Written by Edward Ernest
Animated illustrations by Julian Wehr
Published by Saalfield Publishing, Akron, in 1943.
First edition.
Printed by the Dunewald Printing Company, New York. Binding: Spiralbound, Hardcover
Condition: This book is in good condition. Please note: there is some tape on the original levers, and one animated illustration is missing it’s lever altogether. But otherwise both cover and interior pages are in good, clean condition. A small inscription to previous owner inside front cover.
Animated Animals is a rare and sought-after book, and one that influenced the course of animated and pop-up book history. Its illustrator, Julian Wehr, patented his inventions for animating children’s books, with this one’s four full pages of farm animals that move with the pull of a tab considered pioneering for their time.
During the mid-twentieth century Wehr created more than thirty movable books for several United States publishers, with illustrations printed on light-weight paper. Rather than pulling the tabs for action, Wehr’s tab system operated by moving back and forth along slits in the pages.
A lovely little piece of illustrated history.