March 3, 2011

Vintage Movable Review: Magic Wand Book





Simple Simon’s Mother Goose Magical Picture Book is a curious and coveted book. The cover boasts that it includes a “magic wand that brings characters and verses to life in realistic action”. Is there any kid (or adult, for that matter) that would not want a magic wand to control characters in their favorite nursery rhymes? In this case, the wand is a red wooden dowel, it’s magic comes when the tip ratchets a fixed wheel in the center of the page. It is a clever spin on the traditional movable wheel and the uncredited paper engineer did not stick with one template and varies the movement and utilizes both sides of the page as the reader takes a journey with Johnny and Mary to Mother Goose Land.


There is little information about the title. We know the book was published by the Dyco Publishing Company out of Philadelphia, yet the author remains anonymous. The last page mentions a copyright in 1946 by B.B. Corp. with a patent attributed to inventor, Frederick Voges at Advertising Ingenuities, Inc. in Chicago.


Our omnipresent guide, Simon Simple may look angry throughout the entire ordeal but you sure won’t be if you ever get a chance to visit Mother Goose Land yourself. Until then enjoy some photos.


~Kyle

1 comment:

Shelley Noble said...

Loving this concept, Kyle. Thanks for posting about it. Would it be terrible to ask to have one of the pages shown in action? I can't get what happens. Maybe your favorite effect?

Fanx, in the meanwhile!