miner James Fagen is a powerful object that fits in the palm of one’s hand. Upon holding it, the sorrow from the loss of a hundred years before can be felt. Anthracite books were made by miners and artisans from the Pennsylvania coal regions. This memorial book commemorates the death of James F. Fagen, who died at age twenty-two, crushed between locomotive cars, at the Dolph Colliery, in Peckville. Fagen left behind a wife and child. It is probable that the sculptor was a friend or family member. Coal Carving. James Fagen. February 14, 1875–July 22, 1897. Maker unknown. American. Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, . Anthracite . . . cm (. . . in)
While Spolsky’s undated anthracite book could be a memorial book, this is unclear, because it is undated. From the U. S. Federal Census, we know that Aftan Spolsky emigrated from Austria in . He was thirty years of age at the time of the Census, a mine laborer, and lived in Dickson City, Pennsylvania with his wife and four children. Coal Carving. Aftan Spolsky. Priceburg Pa. Priceburg, Pennsylvania. Maker unknown. American. After . Anthracite . . . cm (. . . in)
In Memory is the title inscribed on the spine of this hand-carved memorial book. The front cover is inscribed In, God. We, Trust and is illustrated in relief with two cuffed hands reaching towards each other from heaven and earth. The back cover is illustrated with anchor, cross and heart motifs that represent faith, hope and love. Slate Book. In Memory. Maker unknown. English or American. Late nineteenth century. Slate . . . cm (. . . in)
The meaning of the illustration on this carved folk art box has not been deciphered. The cover image depicts two facing women with outstretched arms, with a Star of David between them. They sit behind a curtain held up from above by two large hands. There is a motif of clasped hands above them. Below the figures is a double scroll motif, two five-pointed stars, branches and the dates and . Box. Maker unknown. Hungarian. C. –. Carved wood . . . cm (. . . in)
This complex, hand-carved love token is carved in relief on three surfaces, with the earliest design on the front cover. Within a dentelle border, it reads “Hattie Amanda/Johanson/[flower motif ]/1876 14/2/[two cups]/FORESTVILLE/CONN.” Its verso is carved with the monogram of King Gustaf V of Sweden, and ‘Gustaf V/5 Re—år’ [the fifth year of his reign]/ MMMMMDCLXXII.” The back cover is carved with an unidentified cypher, the word Miösiöhult (a village), and the year MCMXII.
Swedish-American folk art love token box. Hattie Amanda Johanson, Forestville, Conn., 1876, 14/2. Maker Unknown. American. , . Gift of Ian Berke. Wood, steel key . . . cm (. . . in)
This hand-carved, solid wood love token, in the form of a closed book, is designed in the Eastlake style. Both covers and spine are similarly decorated with two large flower motifs in relief. The flowers form cartouches for the monograms “W L” on the front and “B L” on the back. Love token. BL/WL. Maker unknown. [American]. Mid–late nineteenth century. Wood . . . cm (. . . in)
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Photography N
A wide range of photography-related blooks have been handmade and manufactured since the mid-nineteenth century. Examples include daguerreotype cases, book cameras, photograph storage systems, and viewfinders. Between and , in America, Great Britain and Europe, many novelty book-style cases were made for daguerreotypes and other fragile photographs. These small faux-books were made in an astonishing variety and emulated the fine bindings and albums of the period. In the late s, album-style boxes were also being made to hold cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards. By , publishing firms such as the Keystone View Company were producing large stereograph series housed in sets of book boxes that resembled encyclopedias. Another popular book object was the book detective camera, for which at least twelve patents were issued from to in Europe and the United States. Book cameras are still made today by surveillance and toy manufacturers. Book-style photograph cases were made in imitation of contemporary binding styles and book titles, in many designs and materials. It was typical of the photograph cases of the s to be named after popular gift books, as they were marketed to the same middle-class audience that enjoyed the books. The title of this case, Friendships Offering, was the title of a popular British annual gift book, published from 1824 to 1844.
Daguerreotype case. Friendships Offering. Maker unknown. American. C. s. Daguerreotype, wood, binder's board, leather, paper, gold leaf, gold tooling, brass 9.8 x 8.6 x 2.2 cm (3.9 x 3.4 x 0.9 in)
Altered cartes-de-visite album. Photographs. Maker unknown. Lithograph: F. Heppenheimer, New York. American. Mid-nineteenth century. Binder's board, leather, paper, gold stamping, metal . . . cm (. . . in)
This altered album retains its front endpaper, title page and first leaf. The back cover has five rounded tacks showing that the album was adapted to lie flat on a table. A leaf carrying a photograph of Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad is adhered to the verso of the title page. This popular and widely disseminated photograph was originally taken on February , , at the gallery of Matthew Brady in Washington, D. C.
This box is not an altered book but a purposely made, realistic representation of an album. The box provides a flexible format, allowing readers to easily remove and rearrange their photographs. The binding is exactly as it would be on a real album. It has cushioned covers and an expanding spring clasp, which would have been necessary for a full album, but here it has been used to fool the reader into thinking the box is actually a book. Cartes-de-visite box. Album. Maker unknown. American. Late nineteenth century. Velvet, printed paper, wood, metal . . . cm (. . . in)
This austere, realistic-looking book box contains a string of twelve pull-out envelopes for storing glass photographic negatives. The embossed paper spine, moiré covers and printed labels create a convincing illusion of a reference book. The box holds six glass plates depicting scenes and people from Bridlington Quay and Startforth Church in Yorkshire, England.
Glass negative container. Tylar’s Unique Negative Storer. Reg. No. . English. C. Mid–late nineteenth century. Paper, metal, printing, glass plate negatives . . . cm (. . . in)
Keystone stereoscopic cards were packaged in durable book boxes. Thematic card series were made up of a group of these boxes and appeared on the shelf as a large set of reference books. Keystone View Company (-) was the world's largest producer of stereographs. Its founder, Benneville L. Singley, was the photographer of many of the views.
Stereograph set. Stereographic Library:Tour of the World. Vols. III and IV (card nos. –). Keystone View Company, Meadville, Pennsylvania. American. C. . Book cloth, binder’s board, paper, gold stamping, photographs . . . cm (. . . in)
Stereo Book contains thirty-six stereo-view photographs of German landscapes and cityscapes in the U.S. occupied zone, as well as an adjustable stereoscope viewer. These postwar souvenir albums, similar to many made in Germany during the Third Reich, were sold to U.S. soldiers at the PX as a memento of their service overseas. Stereograph set. Stereo Book: U.S. Occupied Zone of Germany. Raumbild-Werkstätte München. German. C. . Paper, color lithography, book cloth, metal, photographs . . . cm (. . . in)
This elaborate inlaid box is made and decorated with several types of wood. Wood burl has been used for the central cartouche and corners on the front board, and the title and details are outlined with tin inlaid strips. It is probable that this box would have been made to hold personal photographs and ephemera. Box with Arabic title. Images. Maker and country of origin unknown. Early twentieth century. Gift of Gunnar Kaldewey. Wood, tin . . . cm (. . . in)
Protective book boxes for photograph and microscope slides are fairly common and have been made since at least the nineteenth century. This version was designed in the style of an old book on exploration, with its goldstamped, cordovan faux-leather binding and decoration depicting a sailing ship on the high seas. Inside the box there is an index and slots for a hundred slides.This box was sold in multiple color variants.
Box for photographic slides. Miniature Slide Library. Bausch and Lomb Optical Company, Rochester, New York. American. C. . Binder's board, paper, wood, textile, gold foil . . . cm (. . . in)
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Travel Souvenirs N
Book-shaped souvenirs, like all travel souvenirs, have a long history, as most travelers desire to bring home mementos of their trips. Objects conceived and made purposely as souvenirs are usually site-specific, made from local materials and decorated with images of a place or monument. The objects in this grouping were made during the late ninteenth through the mid-twentieth century. They are souvenirs from visits to historic places and buildings; summer holidays; and physical tokens of remembrance of friends and loved ones. Liberotti Impronte is a collection of hand-carved plaster cameos by Giovanni Liberotti. Created as souvenirs for wealthy European travelers on the Grand Tour, the cameos depict characters from classical literature and mythology. Each cameo is numbered and corresponds to the handwritten index on the interior of both covers. Participants in the Grand Tour experienced the arts of classical antiquity and the Renaissance. This set allowed them to own and share a piece of history.
Grand Tour Souvenir. Liberotti Impronte. Musei 6. Giovanni Liberotti. Italian. C. –. Binder's board, wood, paper, vellum, plaster, metal, leather, gold tooling . . . cm (. . . in)
This box is in the tradition of the Album Amicorum, a precursor of the modern autograph and scrap book. The box covers are in the style of a traditional cameo binding, a much imitated, early sixteenth-century Italian binding style. Both covers are illustrated with social scenes. The lifting of a paper flap at the fore-edge of the box reveals over thirty gilt-edged sheets of paper which contain messages, drawings, calling cards and plant souvenirs, dating from to . Album amicorum. Souvenir. Maker unknown. German. C. -. Cartonnage, paper, etching, silk ribbon, paper, silk, plant material, gold tooling . . . cm (. . . in)
This box is an example of trench art, objects made during wartime, from battlefield refuse, by soldiers, civilians and prisoners of war. Rennes, the capital of Brittany, suffered greatly during World War II. It was the location of a German prisoner-of-war camp and hospitals for German soldiers captured on D-day. The box has a drawer that pulls out from the spine, and its decorations are carefully shaded by burning the wood. Trench art box. Rennes, France, 1945. Maker unknown. French. . Stained, carved wood, pyrography, fiber board . . . cm (. . . in)
The Santa Barbara Mission was the tenth California mission to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans, and was established on the Feast of St. Barbara, December , . The building depicted on the pen wiper is the fourth church built at the Mission, in . This is one of a series of hand-painted souvenir pen wipers from the California Missions. The “book” does not open. Its interior is filled with cocoa fiber for cleaning pen nibs. Souvenir pen wiper. Mission Santa Barbara, . Maker unknown. American. Mid-nineteenth century (after ). Wood, cocoa fiber, ink, pyrography . . . cm (. . . in)
Sorrento is a southern Italian town, known since the early nineteenth century for making inlaid and marquetry olivewood boxes. Many were made in book form and were greatly were prized by tourists as souvenirs. Both of these boxes look like multi-volume sets of books, with larger books serving as the box covers. The details on the book spines are painted, but the figural designs on the top of both boxes are rendered in marquetry.
