The Happy Family Movable Picture Book - Slotty Paper Doll Book - 1920
Minneapolis: Buzza, no date
circa 1920. 4to, (7x9 1/2”), stiff pictorial wraps
Very Good Condition. All the original removable figures are still present! Loose pieces such as this are very rare to find complete.
Each spread has a picture, a rhyme, and an arrow to tuck the removable figure into. The figure can be moved or jiggled - or taken out completely. This book includes 5 separate cardboard figures or paper dolls that you place under the white arrows on each set of pages. See photos.
Unusual novelty book of interest to both movable book and Buzza collectors.
Collectors Corner:
George
Buzza founded the Buzza Company in 1907. The company started out selling
college posters and posters for retail stores. When the
market for these went away, he decided to manufacture greeting cards. In 1928 Buzza merged with the Charles S. Clark Company
of New York City. In 1929 Buzza sold his interest in the company and retired to
California. Buzza
was considered to be a pioneer in his use of color. He produced few movable books. But other titles include:
My peek-a-boo show book
8 thick cardboard scenes with cut-out holes that can overlay any of the 6 paper pages, allowing readers to mix text and illustrations to create various stories. The main book features thick card pages with cut-out sections. At the back of the book are several thin pages that can be placed behind any card page to create the varying images.
MY WHIRLIGIG FAIR BOOK. Minneapolis, MN: The Buzza Co, (1929)
A moveable book with cogged wheels on the sides that turn and change the pictures. It also came with a pictorial box.
Let’s Play Circus:
Another Peek-a-boo Book. By Carrie Dudley. Minneapolis Minnesota, A Gordon Volland Production presented by the Buzza Co., 1928.
A toy book with a double binding: eight stiff board leaves, hinged on cloth from the left, feature peepshow holes that reveal images and text printed on seven paper leaves hinged on the right.
Mother Goose in Motion Pictures. The
Buzza Co - Same style as The Happy Family offered above
More about Buzza:
The Buzza Company, founded by George E. Buzza in Minneapolis, Minnesota, began printing greeting cards in 1910. Initially, the company produced college advertising posters, books, and framed mottos, pioneering the use of color and diverse paper types in their products. In 1923, the Buzza Company acquired a building at 1006 West Lake Street in Minneapolis, originally constructed in 1907 for the Self-Threading Needle Company. To accommodate rapid growth, the company expanded the facility with two additions and a six-story tower emblazoned with "BUZZA." By the late 1920s, Buzza had become the nation's second-largest greeting card company, employing several hundred workers and sponsoring employee sports teams.
In 1928, George Buzza sold 52% of his stock and relocated to California, where he partnered with a former associate to establish the Hollywood-based Buzza-Cardozo greeting card company.
The Buzza Company's fortunes declined during the Great Depression, leading to its closure in 1942. Subsequently, the Minneapolis building was utilized by the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company for World War II production.
In 2012, the Buzza Company Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its historical significance in the greeting card industry and its architectural value.
References:
Nokohaha Blog. (2011, March 24). The Buzza Building. Retrieved from https://www.nokohaha.com/2011/03/24/the-buzza-building/
Historical Marker Database. (n.d.). Buzza Building. Retrieved from https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=240629
Laurel Cottage Genealogy. (n.d.). History of Greeting Cards. Retrieved from https://www.laurelcottagegenealogy.com/?tag=history-of-greeting-cardsWikipedia. (n.d.).
Buzza Company Building. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzza_Company_Building
AbeBooks UK. (n.d.). Let’s Play Circus: Another Peek-A-Boo Book. Retrieved from https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/the-peek-a-boo-circus