The Genius of Lothar Meggendorfer: A Movable Toy Book

An animated cover and six mechanized illustrations accompanying humorous poems are the substance of this reconstruction of a dated toy book from the 1890s. Each construction recreates a vignette from one of Meggendorfer's books. For instance, an unattractive Mistress' lantern jaw is activated by a pull tab. Simultaneously, the pretty maid stretches while polishing a mirror. The text: "The show more helpful servant rubs the mirror /Hard enough to shake it, /But thinks that when her Mistress looks, /Her face will likely break it!" The verso of the final page is also transparent plastic so that one may appreciate and comprehend the complexities involved. The utilization of Meggendorfer's illustrations by a designer, an illustrator "after Lothar Meggendorfer" and a paper engineer have diluted the artistic style of the broth. Maurice Sendak's admiring introduction claims that Meggendorfer's toy books are works of art, and he does not doubt that a new generation will share his addiction to Meggendorfer's work. Most libraries, though, will find a place for this quaint curiosity only in their historical collections.

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