Sorrento ware puzzle box. Maker unknown. Italian. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Gift of Sophia Kramer. Wood, paint . . . cm (. . . in) Sorrento ware inkwell. Maker unknown. Italian. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Wood, paint . . . cm (. . . in)
The book-box has been a popular format for postcard boxes in many countries. This box was made during a period of intensive souvenir postcard collecting, when printed tin manufacturers and stationers throughout Europe and America produced handsome boxes to house the many postcards collected by tourists, or sent by them to families and friends at home.
Postcard Box. Post-karten. Maker unknown. German. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Painted and printed tin 1. . cm (. . . in)
English shell-work souvenir boxes, many in book form, were sold at English seaside resorts during the late nineteenth century and beyond. The front of this box has a thick velvet pincushion, with the title “FORGET ME NOT.” The back of the box, titled “A PRESENT” has a chromolithograph depicting a girl at the quayside waving goodbye to a sailor, who is sailing away on a dinghy. Souvenir shell-work box. Forget Me Not. A Present. Maker unknown. English. C. s–s. Ribbon-embossed paper, cardboard, velvet, gold stamping, shell-work, chromolithograph . . . cm (. . . in)
Pair of stone books. Souvenir. Soldiers Home. Hot Springs, South Dakota. Maker unknown. American. . Marble, decals, paint . . . cm (. . . in)
The State Soldiers Home of Hot Springs, South Dakota, was established in as a home for disabled or elderly war veterans and, in some cases, their widows. Historically, the Soldiers Home offered activities for its inhabitants, and these painted stone books may have been made as an occupational therapy project or by inhabitants as gift or sale items.
Within this simple souvenir blook there is a fantasy landscape garden made of cork. The landscape illustrates a well-known Chinese poem that is printed on the inside of the front cover, Zhongnan Mountain Retreat by Wang Wei (–). In the poem, Wang Wei writes about his life retired from worldly affairs, living in the mountains, and the peace he finds there. Souvenir. Royal Garden Collection. Maker unknown. Chinese. C. mid-nineteenth century. Textile, paper, printing, cork, glass, ribbon . . . cm (7.3 x 4.3 x 1.6 in)
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Stimulating Substances N
Blooks relating to alcohol, smoking and other stimulating substances have been made in many countries, for hundreds of years, for the purpose of protecting and dispensing these commodities, and amusing their owners. Drinking-related accoutrements such as portable bars and hidden flasks have always been made in a great diversity of materials and styles, ranging from fine leather bindings to kitschy plastic tomes. Book flasks and liquor safes were popular novelties during the Prohibition era, for obvious reasons, and are still common today. Throughout the twentieth century, smoking was a widespread social activity and a great variety of smoking-related novelties were made both by hand and by commercial manufacturers, who marketed them as personal gifts and business promotions. Book-shaped smoking accoutrements include humidors, cigar boxes, lighters, matchbox covers and ash trays. Book-style cigar boxes have been popular gift items, especially for Christmas, since the late s. They have been made in a great variety of designs and often in the same styles and materials as real bookbindings. During World War I (–), book-shaped smoking paraphernalia was made in great variety, including matchbox covers, cigarette lighters and tobacco boxes. The trench art “bullet” book lighter was in common use by soldiers in France, Britain, Germany and Belgium. The pocket lighters were made from discarded shell casings and driving bands salvaged from the battlefields. Every soldier had one or two lighters permanently with him, as they were useful not only for smoking but for starting a fire, cooking or igniting a grenade.
Bennington ceramic book flasks were made in many sizes, from one pint to a gallon, and glazed in both Rockingham and flint glazes. They are frequently decorated with traditional bookbinding details such as raised cords and endbands, and some have titles impressed on the spine. Examples of these are: Battle of Bennington, Bennington Ladies, Hermit’s Delight, Suffering and Death, Departed Spirits, Life of Kossuth and many others. Bennington Book Flask. [Possibly United States Pottery Company, Bennington,Vermont]. American. C. –. Ceramic . . . cm (. . . in)
Giacomo Alessi is a contemporary Sicilian ceramic artist who creates functional pottery using traditional Italian styles and methods. Alessi makes book flasks in various designs. One of his more recent designs features the image of an owl, an animal that symbolizes education and is commonly associated with books. Book Flask. Giacomo Alessi. Signed. Caltagirone, Sicily. Italian. Late twentieth to early twenty-first century. Gift of John Cliett. Ceramic . . . cm (. . . in)
Charles A. Brackett, the inventor of this box, describes it as an enclosure for a pocket flask, bottle, or candy box. The variant illustrated in the patent is titled Orange Blossoms, v. . Its traditional cloth covering material, marbled paper edges, gold-stamped spine and octavo format help to create a realistic imitation of a book. The box is opened by pressing a release button at the top. Hidden flask. Secrets of the American Cup or the Cause of the Controversy.Vol. 1. By Richmond G. Stoehr. U. S. Patent 18,081. American (Massachusetts). . Binder's board, book cloth, gold stamping, marbled paper, metal hinge, wood . . . cm (. . . in)
This delicately hand-carved case could be trench art or a prisoner-of-war artifact. The box is decorated with nature motifs. The image of a bird, as seen on the back of the box, is prevalent in prisoner-of-war pieces, as it often represents freedom. The title is written in archaic Bulgarian on the edges of the book, and the box hinges open from the top.
Cigarette case. Souvenir from Glovech. Maker unknown. Bulgarian. C. –. Wood . . . cm (. . . in)
This is an atypical trench lighter, larger and more decorative than most. The faux binding is made of copper with brass corners. The front cover is engraved with the name Marie, surrounded by a ring of pansies. The back cover is engraved with an alligator skin pattern and a central portrait of a woman wearing a large brimmed hat. The working part of the lighter pivots out from the bottom right corner of the book.
Trench Art lighter, World War I. Marie. Maker unknown. French. C. -. Copper, brass, engraving . . . (. . . in)
Betel box. RFC. Mrs. Crosby. Maker unknown. Indian or English. C. –. Nickel-plated brass, brass emblem of Royal Flying Corps. . . . cm (. . . in)
The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War. It merged with the Royal Navy Air Service to form the Royal Air Force in April . Early in the war, the RFC supported the British Army by artillery cooperation, photographic reconnaissance and later, bombing missions. This style of box is not unique, but the insignia and personalization distinguishes it as exceptional.
The binding of Smoke and Ashes resembles a trade bookbinding and was probably made by a commercial bookbinder. The gold-painted plaster book is attached to the covers with metal screw posts. The insert has three labelled sections for cigarettes, matches and a removable ashtray. The Japanese endpapers are a festive surprise in this austere object. This copy has a Christmas gift label, reading “Compliments of The North American Radio Sales Company.”
Smoking set. Smoke and Ashes [by] Flame. Philip V. Spinner & Company, Chicago, Illinois. U.S. Patent 1,646,632. American. . Binder's board, paper, book cloth, plaster, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
This musical cigarette dispenser, which plays "Vast Is My Motherland," celebrates three historic Soviet space programs: the first artificial earth satellite (October, ), the first man who landed on the Moon (April, ), and the first artificial moon satellite (April, ). Each of the three book spines flips down to reveal ten cigarette stations. The book edges are covered in a gold-printed and marbled plasticized material. This is one of several variants seen of this themed dispenser. Musical cigarette dispenser. Maker unknown. Russian. C. . Plastic, metal . . . cm (. . . in)
After the Second World War, Ross Electronics worked with Japanese manufacturers to supply the incentive, premium and catalog markets with novelty items such as radios, cigarette consoles and cigarette lighters. The Book of Smoking Knowledge, which was issued in at least two different designs, includes a short text on the history of tobacco. This copy still retains its Christmas dust jacket (not shown).
Table lighter. The Book of Smoking Knowledge. Ross Electronics Corporation, Chicago, Illinois. American, Made in Japan. C. . Metal, cloth, paper, gold and black stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
Personal ash trays and ash tray sets were common in the mid-nineteenth century, because this was a time when it would not have been unusual for people to smoke forty cigarettes a day. Ash trays were everywhere. Individualized ashtrays were sold in covered variants for keeping in the pocket or purse, and in open sets for home use. This four-volume set on its gold-tone bookshelf is one that might be appropriate for card parties.
Ash tray set. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTVWXYZ. Maker unknown. Japanese. C. . Painted and printed tin Each ashtray: . . . cm (. . in) Set: . . . cm (. . . in)
This cigar box is an excellent example of a blook in which great thought and effort were placed into the materials and design for the purpose of making it appear to be a book. The rounded, gold-stamped cloth spine, gold edges and decorative cover design all create a cheerful and charming illusion. Cigar Box. La Paz y Buen Viaje. Marca de Fabrica; Fabrrica de Cagarros y Cigarrillos. Cecilio Lopez, Manila. Phillipines. Early twentieth century. Gift of Santiago Saavedra. Paper board, paper, book cloth, chromolithographic print, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
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Food and Candy N
Blooks designed for the making, packaging, presentation and preservation of foodstuffs have been popular for generations. They include candy boxes, storage tins, toothpick holders, spice sets, lunch boxes, serving dishes, napkin rings, baking pans and molds. One of the earliest food-related blooks is the lunch box. American book-shaped lunch box patents appear in the s and a variety of designs were made through the s. Probably the most frequently collected food-related blook object is the printed tin. Of these, Huntley & Palmers biscuit tins are paramount. Between and , Huntley & Palmers of Reading, England (established in ) produced ten book tin designs and sold , tins. After World War II, the homemakers who lived in new American suburban communities were under tremendous pressure to provide interesting and nutritious family meals. At this time, a wide array of food-related blooks were produced in America and Japan, many in the format of multi-volume sets. For these objects, the book format served both as a home decoration and as an emblem of efficiency and organization. One of the most enduring and interesting is the the Chef-an-ette (p. ), a multi-volume recipe organizer which was a popular bride’s gift in the s and s.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, North American woodsmen carved boxes to hold spruce-gum, a precursor to chewing gum. These small boxes were frequently carved in the form of a book, utilizing many decorative motifs and techniques. As with most spruce-gum boxes, this box is carved from a single block of wood and opens from both ends. Its sliding end pieces are made of wood repurposed from an old crate. Spruce gum box (unfinished). Maker unknown. North American. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Wood, inlaid wood . . . cm (. . . in)
Lunch box with flask. Noonday Exercise. Maker unknown. American. C. . Painted and stenciled metal . . . cm (. . . in)
Book-shaped lunch boxes appear in the United States in the s. Three patents for metal lunch boxes were issued in that decade. This is a variant of one invented by Hunt and Whitehouse in (U. S. patent 170,441). The box opens in two places: the sliding panel on the top hides the opening that holds the beverage tin, and the food compartment opens from the fore-edge. The wire handle allows for easy carrying.
