Cosmoramic pictures With pretty and instructive tales.
Dean & Son, n.d. [1870]. Octavo 17 x 25 cm.
London : Dean & Son, circa 1870*
Written by: Fanny Cousens "Frances Upcher Cousens"
16 pages, 3 chromolithograph pop-up illustrations. Illustrated papered boards, cloth spine.
Mrs Cousens designed several publications for Dean & Son between the 1870s and 1890s, of which this is one of the rarest.
Condition: Upper Board cracked but firm – see photo. 2 pop-ups are in excellent condition. 3rd pop-up is in excellent condition save missing head on woman. Otherwise VG copy of one of Dean’s earliest, most unique, and scarce movable books.
Collectors Corner:
This book was published in November 1870, just in time for the Christmas season. Reference: The Publishers' Circular and General Record of British and Foreign Literature, Volume 33 1870, ad on page 728. The ad went on to say “ Since the introduction of movable toy books, no more novel..books have been introduced”
One of the scarcest dean Movables – the only other copy that we find is held in the British Library – (General Reference Collection 12806.h.8.)
Similar to their other 'optical' books, Dean drew inspiration for this series from the cosmorama. The cosmorama was a popular form of entertainment in the 19th century, especially in Europe. It was an evolution of the earlier peepshow boxes. The cosmorama was known for its ability to give flat scenes an illusion of three-dimensional depth
There are 4 books in this “series” - Not really peepshows but they fold out the two sides then lift it and a spacer separates two layers - these are better described as pop-ups:
Cosmoramic pictures . With Pretty and Instructive Tales (1870)
Pleasant Peeps at Cosmoramic Pictures with Pleasant Tales (1870)
From one side to the other
Picture Turnovers
Reference:
Reference Catalogue of Current Literature Whitaker, 1875 – page 22