Paper with a Secret
Not everything is what it appears to be at first glance...
Made by Hand, Transformation, Paper Dolls, Overlay, Ethnicity, Metamorphosis
[1860s]. A 3 1/8" somewhat naive watercolor paper doll drawn and cut from pith paper and applied to a plain paper backing. Also includes eight (8) different costumes of various nationalities including Old English, Bohemian, Polish, Circassian, Russian, Italian, Chinese and Prussian. Each in traditional attire with head ware. Each.....
Price: $750.00
Made by Hand, Love and Friendship, Paper with a Secret
[1880]. A 2.25" x 2.25" hand made "cobweb" or "beehive", an applied scrap of a cherub holding a bird anchoring the fringed pull and adorning the sliced paper cover. When lifted it exposes two women who are obviously friends; one is doing needlework. Reverse is blank. Token of love or.....
Price: $225.00
Paper Plaything, Pretend Play, Paper with a Secret, Social History, Gender Roles
New York: Henry Heininger Co., 1919. A set of four die-cut wraparound paper dolls with movable arms and eyes. They are the Happy Family - Mr. Al Ways Happy, Mrs. Eve R. Happy, Miss Vera Happy and Little O. So Happy. Each with a rhyming verse beneath their name encouraging.....
Price: $300.00
magazine, illustrations, short stories,
New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1887. 844pp. Green cloth board, stamped in red and black with gilt accents. Volume 3 starts at November 2, 1886 with No. 366 and ends with No. 417 on October 25, 1887. Harper's Young People was a weekly magazine: each issue was 16 pages.....
Price: $135.00
Farming, Chromolithography, Volvelle
Galva, Illinois: c.1900. Chromolithographed volvelle advertising farming equipment manufactured by Hayes Pump & Planter Co. Comprised of two cards, the top card features an image of a father and daughter looking out onto serene farmland. Through a small die-cut window, the bottom card can be viewed, with each turn of.....
Price: $125.00
Puzzle Purse, Parlor Game, Amusement
[1860]. A 3" x 3 1/2" folded paper "puzzle purse" of sorts. in that the pages must be folded correctly to return it to its original form which is only the first part of the puzzle. Sawtooth painted boarder decoration on coated stock covers with applied gold scrap. Includes five.....
Price: $750.00
Scroll Puzzle, McLoughlin, Childhood Ephemera, Chromolithography
New York, NY: McLoughlin Bros. 1897. No. 540. A 10" x 8" chromolithograph on heavy cardboard depicting an crying toddler seated on a wall holding an apple. There are 14 interlocked edge pieces and six (6) square pieces at center. Reverse is blank. The 9 1/4" x 7 1/4" paper.....
Price: $325.00
Humor, Vinegar Valentines
United States: c.1885. A most charming and humorous mechanical: when the tab is pulled, the young lady applies copious amounts of rouge to her cheeks in front of her mirror. The verse below decries the amount of makeup young ladies wear to obscure their natural features: "False are the roses.....
Price: $250.00
Jacob's Ladder, Movable Toy, Napoleon
c1850s. A four-part hand colored litho on board with white laces and a wooden handle. When twisted the scene changes and Napoleon changes his costumes.
Price: $900.00
The Jolly Jig-Saw Book, jig-saw puzzles, story rhymes, No Dogs Allowed, The Good Ship “Cheese-Straw”, Piggy and the Pantry, The Monkey’s Puzzle and Mouse Mountaineers
The Jolly Jig-Saw Book, Packed with Jig-saw Puzzles and Story-rhymes. John Leng & Co., London. 1939. A hardback book that includes five (5) different rhyming verses with a relevant actual jig-saw puzzles as part of the book. Each has a small black and white illustration of the completed puzzle, that.....
Price: $425.00
Advertising to Children, Anthropomorphism, Metamorphosis
Battle Creek, Mich. Kellogg Company, 1932. The book features six (6) pages of sliced animals in 6 pieces to provide numerous, hilarious combinations of heads, bodies and feet when flipped about. There are also little verses that pair with the illustrations that give some context, which also happen to mention.....