The origin of Larrabee’s Lunch Box is unknown, but from the fairly large numbers seen, they must have been widely available in their time. This box seems to be made for the stationery storage of dry foodstuff rather than as a lunch box to be carried to work or school. It has no carrying handle or locking mechanism; it closes instead with a pressure fit that would easily open if dropped. Lunch box. Larrabee's Lunch Box. Maker unknown. American. C. . Lacquered, embossed sheet metal . . . cm (. . . in)
This imposing, book-inspired sardine display projects confidence in its product, and its imposing size must have made a strong impression on customers. Judging from the large number of these tins seen, Herold smoked sardines must have been widely available in their day. Store display for sardines. The Herold by H.Valvatne. H.Valvatne. Sunde, Norway; B. M. Shipman, New York. Norwegian or American. C. . Printed tin . . . cm (. . . in)
Book-shaped lithographic tins have been collected since the early twentieth century. Historically, they were sold as Christmas gifts and produced as store displays. Tins were designed to preserve various foods, including coffee, tea, sardines and confections. Those made for biscuits by the English firms Huntley & Palmers, CWS and Peak Frean were the most popular. The youthful School Books tin depicts three novels in a carrying box: The Jungle Book, Many Cargoes and Westward Ho. Biscuit tin. School Books. Huntley & Palmers, Reading. English. . Printed tin . . . cm (. . . in)
Huntley & Palmers based the design of the handsome Book tin on an eighteenth-century fine binding in the British Library entitled Het Boek der Gebeden, published in London in 1704. The front cover of this tin is a faithful rendition of the original gold-tooled red goatskin binding designed in the Cottage Roof style. Both book and tin are decorated with the same design composed of floral motifs, urns, grapevines and black painted strap-work. Biscuit tin. Book. Huntley & Palmers, Reading, England. Huntley Boorne & Stevens Manufacturer. English. . Printed tin . . . cm (. . . in)
Although this unique handmade box could have been used to store coffee, its use and origin are not known. It is made using a variety of techniques and materials. The covers are made of fiberboard and the edges and spine are solid wood. The complex design was created by painting and decoupage, using both paper and fabric. The heavy varnish or shellac visually unites the disparate elements and gives the box a glossy appearance.
Box. Coffee, Best French. Maker unknown. [American]. C. s. Wood, fiber board, paint, decoupage . . . cm (. . . in)
Although it looks handmade, this tin is not unique. Book-style food molds have been common since the nineteenth century. Molds in many sizes and styles are made for cakes, ice cream, candy and maple sugar, as well as cookie cutters, many of which are still produced today. Book cakes, usually in open-book format, have been made to celebrate many of life’s important events, such as birthdays, graduations, religious milestones and weddings.
Cake Pan in the form of an open book. Multiple, Maker unknown. American. Early twentieth century. Tin . . . cm (. . . in)
Barton Salt Company has been in operation since the 1890s and is one of several salt companies located in Hutchinson, Kansas. In order to stand out from its competition, Barton used the authority of the book format to promote its product. The Barton brothers were responsible for several improvements in refining methods that resulted in their uniquely white Cook Book Salt. The same design was reproduced on a promotional needle book.
Salt box. Cook Book Salt by Barton. Barton Salt Company, Hutchinson, Kansas. American. C. . Paper, color lithography . . . cm (. . . in)
Flatware and cutlery sets in book boxes are fairly common and made internationally. This fish set resembles a novel in a full-leather binding with gold tooling. The binding material is faux leather and the wood edges are painted gold. The box contains twelve bone-handled knives and forks. Its interior is fitted with a silk doublure and velvet-covered, wood flatware supports. The number RD. is gold-stamped on the inside of the cover.
Spoon set. H. C. Andersen, 1805–1875. Maker unknown. Danish. Mid-19th century. Paper, card, gold stamping, printing, silver-plated metal . . . cm (. . . in)
Fish set. Neptune’s Armory. Trident. Maker unknown. English. Mid-nineteenth century. Binder's board, book cloth, velvet, wood, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
This book box contains a set of small silver-plated spoons illustrating six of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories. A table of contents inside the front cover lists the stories in Danish and English: The Tinder Box, Little Tiny, The Shepherdess and the Sweep, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Swineherd, and Hans Clodhopper.
There are many variants of book-style beverage coaster sets from the s and s. This four-volume set is unusual for its large size and the coasters also serve as plates. Although its design is simple, the double goldtooled lines at both ends of the books, as well as the bookshelf base, give the set a finished appearance. Set of Beverage and Snack Coasters. Maker unknown. [American]. C. –. Wood, gold stamping, cork Set: . . . cm (. . . in) Each book: . . . cm (. . . in)
The Book Rack is a sugar bowl and salt-and-pepper set that looks like seven books sitting on a brass bookshelf. This condiment set was produced in multiple color combinations, including the one seen here. Judging from the large number still available, the Book Rack appears to have been a popular gift item in its time.
Condiment set. Miniature Book Rack by Davis. Salt, Pepper ‘N’ Sugar Set. Davis Productions, Brooklyn, New York American. Mid-twentieth century. Plastic, metal, paper, card stock, lithography Box: . . . cm (. . . in)
The paper packaging for this “sauce pan” spice set is designed to look like a two-volume cookbook. Its wood grain pattern is reminiscent of the painted wood bindings often used for folksy cookbook bindings popular from the s through the s.
Salt and pepper set. Salt and Pepper Cook Book: A Spicy Story in Two Parts. Brillium Metals Corporation, Jamaica, New York. Alan Berger, Designer. American. C. . Plastic, copper, chrome, paper card, lithography . . . cm (. . . in)
After World War II, American companies looked to Japanese ceramic factories to produce decorative, low cost items for the home. One example is the popular bookshelf spice set, which was made in a tremendous variety of styles and size formats. The books often feature bookbinding characteristics and can look quite realistic. The bookshelves are usually unfinished wood, and most have holes for hanging. While two-tier, six-volume bookshelf spice sets are common, the wire bookshelf and blueberry motif on this variant is unusual.
Spice rack. Salt, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cinnamon. Maker unknown. Japanese. . Metal wire, ceramic, cork Bookshelf: . . . cm (. . . in) Each book: . . . cm (. . . in)
Perhaps this vintage cookie jar was designed to hold cookies that could be dispensed to school children who worked hard and did their homework. It could have been meant for the home or as an incentive used by teachers in the schoolroom. Cookie jar. Good Cookies for Smart Cookies. Maker unknown. [American]. Mid-twentieth century. Ceramic . . . cm (6. . . in)
Eppelsheimer & Company was one of the largest mold-making firms in the United States, from the late nineteenth century through the late s. It produced thousands of figurative molds, which sold to retailers such as bakers, confectioners and caterers. This ice cream mold has many bookish characteristics. The spine has a leather texture and even endbands are included. As with this one, Eppelsheimer molds are frequently found signed with the company name and a number. Ice cream mold. Eppelsheimer & Company, New York, #. American. C. . Pewter . . . cm (. . . in)
From its invention in by Hazel Terry to the height of its popularity in the mid-s, the Chef-an-ette underwent multiple aesthetic changes. This large, seven-volume set from the s still contains its original recipe cards. A previous owner, Mrs. Schultz of Los Angeles, used this Chef-an-ette to hide an anonymous letter, which cautions her about her unsuitable conduct and un-Christian behavior.
Recipe file. Chef-an-ette. Terry’s Origin-ettes. Chicago, Illinois. U. S. Patents ,, and ,,. American. C. . Painted, printed steel, paper . . . cm (. . . in)
The Bride and Homemaker features a full-page ad for the Chefan-ette Recipe File, shown in what appears one of its early, five-volume variants. It describes two sets of recipe cards that could be purchased, fifty recipes for two and fifty recipes for holidays, parties and buffets. True to its design, each volume was indexed for quick reference. Advertisement. The Bride and Homemaker. Edited by Lois Lorraine Neuger. Minneapolis: Applied Publishing Company, .
Figural napkin rings with book motifs, designed for men, women and children, were made throughout the late nineteenth century. The design of this children’s napkin ring is based on the illustrations of English artist Kate Greenaway (–), whose books have been beloved since they were first published in the s. As is typical of the period, this napkin ring plays with fantastical proportions and depicts a tiny boy perched on top of a massive book. Napkin ring. Maker unknown. American or English. Late nineteenth century. Silver-plated metal . . . cm (. . . in)
Book-shaped candy boxes have been made since the nineteenth century. While most were geared to female and juvenile audiences, the Whitman’s Library Package was intended as a gift item for the well-read masculine consumer. Its faux gold-tooled, green leather binding is quite realistic. Bookish characteristics continue in the box interior, which has a list of Whitman’s other candy packages by “Same Maker” and a table of contents. Chocolate box (one pound). Whitman’s Chocolates, Library Package. Whitman's Candies. American. C. –. Gift of Sophia Kramer. Printed paper, binder’s board . . . cm (. . . in)
The tartan binding and “Preface” speaks to the rich heritage of Reed’s butter scotch: I’m Scotch. I live in cellophane wrappers… Handsome to look at, wholesome to eat and hard to forget. Try me on your friends, I’m lasting. Take me between smokes, I’m smooth. Give me to the children, I go a long ways. I hate to talk about myself and it’s really hardly necessary, because the moment you taste me, it’s all self-evident. I’m quite the Original Butter Scotch.
