Antique harlequinade or Turn-up book: Metamorphosis; or a Transformation of Pictures, with Poetical Explanations, for the Amusement of Young Persons 1875 -Hazen
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Antique harlequinade or Turn-up book
Metamorphosis; or a Transformation of Pictures, with Poetical Explanations, for the Amusement of Young Persons
[8] p. : ill. ; 15 cm. - 5 9/16 × 3 7/16 in. - (14.2 × 8.7 cm) - 1875
Author: Benjamin Sands (American, active 1793–1811)
Publisher: WM Hazen & Co, Pottersville, Hunterdon Co. NJ
Closed:5 3/4" x 3 3/4", opened: 11 1/2" x 14 3/4"
Each leaf is folds inward at the top and bottom to create various illustrations
Condition - Remarkable for such an old and delicate piece, see photos. No missing parts or torn images. Still well bound together without repairs. See photos.
Collector’s corner :
(This section details some of our research, all book for sale descriptions are detailed above)
Metamorphoses Books "Metamorphoses" books often called Harlequinades or turn-up books, were composed of single, printed sheets folded perpendicularly into four. Hinged at the top and bottom of each fold, the picture was cut through horizontally across the center to make two flaps that could be opened up or down. Children (and adults) could entertain themselves by following the story or creating endless versions that appear in different orders as they are "turned up" or down . Children often liked to color them.
Harlequinades were first published in the United States c.1787
and based on an anonymous British religious work, The Beginning,
Progress, and End of Man, which was printed in London by B. Aslop for T. Dunster in 1650. ( *According to Harlequinade researcher Jacqueline Reid-Walsh, it can be seen only on an (old) microfilm in the British library - she also reports that it was one sided only in black & white with flaps and woodcut images. It was 17.78 cm by 29.21 cm) At the end of the eighteenth/beginning of the nineteenth century a
changed-up and expanded set of verses, attributed to Benjamin Sands,
began to be published in the United States in both English and German
versions. Dozens or editions would be published over the next 90 years. The last one* that we know of was published in 1875 in
Pottersville, N.J. by W. Hazen. (Available at vintagepopupbooks.com) *Worldcat.org "showing all editions for 'Metamorphosis; or, a transformation of pictures, with poetical explanations, for the amusement of young persons" Worldcat Link to editions
No two versions of these books are exactly the same.
References:
*Penn State Libraries, Special Collections/Penn State website:
Unfolding Metamorphoses -The Learning as Play Blog "flaps and folds—making meanings"
Various blog posts by by Jacqueline Reid-Walsh and Colette Slagle 2014-2019
Welch, American Children's Books, 1163.15
Product Code: P-16
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