Price: $45.00
Volvelle, Wheel, Celluloid, Mathematics, Music
Allentown PA: Lightning Arranger, 1931. An oblong 2 3/4" x 4 1/2" celluloid device with two (2) side by side wheels, with a eight (8) window openings on each side. One side is designed to find dominant and sub-dominant chords by setting both wheels to key. It includes Seventh Chords.....
Price: $145.00
Multiplication, Paper Slide, Early Learning
Chicago: The Simplicity Co., 1908. A 3 1/4" x 6" card folder with an image of a schoolmaster pointing at 13x13=? on the black board with 3 perplexed and 1 "bright" child ready with the answer. He holds the Lightning Multiplier in his hand. The right end of the card.....
Price: $175.00
Pop-up Book, Jumbo,
New York: McLoughlin Bros. A single-fold pop-up book with applied litho depicting a family of giraffes grazing in nature. When opened the two-tier pop-up reveals jumbo rearing with a parrot swinging on a perch. The startled countryman waives his umbrella at the elephant. The printed verse on the base page.....
Price: $450.00
Transformation, US Presidents, Childhood Ephemera
8.13: c1900. Housed in a 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" illustrated envelope with an image of George Washington at left. It is Series 5. Millard Filmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. Directions indicate using a light pencil to rub over the page and the picture of a present and his.....
Price: $85.00
eclectibles, valentines
A 5" x 2 3/4" mechanical, die cut valentine card. This is officer #14 looking mean. He has ona full uniformand he is carrying a Billy club. The verse is simple 'I want to COP your Heart.' If you movehis head you will see a young boy's smiling face. Above.....
Price: $25.00
lotto, mechanical puzzle, paper toy
Each card from a French lotto set has four (4) mechanical parts, that move to reveal the lotto numbers; Great whimsy. Measures 5.25” by 8 5/8”.Light edge wear.
Price: $375.00
Chromolithography, Movables, Christmas Cards, Lace Paper
United States: 1870s. A particularly charming movable greeting card on lace paper wishing the recipient "A merry Christmas and a happy new year" (recto). When the pink ribbon tab is pulled, the icy holly branches part to reveal a bucolic wintry landscape scene. Embossed with gold and chromolithographed; measures 4.5".....
Price: $75.00
Marionette, Articulated Paper Doll, Movable Toy, Paper Playthings, Childhood Ephemera
London, Printed in Bavaria: Raphael Tuck & Sons, Ltd. A 12" x 8" embossed die-cut marionette of articulated paper doll comprised of three parts. The doll is wearing the traditional red riding hood. At first view her arms are tucked behind her cape. When the green string on the reverse.....
Price: $200.00
pig, movable, world's fair, chicago world's fair,
Chicago: Wig-L-Rol, 1934. A fun piece of souvenir created for the 1934 Chicago World's Fair by the company Wig-L-Rol. This item depicts a smiling pig, wiggly on top of a barrel. The item is made of cardboard with a window cut out in the center. If one holds it up.....
Price: $125.00
Chromolithography, Undergarments
France: c.1890. A cheeky April Fools Day card die-cut to resemble a skirt that, when opened, reveals a fold-out pop-up of a woman in her undergarments. The printed message inside reads (loosely translated): "First of April. When you take off your petticoat, I already find you pretty; but take off.....
Price: $125.00
Playing cards, Whist, Movable Paper, De La Rue
London: De La Rue, c1850. An interesting take on the whist counter. Consists of four (4) die-cut pieces. Two back to back slides of diamonds and spades with two octagonal pieces that also move to mark the specific card. Each piece slides independently. Each slide marked De Le Rue &.....
Price: $325.00
Paper with a Secret, Novelty Valentine, Women, Love and Friendship, Gender Roles
124 Cheapside, London: F. Passmore, [1890]. A single fold lace paper valentine titled "The requisite Contents of a Ladys' Dressing Case? Without these Articles none can be Complete The case is a paper grid with 20 presumed beauty with a larger casket at center. Includes items as Best Court Plaister.....
Price: $650.00
Love and Friendship, Lace Paper, Octavo, Windsor
1840s-1850s. A 6 7/8" x 4 3/4" intricately cut lace paper of elaborate garden scene with a man and woman across the courtyard. Marked Windsor, bottom left. A 3" x 2 1/4" applied lace paper hinged door with applied hand colored floral array and Dresden arrow pierced heart. When lifted.....
Price: $100.00