Candy box. “I’m Scotch” by Reed,Twenty-first Edition. Reed Candy Company, Publishers, Chicago, Illinois. American. C. . Printed paper, binder's board . . . cm (. . . in)
Candy box. Life Savers: A Sweet Story in 12 Parts, Volume 1. Life Savers Candy Company. American. U.S. patent ,,. –. Foil paper, paper, cellophane . . . cm (. . . in)
The Life Savers Sweet Story Books have been a stocking stuffer tradition since the s, and this silver strap-work design, possibly the first design, was produced from to . It appears to be the longest published single design; after , the cover illustration was modernized. The paper engineering for the box design was first patented by Frederick S. Payne and Frank W. Broderick, assignors to Reynolds Metals Company, in . Advertisements for Life Savers Sweet Story Books appeared at Christmastime in Life Magazine in both December and . This advertisement was published in Life Magazine, December , , p. .
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Grooming and Fashion N
Since medieval times, the book form has frequently been used as a motif for the design of objects relating to personal care and fashion. Early examples include book watches and lockets made of precious metals and stones. An eighteenth-century example is the Spanish men’s shaving kit titled Arte de Remoza, shown in the sales catalog The History of the Book: The Cornelius J. Hauck Collection (Christies, June –, , p. ), bound in red morocco with silver clasps. Since then, book designs have added caché to countless cosmetic and perfume packages, grooming kits, fashion accessories and clothing. Blooks in this genre are exceptional for their creative designs, elaborate decoration and luxurious materials. This selection illustrates a tiny fraction of fashion and grooming blooks made for men, women and young people since the late nineteenth century. These blooks, in addition to their interest as objects, serve as a reflection of the types of books that appealed to their owners. In this genre, we see objects which mimic detective novels, Victorian albums, popular and pulp fiction, and reference books.
The Album Collar package was developed by the Reversible Collar Company for a new and improved collar made of combined cotton cloth and paper. The box is made with the same materials and techniques used for constructing the cloth trade bindings of the s. It was made in at least three color variants (red, blue and green), with the colors corresponding to different collar sizes.
Collar box. Album Collar. Reversible Collar Company, Boston, Massachusetts. American. . Binder's board, book cloth, marbled and plain paper, gold and blind stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
Blooks often have titles that are puns. In the case of The Perfect Hold-Up, the pun is that the box is designed to resemble a mid-century paperback crime story. When opened, instead of a crime story, there is a set of men’s braces, or suspenders. Package for men’s suspenders. The Perfect Hold-Up: A Further Episode of the B. R. Aces by Sphere. English. Mid-twentieth century. Cardstock, color lithography, suspenders . . . cm (. . . in)
This is the first first-aid kit manufactured for the automobile. It was distributed widely, through six hundred Exide service agents, with the goal of placing one in every car in England. The title, Long Life, is the slogan of the Exide Battery Corporation. The quote on front cover is from Charles Dickens’ Sketches by Boz, : Grief never mended no broken bones and as good people’s wery scarce, make the most on’em.
First aid kit for the automobile. Long Life by Exide. Exide Battery Corporation. English. C. . Gift of Tom Bodkin. Tin, book cloth, paper, first aid supplies . . . cm (. . . in)
In the late s, Avon, known for its figurative, collectible packaging, produced a line of bookshaped cologne and aftershaves titled Avon Classics. The individual scents were named Tribute, Wild Country, Windjammer, Leather and First Edition. All were designed to resemble traditional tooled leather bookbindings. The paper boxes they came in were also printed as books. Men’s cologne. Avon Classics:Tribute After Shave. Avon Products, Incorporated. New York, New York. American. . Paper, glass, plastic, cologne Bottle: . . . cm (. . . in) Box: . . . cm (. . . in)
Reminiscent of an eighteenth-century travelling library, the Secrets book box houses twelve volumes of paper-wrapped, pine-needle bath salts titled Secrets of the Sea and a book-style box of bath powder. In the s, the Dermay Perfumes showroom was located at Fifth Avenue in New York City, where it sold bath salts, perfumes, powders, vanity sets, soaps and decorative glass receptacles.
Library of bath products. Secrets by Dermay. Dermay Perfumes, Incorporated, New York. American. C. -s. Binder's board, paper, lithography, bath salts, body powder . . . cm (. . . in)
This box for three soaps (two missing), was made in the style of a cushioned album, illustrated in classical style, depicting a nymph and Cupid engaged with a nest of birds. The image is surrounded by bands of ribbon and printed paper. The box has marbled edges; its bottom is lined with plain paper, indicating that it was designed to lay flat. The box interior is edged with lace and silk bows.
Ladies' gift box with French soap. Savonnerie du Chevalier, Paris. American or French. Late nineteenth century. Binder's board, paper, chromolithography, marbled paper, lace, ribbon, soap (Savon Moldavia Violette. No. ) . . . cm (. . . in)
Milady’s Fancy’s interactive design allows the owner to slowly unroll and unwrap this elaborate vanity set. As with a book, its “reader” can enter a world of possibilities and luxuriate there for hours. Milady’s Fancy is bound in a convincing s style, full-cloth, faux-leather binding. Inside the box is a diamond-shaped mirror on green silk, cushioned backing and an elaborate unfolding fourteen-piece vanity kit. Ladies’ dresser set. Milady’s Fancy. Vol. XVII. Enesco. American. s. Binder's board, book cloth, mirror, silk, celluloid and metal tools . . . cm (. . . in)
Forever Amber is a novel by Kathleen Winsor, published in . Although banned in fourteen states, it was the bestselling novel of the s. Set in seventeenth-century England, the story centers on Amber St. Clare, who rises in society by successively marrying wealthy men, while harboring love for another. The perfume was inspired by the book and subsequent film. The bottle is a facsimile of the book’s original dust jacket. Perfume bottle. Forever Amber. Gift edition. Kay Daumit Incorporated. New York, Paris, London. C. . Plaster, paint, brass . . . cm (. . . in) Advertisement. Forever Amber Perfume. Washington, D.C.: Woodward & Lothrop, C. .
The diminutive gift box contains a faux-gilt hand mirror decorated in the Art Nouveau style. The gold-printed lavender cover also has an applied paper illustration depicting a young couple dressed in Spanish garb. Printed on the cover’s interior is the first stanza from the poem Curly Locks by the American poet, James Whitcomb Riley. This keepsake has been carefully protected over the years by two lovely hankies, one, a souvenir from Hollywood, California. Girl’s gift box containing a hand mirror. Curly Locks. Maker unknown. American. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Cartonnage, paper, chromolithography, hand mirror, cotton handkerchiefs . . . cm (. . . in)
The Kiddie Tales package is an elegant feat of paper engineering. It includes five coloring books, five illustrated soaps and a set of wax crayons. The coloring books and soaps are titled after classic children’s stories and include Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks, The Three Little Pigs, Bo-Peep, Pinocchio and The Pied Piper. The Picto-Soap Company was known for its illustrated soaps with everlasting pictures. Children’s toy. Kiddie Tales. Evan Singer, illustrator. Picto-Soap Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. American. . Paper, soap, wax crayons, cellophane . . . cm (. . . in)
Ear piercing was a popular fad in for teenage girls in the United States in the s and s. The multicolored Earring Book was clearly made for teens to display their earring collections. The first two leaves are designed to hold post earrings and the last leaf, for hanging earrings. Earring storage box. The Earring Book. Maker unknown. American. C. s–early s. Plastic . . . cm (. . . in)
Judith Leiber is a well-known Hungarian-American designer of luxury handbags. In the s and s, Leiber’s company produced several small book purses, called minaudieres. This Art Deco-inspired model, made in the form of three strapped books, is encrusted with thousands of colorful Swarovski crystals. It is lined in silver leather and includes a small change purse, a mirror and a comb. A black silk cord allows the bag to be carried on the shoulder. Minaudiere in the form of three books. Judith Leiber Couture. American. C. s. Gift of John Cliett. Swarovski crystals, metal, leather, silk . . . cm (. . . in)
This printed and beaded silk clutch bag is one of a series Hindmarch designed in the style of a fantasy pulp paperback. The front cover motif, depicting a woman’s foot in a high heel standing on a man’s hand, is repeated on the spine. The back cover has a pseudo synopsis and review of the book. The edges are beaded in lines to simulate book pages, and the bag is lined in silk and suede. Clutch bag. Chelsea Husbands by Jackie Cooper. Anya Hindmarch, London. English. C. s. Printed, beaded silk, suede . . . cm (. . . in)
Book-style compacts were popular gift items from the s through the s, as indicated by advertisements that promoted them as holiday and Bridge gifts. Book compacts were made by many companies, in a variety of styles. In an unattributed advertisement from the s, this compact is shown as one of many made in different leathers and colors, to suit different tastes and wardrobes. Each Raquel Vanity Book contained a mirror, powder and rouge (p. ). Ladies’ compact. Raquel Vanity Book. Raquel Incorporated, New York. American. C. . Metal body, leather binding, gold stamping. mirror, powder, rouge . . . cm (. . . in)
Book lockets have been popular for hundreds of years. Countless examples of custom-made and manufactured book lockets have been integrated into watch fobs, etui, necklaces, brooches and bracelets. Their unending appeal is due to the fact that the album is an ideal vehicle for protecting and sharing cherished images of loved ones and places visited, as well as souvenirs, such as hair, relics and bits of text. The design of this pin was inspired by the jewelry of the Victorian era. Sweater pin with book locket. Maker Unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Gift of Sophia Kramer. Gold-toned metal 2. . . cm (. . . in)
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Needlework N
Until recently, all females were educated in needlework and spent a large part of their time making and mending clothes and household textiles or, if they were from wealthy classes, sewing objects for pleasure. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, many kinds of needlework accessories were made to look like books. Examples of these are needle books, sewing kits, patch boxes, pin cushions and thimble cases. In the nineteenth century, middle-class ladies took their sewing with them on social visits, and sewing accessories became more decorative. During this period, beautiful needlework accessories were made by commercial case-makers and individuals. For those who needed inspiration, popular lady’s magazines like Godey’s Lady’s Book, regularly published patterns for book-shaped needle books and pin cushions. Another source of sewing-related blooks were the souvenir and gift vendors at resort towns in Europe and Great Britain, which sold objects made from local materials. While many sewing-related blooks only slightly resembled real books, others were made to mimic them exactly, with leather bindings and titles of popular gift books such as Lady’s Companion and The Gem (p. ). The book format has remained a popular one for needlework accessories, because of its novelty and practicality. This selection represents a diversity of needlework blooks, but only a tiny fraction of what exists.
