Item Description
Title: Ferienzeit Auf Dem Lande
Type: Pop-up Book
Publisher: Verlag von Carl Hirsch, Konstanz, Germany, and Emmishofen, Switzerland
Date: Circa 1899 (based on research)
Description:
Ferienzeit Auf Dem Lande is the rare German edition of On the Farm, part of Dean & Son's 1899 Scenic Series. This delightful pop-up book features a stunning, intricately detailed, four-layer die-cut scene in the center, depicting a lively country setting with cows, ducks, chickens, and pigs. It beautifully captures the essence of rural life, typical of late 19th-century European farm scenes.
Circa: While the book bears no official publication date, references from the Vierteljahrs-Katalog der Neuigkeiten des Deutschen Buchhandels (1900) and Kayser’s Books Encyclopedia (1903) place its creation around 1899.
Condition:
- Overall: Fine.
- Pop-up Scene: Immaculate condition, with no writing, tears, or missing pieces.
- Binding: Shows minor wear but remains tightly bound.
- Cover: A small name is neatly written in pencil on the front cover, and there is slight browning on the back cover, as expected with age.
Rarity:
This is an exceptionally rare piece, with no known copies currently available online. A fellow collector in the UK has generously provided photographs of the English Dean & Son edition for comparison, highlighting the scarcity of this German version.
Collector's Corner:
We could find no record of this book other than 2 actual listings for it in 1900 and 1903 book
reference guides. (see below*).
The book was published by Verlag von Carl Hirsch, located in Konstanz, Germany, and Emmishofen, Switzerland. Although no official publication date is listed in the book, references from 1900 and 1903 confirm its publication around 1899, as outlined in the Vierteljahrs-katalog der neuigkeiten des deutschen buchhandels (1900) and Kayser’s Books Encyclopedia (1903). Both references indicate that the pop-up includes four color illustrations for display, likely the four layers of the central pop-up scene.
Ppage 808 in Vierteljahrs-katalog der neuigkeiten des deutschen buchhandels nach den ...By J. C. Hinrichs Verlag on page (Which translates to: Quarter-year catalog of the German book trade news).
The reference book reviews German books published that quarter. Since
this reference book was dated 1900 - actual entry says Ferienzeit auf dem Lande, gr, 4°. (9 S. m, z, Tl. färb. Abbildgn. u. 4 ausgestanzten Vis» bildern zum Aufstellen.) Konstanz, C. Hirsch. g, 4 °. (9 p. m, z, Tl colorless. Abbildgn. Punched and 4 colored pictures for display.) Konstanz C. Hirsch
Another book (printed in German in 1903) entitled (translated):
Christian Gottelob Kayser’s
Books encyclopedia containing all of 1750 to the end of the year 1832-
1902 in Germany and neighboring countries, printed books) complete, also references this book on page 201: Ferienzeit auf dem Lande. 4. (9 S. m. Abb. u. 4 ausgestanzten Buntbildern.) Konstanz 1900. C. Hirsch
We assume that the 4 colored pictures for display
indicated in these references refer to the 4 colored pictures that
make up the pop-up display in the center of the book (it is a 4 picture
layer pop-up).
A wonderful opportunity to own an exceedingly rare antique pop-up book in fine condition.
Collector's Corner:
Image provided by another collector of the English Title:
See other listings on our website for #4 of this series. Our copy of Cinderella is in English and marked “Dean & Son, Limited" Fleet Street.
Only the first one (this one in English), Visit To The Farm, is listed in
Montanaro but research finds
that there were 4 books published in this series*:
#1 Visit To the Farm
#2 Red riding Hood
#3 Three Bears
#4 Cinderella
*The Publishers' Circular and Booksellers' Record of British and Foreign Literature, Volume 73 - 1900 - page 423
About the publisher: Switzerland. Initially established in Winterthur on January 1, 1892, for Christian literature and art, the company opened a branch in Konstanz on May 1, 1899. It specialized in children's and youth literature, educational materials, and illustrated books. In 1933, it merged with the Christliche Verlagsanstalt, continuing its focus on Christian literature (Wikipedia).
For further context, see Book and Art Catalogue, Volume 16, Issue 4, Part 2, p. 379 (Russell, 1881).