A French prisoner made this box during the Napoleonic Wars, when thousands of soldiers and sailors were held captive in British hulks and prisons. Their experience was a brutal ordeal, as the men lived in overcrowded, unhealthy surroundings, and many died in horrible ways. The artist of this box chose to live by his wits, subsidize his existence and maintain hope.The top of the box is illustrated with an image of an English prison surrounded by plant motifs. The bottom has a geometric design. While there is handwriting on the spine, it is not readable.
Napoleonic prisoner-of-war sewing box. Maker unknown. French. C. –. Straw-work, wood, mica, varnish . . . cm (. . . in)
This masterful straw-work box, covered with floral motifs in shades of green, pink and gold, is reminiscent of a French fine bookbinding, perhaps a book of poetry or a French almanac. Its careful attention to bookish features, such as spine panels, cover design, squares and gold edges, shows the maker’s familiarity with bookbinding. This box could have been made by a civilian craftsperson or a French a prisoner-of-war during the Napoleonic Wars. Straw-work sewing box. Maker unknown. French. C. –. Gift of Caroline Schimmel. Straw-work, paper, varnish . . . cm (. . . in)
This Singer salesman’s sample box was repurposed in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century as a sewing box for a young lady. The body of the box is wood. Its binding is black leather with blind and gold stamping. The box edges are partially covered in gold paper. Adhered to the inside of the front cover, but not original to the box, there is a cheerful chromolithograph titled “Nellie Mc Henry.”
Box. Samples of Work Done on the Singer Sewing Machine. Singer Manufacturing Company. American. Late nineteenth century. Leather, wood, paper, chromolithography, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
The Gem was designed and named after a popular gift book of the s. This is one of several binding variants made with matching slipcases. The Gem is bound in black goatskin. Both covers are blindstamped with a Rococo-style cartouche and a border of fine lines, and the title is stamped in gold on the spine. The fold-out sewing kit is lined with silk moiré and has pockets and loops for tools and supplies. Sewing kit. The Gem. Maker unknown. English. C. . Cartonnage, leather, gold tooling, silk moiré . . . cm (. . . in)
This Dennison “What Not” cabinet was made in multiple variations for the office, school and home. The bookshelf holds six book-boxes for sewing notions: Buttons, Needles, Hook Eyes-Snaps, Cotton Thread, Silk Thread, and Darning Thread. The patterns on the boxes replicate simple printed cotton fabrics. Sewing chest. Dennison Manufacturing Company. Framingham, Massachusetts. American. C. . Wood, paper Bookshelf: . . . cm (. . . in) Boxes: . . . cm (. . . in)
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Knitting Volumes is made in the form of a two-volume set of books. Its substantial depth provides space for two skeins of yarn and five spools of thread. The cover is decorated with a blind-impressed floral border and stenciled images of two black kittens. Holes near the kittens' paws allow the yarn to exit the box for use. Yarn box. Knitting Volumes. Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Cedar wood, metal, paint . . . cm (. . . in)
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Household Items N
Countless book objects, in a great variety of forms, sizes and quality, have been made for the home. Several examples of gold-tooled leather luxury items are illustrated in an antique Jellinek catalog (p. ), which features book-shaped objects, including a wind-up phonograph, a lamp, and multiple waste paper receptacles and treasure boxes. Although nearly a century later, many shops and websites still feature objects like these faux fine leather bindings. The book theme has also been applied to other furnishings, such as book walls, book tables, wallpaper and small appliances. The objects shown in this section are a sampling of small items on the theme of lighting, home security, home entertainment, and interior decorations. These book-style lighting designs illustrate a broad spectrum of lighting types and bookbinding styles. They include a pocket candle lantern, a reading light, Christmas lights, a bar lamp and the Lumio Book Lamp. There are two categories of blooks represented: those that have book-style packaging, such as the Magic Booklite, and those in which the lamp itself is made in book form, such as the pocket lantern Et La Lumiére Fut (And There Was Light), a quarter-leather binding that mimics a Gutenberg Bible.
Nineteenth-century book lanterns were typically made of metal. This lantern, bound in cordovan leather and marbled paper, is therefore unusual. Book lanterns were produced in France, Italy and America. A patent for a similar lantern, by Georg H. Magersuppe of New York (; no. ,), describes it as “a useful instrument for patrolmen, watchmen, policemen, soldiers and sailors and others in enabling them to bear the same conveniently in their pockets, when not required for use.”
Pocket lantern. Gutenberg. Et La Lumiére Fut. Réédition, 1830. Maker unknown. [French]. C. . Binder's board, leather, oil-marbled paper, gold tooling, board, tin, glass . . . cm (. . . in)
Why You Should Never Drink Water, probably intended for the home bar, was a popular novelty lamp that was issued in at least three cover variants. When opened, this faux reference book reveals a moving image of a boy perpetually peeing into a river. Motion lamps use the heat from the light bulb to rotate patterned cylinders that create moving images. Scene-In-Action was a brand that pioneered these moving lamps in the s. Scene-in-Action Unit, Motion Lamp. Why You Should Never Drink Water. Econolite Corporation. Los Angeles, California. Image copyright: A. C. Leech, . American. C. . Paper, binder’s board, metal, plastic, glass, cloth, color lithography . . . cm (. . . in)
The Magic Booklite is a simplistic imitation of an iconic half-binding with spine panels, a style of binding that most people associate with fine, traditional bookbinding. This motif continues to the paper insert, to which the Magic Booklite is clipped. The lamp itself is clipped onto the spine of the insert, to simulate how it would be used on a real book. Reading light in box. Magic Booklite. Eagle Electric Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. Long Island City, New York. U. S. Patent ,. American. C. . Paper, plastic reading light . . . cm (. . . in)
The Noma Electric Corporation was once the largest manufacturer of holiday lighting in the world. In the s, Noma produced a variety of Christmas lights packaged in beautifully illustrated book-style boxes. This box resembles a child’s Christmas storybook. Its cover depicts Santa’s arrival on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Lights by Noma for a Safe and Brighter Christmas. No. . Noma Electric Corporation. New York, New York. American. C. . Paper, color lithography, wire, glass bulbs . . . cm (. . . in)
The Lumio Book Lamp is a multi-functional, rechargeable LED lamp. It can stand upright, be shaped into a hanging circular lamp, or be attached to metal surfaces by its magnetic wood covers. Lumio’s pages, made from DuPont™ Tyvek®, are translucent and durable. When asked why he made the lamp in octavo format, the designer replied “because it felt right.” Gunawan’s new book lamp, the Lumio Mini, was inspired by the Moleskin notebook. Portable lamp. Lumio Book Lamp. Lumio, LLC. San Francisco, California. Max Gunawan, proprietor and designer. American. . Gift of Max Gunawan. Wood (walnut), Tyvek, LED lamp 1. . . cm (. . . in)
Manufacturers in Europe and America have designed novelty book appliances since the s. These include clocks, radios, phonographs, tape recorders and home security devices. The novelty aspect of the book format added interest and importance beyond the primary function of these objects and served to create new markets and higher sales. Book radios are perhaps the most popular example of a book appliance. Both single and multi-volume formats were made in many imaginative variations by most of the major American and British radio manufacturers. The beautifully bound Crosley Book Radio was made in seven titles: Fantasy, As You Like It, Enchantment, The World of Music, Treasure Island, Magic Mood and Musical Memories. Each has a different binding, but all are gold-stamped, full-leather bindings. The radios came with a gold transfer kit for the personalization of the binding. The radio is operated by opening the book’s cover, which releases a switch. Radio in original packing box. New Crosley Transistor Book Radio. Fantasy. Crosley Division, Avco Manufacturing Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio. American. C. . Hybrid radio, leather, gold stamping, metal, plastic, paper . . . cm (. . . in)
Lava Simplex, the same company made famous for its s Lava Lamp, also designed a line of Lava Time decorator clocks. The designer of this Lava Time book-shaped digital electric alarm clock is Alan E. Koplar of Lincolnwood, Illinois. It is designed to resemble a set of three green, gold-tooled leatherbound octavo volumes.
Alarm clock. Lava Time. Lava Simplex, Chicago, Illinois. Model . U. S. Patent ,. American. . Plastic, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
The Informer consists of a motion-detector alarm that fits into a book-like slipcase. The slipcase is covered in maroon library buckram, gold-stamped with the title and publisher’s name. It has two cut-out, mesh-covered holes that indicate to the viewer that The Informer is not really a book. A New York Times advertisement from lists the price as a fairly substantial . and indicates that The Informer was in production from to . Ultrasonic intrusion alarm. The Informer. Heathkit Model GD- (--4). Heath Company. Benton Harbor, Michigan. American. C. . Binder's board, book cloth, gold stamping, metal motion detector . . . cm (. . . in)
The Book Corder was manufactured in Japan for the American market by the Consolidated Merchandising Corporation, which had distributors in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. This pristine copy, in red, is in perfect condition and remains in its original paper slipcase. The Book Corder went through at least two transmutations. It has been seen in an earlier variant, in vertical format with a black binding, entitled Bookorder. Tape recorder in original slipcase. Modern Age Book Corder. Model no. . Consolidated Merchandising Corporation. Japan. C. s. Plastic, paper Book: . . . cm (. . . in) Slipcase: . . . cm (. . . in)
In the mid-twentieth century, framed faux books were fashionable among the middle-classes as interior design accents. This pair features three-dimensional open books, with decoupage images of famous paintings inspired by artists such as Pater, Boucher, Guardi and Canaletto. Both pieces have the number -B on the back.
Pair of wall art. Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Decoupage, wood, glass, velvet, fabric, metal findings, plaster books . . . cm (. . . in)
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Writing and Books N
The book has been a popular motif for the design of stationery items for the home, office and schoolroom. Because these objects are so closely related to books, they generally simulate the aesthetic of real books more than other book objects. This genre includes portable desks, writing implements, desk accessories, stamp cases, book repair kits and greeting cards. The most recent iteration of this tradition is driven by the electronics industry, which has produced countless blook electronics cases decorated with both traditional and modern bookbinding designs.
[Writing or tea] box with a paper theater. 'A L'Honeur des Dames (To the Praise of Women). Maker unknown. European [German or Scandinavian]. Late eighteenth to mid-nineteenth century. Altered books, leather, paper, metal, wood, hand-colored copper engraving . . . cm (. . . in)
The proclivity for altering outdated books has existed for hundreds of years. In this box, real book covers were adapted to create a deep wooden enclosure for three tins and a paper theater. New title labels were applied to the spines. The paper theater is as yet unattributed, but is in the style of the publisher and engraver Martin Engelbrecht (–) of Augsburg. The third spine from the bottom has a removable spine-piece that hides the lock.
This well-used book slate has a realistic quarter-cloth binding with a pebble-grain cloth spine and speckled marbled paper sides. The slate is attached to the binding with three metal tacks through the spine. Both pastedown endpapers are blue paper. The owner’s name, Reuben M. Sly, is written in ink on the top edge of the slate.
Book slate belonging to Reuben M. Sly. Maker unknown. American. Early–mid nineteenth century. Binder's board, book cloth, marbled paper, wood, slate, metal tacks . . . cm (. . . in)
Silicate book slates were ubiquitous in nineteenth-century American schools from the late s to the s. At their height in the late s, as many as three million were sold yearly. The slates were made in different sizes and binding variants and closely resemble their contemporary blind-stamped cloth publishers’ bindings. Silicate slates were considered to be an improvement over traditional slates, as they were noiseless, lightweight and unbreakable. Writing slate. Stone Book Slate. New York Silicate Book Slate Company. American. C. s–s. Binder's board, book cloth, paper, silicate, blind stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
This pencil box is designed to look like a row of ten standing books. The three-dimensional spines run the length of the lid. The heads and tails are illustrated on the two long sides of the box and the two narrow ends appear as the covers of the first and last book. The titles are, from left to right, Shakespeare, Milton, Byron, Mark Twain, Dickens, Walter Scott [2 volumes], Burns, Long fellow, L. Wallace. The interior and base of the box are painted with black lacquer.
Pencil box. Maker unknown. American. Late nineteenth century. Paper, lacquer, chromolithography . . . cm (. . . in)
This child’s writing desk faithfully replicates the features of a nineteenth-century cloth publisher’s binding, with its embossed paper covers, decorative stamped binding and marbled edges. The inside of the box has a writing surface and compartments for stationery, writing implements and an inkwell.
Child’s writing desk. Maker unknown. Distributed by L. H. Robinson, Foxcroft, Maine. American. C. . Binder's board, book cloth, decorated papers, black and gold stamping, brass clasp . . . cm (. . . in)
This book repair kit is designed as a quarter-leather binding with a tooled leather spine and cloth sides. The kit includes leather softener, an instruction book, ink remover, an eraser, mending tape, glue, a sponge, a piece of flannel, a piece of felt and a letter opener. The Care and Feeding of Books was made in several colors and binding styles. In , the New York Times advertised this “Regular Edition” together with a “De Luxe Edition,” bound in full pigskin. Book repair kit. The Care and Feeding of Books. Maker Unknown. American. 1947. Binder’s board, wood, leather, book cloth, marbled paper, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
This set of four Dennison Handiboxes, designed in the style of half-leather bindings, includes practical items for the office as well as specialty materials for book repair, stamp collecting and photograph albums. Characteristic of the Dennison style, many of the small boxes within each book are also in book form. Shown here is the interior of First Aid for Books.
Dennison Handiboxes. Office and album supply set. Volume I: First Aid for Books; Volume II: Handy Helpers; Volume III: Mailing Kit; Volume IV: Stamp & Photo Album Aids. Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Massachusetts. American. C. s–s. Paper, cardstock, miscellaneous office and hobby supplies . . . cm (. . . in)
Office supply set. Dennison Handy Box. The Handy Book by Dennison: A Volume of Little Usefuls. Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Massachusetts. American. C. . Binder's board, paper, color lithography, office supplies . . . cm (. . . in)
Dennison Manufacturing Company produced book-packages in many variations from the s through the s. This is probably Dennison’s first book-style office supply box. It is designed in the style of an eighteenth-century strap-work binding. The box interior, lined in red paper, has thirteen compartments filled with labeling tags, adhesives, gummed labels, cloth tape and push pins. Four of the packages inside are also in book form.
Dennison made various Bookrack sets for home, school and office use. This version includes six paper book-boxes that when shown together illustrate a cottage scene. This design was introduced in What Next ( July–August ) and illustrated in the Dennison Catalog for . The titles in this set are Gummed Labels (Vol. I), Rubber Bands (Vol. II), Gummed Patches (Vol. III), Key Tags (Vol. IV), Paper Clips (Vol. V), and Stamp Container (Vol. VI). Dennison Bookrack. Dennison Manufacturing Company. Framingham, Massachusetts. American. C. –. Wood, card stock, paper, color lithography, stationery items Bookshelf: . . . cm (. . . in) Each box: . . . cm (. . . in)
Bookends are among the most abundantly produced and varied of blooks. These cast bronze bookends were sculpted by Charles Austin Needham. Needham was primarily a painter, most known for his dreamlike paintings and watercolors of New York City street scenes and landscape. He was also a craftsman and poet. In these bookends, his skill as a sculptor combines with his love of books to create a rendering of two humble bindings. Bookends. Charles Austin Needham (American, –). Foundry stamp: B. Zoppo, New York. American. Late nineteenth to early twentieth century. Gift of Caroline Schimmel. Cast bronze . . . cm (. . . in)
Marble book-shaped bookends are ubiquitous. Often the books are depicted in a rigid and lifeless manner. The anonymous, highly skilled sculptor who crafted this set of gray and white marble bookends has made the sculpted books come alive through his or her depiction of movement and realistic details.
Bookends. [Italian]. Maker unknown. Twentieth century. Gift of Caroline Schimmel. Marble . . . cm (. . . in)
Salesman’s Sample. “Premier” Paper Binders. Maker unknown. American. Early twentieth century. Binder's board, book cloth, paper, metal . . . cm (. . . in)
This austere salesman’s book display box is covered in black morocco-grain book cloth, blind-stamped with single lines on the front cover. It contains six framed pages with sample cards of metal paper binders, card suspenders, window ticket holders and drawing pins.
Paramount Cards (–) was a respected competitor in the greeting card industry for nearly a hundred years. Throughout its history, Paramount made and sold its cards through a network of card and novelty shops. This oversized Valentine card is unusual for its large format and three-dimensional fabric heart. Its designer used a graphic device common to book-shaped greeting cards, in which an image of a substantial, decorative book is used to create an illusion of a large, important volume.
Greeting card. Valentine Greetings Son. Paramount Cards, Incorporated. American. Pautucket, Rhode Island. C. s. Paper, fabric, chromolithography . . cm (. . in)
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Gags N
While blook gags have been made for hundreds of years, their golden age appears to be from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century. During this period, countless bookshaped novelty amusements were handmade and commercially manufactured. Some of the longest-lived types and most notable makers of blook gags are included in this selection. All of these are variants of sight gags, which are objects which convey humor through visual means. They include trick snake boxes, electric shock, exploding or shooting books, and punchline books. Some are handmade by unknown artisans and others are made by the most prolific gag manufacturers of the twentieth century, including Kelco, S. S. Adams, H. Fishlove & Company and the Franco-American Novelty Company.
The snake box is one of the most enduring book gags and was made internationally throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Snake boxes in book form, however, are seemingly an American phenomenon. These were usually made as gifts, in many decorative styles and themes. While their designs vary, their mechanical works are generally consistent. In older variants, when the fore-edge slide is shifted, an anchored, curved wooden snake curls out of the book and startles the unsuspecting reader. Commercially made book-style snake boxes from the mid-twentieth century, usually have independent cloth-covered spring snakes that leap out of the book.
In this box, the snake pivots on a cross bar anchored to the sides of the box from within. It can move freely and is activated by sliding the fore-edge panel, which is tied to the snake with a string. The marquetry book box is painted and decorated on both covers with a traditional panel-style binding design. The curved black serpent, though missing his upper teeth, is still ready to strike when provoked. Trick snake box. Maker unknown. American. Mid- to late nineteenth century. Inlaid and painted wood . . . cm (. . . in)
The popularity of the book-style snake box enjoyed a revival in the mid-twentieth century. They were made in a variety of sizes and colors, most with the title What I Know About Women, a model originally developed by the novelty company, S. S. Adams. This copy has a paper binding made to emulate a full-leather, goldtooled binding. The decorative paper slipcase is made of pseudo-marbled paper. The spring-snake is covered in polka-dot fabric. Trick snake book in slipcase. What I Know About Women. American. Made in Japan. s–s. Paper, board, gold stamping, fabric spring snake . . . cm (. . . in)
Exploding book gags have been commercially manufactured since the beginning of the twentieth century. They are exciting gags, in which an explosive paper cap is fitted into a mousetrap-like mechanism, inside of a book. While rare today, exploding book gags were published by the tens of thousands. The two American companies that made them are Kelco and the S. S. Adams Company. Kelco books were the earliest, beginning in the s. They were custom-made from binder’s waste, bound in colorful mock trade bindings. As with all exploding books, the titles are puns. Early Kelco titles include A Great Warning to You on Preparedness and Cheer Up: The Worst is Yet to Come. By the s, exploding book titles were more risqué. S. S. Adam’s exploding books were altered books with new illustrations and title labels applied over original book covers. Titles include Eve’s Surprise, Why I Prefer French Girls and The Bare Facts of Nudism. The publisher’s binding on A Great Warning to You on Preparedness has a two-color stamped design, signed “Kellog,” in the lower left corner. This copy is unusual for its excellent condition, as most exploding books are found in worn, damaged condition. Two patent numbers are listed on the paper flap that covers the shooting mechanism, and . These refer to the design of the shooting mechanism and not the book as a whole.
Exploding book. A Great Warning to You on Preparedness. Wake Up. An Alarming Report. Kelco Loud Book. Designed and sold by John J. Reinhold, Marietta, Pennsylvania. American. C. . Stamped cloth publisher's binding, binder’s waste, metal trap . . . cm (. . . in)
A label on the inside of this book reads “Adams’ Improved Shooting Book.” As with other exploding books of the s and s, this is an altered book originally titled Beyond This Darkness. What the Events of Our Time Have Meant to Christians Who Face the Future, by Roger L. Shinn, (New York: Association Press, ). The explosive device in this volume has a U. S. patent dating November , ; Patent ,,. Exploding book. Why I Prefer French Girls. (Illustrated). S. S. Adams Company (Perth Amboy, New Jersey). American. C. . Altered book, applied paper labels. . . . cm (. . . in)
“Fun’s Henry Ford” describes Soren Sorensen (Sam) Adams (–), who invented hundreds of the most revered novelty and practical joke items of all time, including the joy buzzer and the whoopee cushion. The S. S. Adams Company was located in New Jersey, from to . After Adams’s death, it continued under new ownership. This illustration shows the exploding books being made at the Adams factory. Popular Science Monthly. Gardner Soule. “Fun’s Henry Ford is Still Inventing.” January . . . . cm (. . . in)
A label on the inside of this book reads “Adams’ Improved Shooting Book.” As with other exploding books of the s and s, this is an altered book originally titled Beyond This Darkness. What the Events of Our Time Have Meant to Christians Who Face the Future, by Roger L. Shinn, (New York: Association Press, ). The explosive device in this volume has a U. S. patent dating November , ; Patent ,,. Exploding book. Why I Prefer French Girls. (Illustrated). S. S. Adams Company (Perth Amboy, New Jersey). American. C. . Altered book, applied paper labels . . . cm (. . . in)
“Fun’s Henry Ford” describes Soren Sorensen (Sam) Adams (–), who invented hundreds of the most revered novelty and practical joke items of all time, including the joy buzzer and the whoopee cushion. The S. S. Adams Company was located in New Jersey, from to . After Adams’s death, it continued under new ownership. This illustration shows the exploding books being made at the Adams factory. Popular Science Monthly. Gardner Soule. “Fun’s Henry Ford is Still Inventing.” January . . . . cm (. . . in)
How to Save Your Hair is an unusual punchline book for its rarity, obscure publisher, creepier-than-usual aesthetic and custom binding. It is not an altered book as most punchline books are, but a blank pamphlet binding, probably made for this book by a commercial bookbinder. Its punchline “Save your hair here” points to an envelope of real hair. Punchline book. How to Save Your Hair. Edition. Marcy. American. . Binder's board, embossed paper, hair, cellophane . . . cm (. . . in)
Crime Does Not Pay is an altered book, made from Our Occupations… by F. A. Merrill (Pioneer Publishing Company, ). The punchline “But every hold-up is not a crime!” is illustrated with an image of a woman wearing a huge brassiere. As with many punchline books, the joke is made at the expense of women. This copy is goldstamped “Souvenir of Manchester Center, Vt.” Punchline book. Crime Does Not Pay by Dusty Evsky. Maker unknown. American. . Hardbound cloth-covered book, lithographic label . . . cm (. . . in)
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Props N
Book props comprise a large genre of blooks that include magic props, holiday-themed props, and props for film, television and theater. Book magic props are a small but distinctive group. They include the hot (or fire) book, a blook prop that emits real flames (p. ); the dove book, a dove-conjuring act blook prop; the blow book, a changing picture book that really is a book; the book test, a specially made book prop for reading minds; the close-up magic box, a blook box for containing tricks and props for tabletop magic; and the automated talking skull, which has inspired the creation of numerous Halloween props. The Halloween industry has spawned many inexpensive book props for Halloween home decorations and haunted houses. The one example of a stage or television prop in this catalog (p. ), with its realistic cloth book spines attached to a shallow paper and wood body, is a window into how these props were made. While only four examples of blook props are shown here, many more exist.
In the s, at the height of his performing career, R. Vernon Cook was known as “The Montana Mountebank.” Cook was a regular contributor to magic periodicals and a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM). The Miniature Mysteries box could have been commissioned as a unique object or made commercially. The velvet-lined, faux leather box contains props such as a thumb tip, coin tricks and magnetic balls. Magic box. Miniature Mysteries of R.Vernon Cook. R. Vernon Cook (–). Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Binder's board, faux leather, velvet, magic tricks, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in) . . . cm (. . . in)
A hot book is a magic prop used in a fire magic effect. The Bible has been a popular title choice for hot books, possibly due to its many textual allusions to fire. Hot books are both handmade from altered books and professionally manufactured. This is a manufactured variant, bound in leather-look paper with applied individual letters. This well-used prop is fitted with fireproof and reflective linings, a lighter and a large wick. Hot book. Holy Bible. Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Fire-resistant binding materials, sheet metal, cotton wick, lighter, applied letters . . . cm (. . . in)
Haunted bookshelves are popular Halloween props. Some people make their own from real books and others purchase commercially-made versions. This five-volume battery-operated book prop has both a moving blook and sound. The center blook, Silas Marner, moves in and out when activated by motion. Simultaneously, the following sounds and words are emitted: [Evil Laughing]. Stories of evil. Stories of fright. Stories that will scare you on a dark dreary night. [Howling]. Animated Halloween book prop. Haunted Moving Books: The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner (2 copies), The Woman in White and Vanity Fair. Great Music, Incorporated. Made in China for Kmart. American. . Plastic . . . cm (. . . in)
This theatrical or television book prop is only two and a half inches deep, so the faux bookshelf it stood on must also been very shallow. It is made up of a paper box with a wood base. Four rounded, hollow book spines, are adhered to the front of the prop. These may have been removed from real books or made up by a commercial bookbinder for this purpose. Book prop. Manon Lescaut (2 vols.). and Les Chinois de Paris (2 vol.). Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Cloth, paper, wood, gold stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
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Games and Toys N
The book form is a perfect package design and marketing tool for card and board games, educational toys, block sets, puzzles, doll series and action toys. Its physical and conceptual appropriateness as a package for individual or a series of objects has made the book a popular motif for packaging games and toys for generations. While hand-carved wooden games in book form were made before the Industrial Revolution, the development of chromolithography and commercial bookbinding techniques and materials in the nineteenth century made it possible to create many types of book-inspired toys for the masses. An excellent example of this is the Instructeur Magnétique Américain, which was certainly made using commercial bookbinding machinery and materials and on the surface is totally believable as a book. Examples of book-style series are also shown here. These include the Beautiful Britain Jig-saw Library (p. ), the Library of Games and the tremendously popular Bookshelf of Games series, manufactured by E. S. Lowe (p. ). The Bookshelf of Games series is comprised of twenty-two volumes of portable games, which were issued in numerous binding variants beginning in the s. Since then, the manufacture of bookish toys and games has been active, and many have been inspired by television shows and films. One example is the Secret Sam Spy Dictionary, which was inspired by the movies and TV shows of the s such as the James Bond movies and the television shows The Man from U.N.C.L.E and Get Smart.
Instructeur Magnétique Américain is a French grammar game that imitates a cloth publisher’s binding, stamped in black and gold with Eastlake motifs. The game consists of two numbered cards with corresponding disks (nos. and ). To play the game, the reader must align a point on one of the question disks with a black dot printed on the rounded label on the surface of the game. When aligned, a magnetic hand will spin and point to the correct answer on the card. Educational game. Instructeur Magnétique Américain. Grammaire. Déposé. J. & Company, New York. American. C. -. Binder's board, book cloth, board, paper, glass, metal, color lithography, magnet . . . cm (. . . in)
Board games resembling a two-volume set of books, usually for chess and checkers or backgammon, have been common since the late nineteenth century. They are typically bound in leather and paper or as full-paper bindings with marbled edges. This set includes three games. The Go-Bang game board is on the outside of the box. Inside, there are brightly colored, illustrated game boards for Tivoli, and Fox and Geese. The game includes thirty-eight playing pieces three colors.
Board game. Games of Go Bang, Tivoli and Fox and Geese. McLoughlin Brothers. American. C. –. Binder’s board, paper, chromolithography, wood . . . cm (. . . in)
This leather binding encases a wood insert that holds two standard decks of playing cards, printed to look line gold-tooled, full leather bindings in blue and red.
Playing cards in box. Maker unknown. Poems by Milton. American. C.–. Binder's board, leather, wood, card stock, marbled paper, color lithography, gold tooling . . . cm (. . . in)
Edwin S. Lowe popularized two of the most well-liked board games of all time, Bingo and Yahtzee. Lowe’s Bookshelf of Games is a series of over twenty portable games issued in various sizes and binding designs and materials during the s. Of all of the binding types, this embossed, cordovan faux-leather binding is the one that looks most like a fine bookbinding.
Game. Bookshelf of Games. Bottoms-up, (Vol. ). E. S. Lowe Company. New York, New York. American. C. . Paper, wood, silver foil . . . cm (. . . in)
Library of Games is a popular children’s card game set made in many versions from the s through the s. While most were packaged in six-volume sets, in the type of box seen here, (the top of this box is missing), they were also packaged in smaller groups and designed in other themes, such as the Mickey Mouse version. This set was once owned by Peter Hope, who inscribed his name on the boxes. Card games. Library of Games: Old Maid, Author, Dr. Quack, Slap Jack, Animal Rummy, Cross-Word. Russell Manufacturing Company, Leicester, Massachusetts, American. . Paper board, card stock, color lithography Set: 6.8 x 14.7 x 5.0 cm (2.7 x 5.8 x 2.0 in) Each box: 6.7 x 4.6 x 2.3 cm (2.6 x 1.8 x 0.9 in)
The Beautiful Britain puzzle set was produced by the English manufacturer Tower Press, which produced jigsaw puzzles from the s through the s. One other single-volume Tower Press puzzle has been seen in a book-shaped box. Its title is Family Album. Titles in the Beautiful Britain puzzle set: Vol. 1. Chester by Bernard Bowerman Vol. 2. The Tower of London by Bernard Bowerman Vol. 3. Edinburgh Castle by Bernard Bowerman Vol. 4. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage by George Ayling Vol. 5. Polperro by George Ayling Puzzle. Jig-Saw Library: Beautiful Britain. 5 Volumes. Tower Press, No. . English. C. s. Paper, color lithography Set: . . . cm (. . . in) Each box: . . . cm (. . . in)
The Album of Americana is a doll series is based on important women in American history. Its packaging is designed to look like a series of history books and each book-box has a biographical essay, written by the editorial staff of the Book of Knowledge. The dolls in the series include Martha Washington, Betsy Ross, Mary Todd Lincoln, Clara Barton, Mollie Pitcher, Barbara Fritchie and Dolly Madison. Doll series. Album of Americana: Betsy Ross. Plastic Molded Arts Company, Long Island City, New York. American. C. s. Paper, color lithography, plastic doll, textile . . . (. . . in)
In the s, the popular James Bond movies and their television imitations led to the production of Topper Toys’ Secret Sam Secret Weapon Series. The Secret Sam’s Spy Dictionary has a sixteen-exposure camera. A shutter release projects from the top of the book, while the lens is aimed through a hole in an index tab on the fore-edge. The book shoots three plastic bullets and has a hidden mirror with which to observe the enemy. Toy. Secret Sam’s Spy Dictionary. Topper Toys. A division of De Luxe Reading Corporation. No. . American. . Plastic, paper, cellophane Package: . . . cm (. . . in)
When Undersea Shipwreck opens, a world of play, movement and light emerges from what appears to be an ancient manuscript or album. This book is one of many titles in the Polly Pocket series. Chris Wiggs designed Polly Pocket in . The design was based on a dollhouse he made for his daughter from a powder compact. Bluebird Toys of Swindon, England licensed the concept from Wiggs in .
Animated toy. Polly Pocket: Undersea Shipwreck. Bluebird Toys. Made in China (1996DV). English. . Molded plastic, paper label . . . cm (. . . in)
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Safes and Banks N
Book banks and safes are perhaps the most ubiquitous and familiar of all blooks. Obviously, the book-box format lends itself to hiding things, both because of its hollow interior and its ability to hide in plain view. For hundreds of years, around the world, book safes have been both made from hollowed-out books and custom-made. They were and still are used for hiding money, valuables, and other items such as tarot cards, dueling pistols, tobacco and drugs. Wood puzzle boxes are another type of traditional book safe, made by both professional and amateur craftsmen in many countries, in great numbers. Book coin banks are especially familiar objects to many people. For generations, children have been given banks as an incentive to learn the value of saving, and companies have encouraged their use for saving up to buy their products. Businesses in the United States and England have commonly used book banks as advertising premiums. Most advertising banks are the locking steel variety disguised by decorative cloth or leather bindings with relevant titles such as The Book of Thrift, How to Win and Have and Save. In addition to book safes and savings banks, charitable collection boxes, such as Fr. Jeremy Bilyeu, Emely (p. ), have also been made in book form.
Most book safes are made from traditional or faux bookbinding materials and are meant to visually fade into the background. Scotchman’s Diary is a rather low-end, inexpensive safe. Its plastic interior isn’t particularly subtle but its design is typical for its era. Transco Adult Games was a manufacturer of chess boards, poker chips, bingo markers and related items. Book safe. Scotchman’s Diary. John Jones. Transco Hidden Treasure Book Safe with combination lock, No. . Transco Adult Games, Incorporated. American. . Paper, card stock, binder’s board, plastic, color lithography . . . cm (. . . in)
During the s and s, the nation experienced a postwar population and economic boom, and youth-oriented encyclopedias were in high demand. Most, if not all of the American encyclopedia companies made inexpensive plastic banks like these as sales incentives which were distributed by their salespeople as they followed sales leads and sold door-to-door. This is one of several styles of this World Book Encyclopedia bank, which was also made in other color variants to match the bindings of actual sets that were produced.
Coin Bank. The World Book Encyclopedia. Field Enterprises, Educational Corporation. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, Illinois American. . Plastic . . . cm (. . . in)
This salesman’s sample book contains strong graphic images that emphasize the educational advantages of owning the World Book. The book also includes samples of binding variants and details about the encyclopedia’s design and illustration.
Salesman’s sample book. A New Milestone in Encyclopedia Craftsmanship: The World Book Encyclopedia. Field Enterprises, Incorporated. Educational Division, Chicago, Illinois. American. . Paper, cloth, metal . . . cm (. . . in)
These two coin banks were made to promote Collier’s Encyclopedia. The bank on the left, Your Future, holds -, -, - and -cent pieces. The cover is a padded plastic case binding made in imitation of a leather binding with gold lettering. The front cover opens to reveal the coin slot, lock and an image of the Crowell-Collier Building on Fifth Avenue at Fifty-First Street in New York City. Child’s bank. Your Future. Collier's Encyclopedia, published by Crowell, Collier and McMillan. Book-Coin Bank. M. A. Gerett. Corporation, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. American. C. s-s. Plastic, paper board, printing . . . cm (. . . in)
The hard plastic bank on the right was designed to accurately resemble the edition of Collier’s Encyclopedia, complete with faux-leather textured covers. Access to the interior of the bank is achieved through the sliding spine-piece. Child’s bank. Collier’s Encyclopedia: An Investment in Knowledge Pays the Best Interest. American. Crowell Publishing Company. (New York). C. s. Plastic, red and gold foil stamping . . . cm (. . . in)
This mod Lucite Book Bank is decorated with the names of world currencies, printed in white, in various typefaces. Perhaps its transparency was an encouragement to saving, as its owner could easily see their savings adding up. Bank. Book Bank. Maker unknown. English. C. s–s. Lucite, silk-screen printed . . . cm (. . . in)
It seems fitting to end this catalog with an odd and mysterious complex blook. While the story of this object is not known, it could be in the tradition of the book-shaped collection boxes used by religious groups to raise money for charitable purposes. It could also be an altar to a deceased loved one. The only clues to its origin are Fr. Bilyeu’s name on the spine of the book and the name ‘Emely,’ which is drawn on a wood sign that originally hung from the crossbar of the frame.
[Collection] box with picture frame. Fr. Jeremy Bilyeu, Emely. Maker unknown. American. Mid-twentieth century. Wood, straw-work, pyrography, ink or paint . x . x . cm (. x . x . in)
Blooks:The Art of Books That Aren’t
Jared Ash Alice Austin Mary K. Austin and Brewster Kahle Lynne Avadenka Whitney and Roger Bagnall Nelly Balloffet Mary Bartos Delphi Basilicato and Yukari Hayashida Lisa Baskin Barbara Berkeley and Wendy Storch Barbara Blumenthal Marilyn Braiterman Candice and Ben Braun Paul Brubaker Grace Burney and Victor Schwartz Clancy-Cullen (Kees Edelman) Michele Cloonan Fern and Hersh Cohen Karen B. Cohen Denis Collet and Hai-Ping Yeh Jane Bayard Curley Dennis M.V. David and Justin G. Schiller Jenny and Mark Davis Jerilyn Glenn Davis Myriam S.P. de Arteni Cara di Edwardo Jennifer Dossin Bryan Draper George Edwards Pam Estes Pat Falk Franklin Feldman Martha Fleischman Maria Fredericks Jeri Garbaccio Jane Gennaro Michael J. Germano, IV
Susan Gosin Maria Grandinette Ann Green Richard Grosbard Emiko Hastings Bruce and Lynn Heckman Kimball Higgs Leah High Bonnie Himmelman Lang Ingalls Judith Ivry Craig Jensen William Joyce Paula Jull Marieke Kaye Kathleen Kiefer John King Noelle King Richard Kopley Sophia Kramer Paula Krieg Deborah L. Krohn Candace Langholff Michael Laird Donald LaRocca Stephanie Later Julie Tran Le Nina Libin Alpha Lillstrom Nora Lockshin Chris Loker Carol London Joan Lyons Carol M. Mainardi Emily Martin Emily McAllister Richard Minsky
Ursula Mitra Mary Norris Ralph Ocker Anne S. O’Donnell Marie Oedel Grace Owen Ronald Patkus Henry Pelham-Burn Sarah Peter Holly Phillips Stan Pinkwas and Miriam Schaer Stephen Pittelkow Robin Price Richard Ramer Judith Raymo Robert Ruben Michael Ryan Andrijana Sajic Caroline Schimmel Mary Schlosser Susan Share Pamela Morin-Sharma and Navin Sharma John Shorb Robert H. Smith, Jr. Kenneth Soehner Jean Stephenson
Doris Straus Monica Strauss Larry Sullivan Millie Suter Szilvia Szmuk-Tannenbaum Laurie Szujewska Mina Takahashi Talas Susan Tane Cynthia Nourse Thompson Irene Tichenor Helene Tieger Mark and Nancy Tomasko Susan Trinter and Richard N. Tager Peter Verheyen Paul Vogel Wallace Family (Rachael, Charles, Alexandra and Erin) Ellen Wallenstein Jennifer Ware Jack Wasserman Kathleen Weldon Charles P. Werner Dorothy Yule Marilyn Zornado
The Center for Book Arts Furthermore (Joan Davidson and Ann Birkmayer) The Morgan Library & Museum The University of the Arts, MFA Book Arts + Printmaking Program Women’s Studio Workshop (Ann Kalmbach and Lauren V. Walling)
Ian Berke Tom Bodkin John Cliett Yukari Hayashida Max Gunawan
Gunnar Kaldewey Linda Kaye-Moses Sophia Kramer Santiago Saavedra Caroline Schimmel
Anthracite blooks: Jill Murrin, Richard Stanislaus Bavarian wachsbuchs: Monica Strauss Bookbinding history: Philippa Marks Dennison Manufacturing Company: Nancy Prince, Dana Ricciardi European Paintings: Andy Caputo, Patrice Mattia Gags: Mark Newgarden Magic: Gabe Fajuri, Mark Mitton, Jen Spota Material culture of Christianity: Colleen McDannell Print history: Connie McPhee Napoleonic prisoners-of-war in England: Brian Dingle Needlework: Dawn Lewis Objects identification and conservation: Drew Anderson, Daniel Hausdorf, J-F De Laperouse, Marco Leona, Marijn Manuels World War I Trench Art: Patrice Warin Writing/tea box: Jolyon Hudson, Gunnar Kaldewey, Marco Leona Scott Geffert, photography training and support Nancy Mandel, editorial support Stan Pinkwas, editorial support Miriam Schaer, essayist Cara Schlesinger, editor
Blooks
The Art of Books That Aren't was set in Bembo, a face designed by Francisco Griffo in , with Piranesi title, designed by Morris Fuller Benton in . Photography by Mindell Dubansky Design by Roni Gross ><
ISBN 978-1-88937-21-29 ISBN 978-1-88937-21-29
40 500 5450
9 781889 372129 9 781889 372129