Colton Kidd
From etchings on stone tablets to digital copies, books have evolved drastically over time. While the future of the book is uncertain, past innovations regarding books can still be seen even today. As a kid I remember being fascinated by interactive books: things like pop-ups, pull-able tabs that moved the designs on the page, and even buttons that when pressed played music or sound effects. For the most part, these features are more commonly found in children’s books rather than novels or anthologies. Heretofore these constituents were praised at the time of their inauguration for their ingenuity and functionality that would shape future book designs. I will analyze the origins of the significant movable parts in books and their functions.
A Discovery and Playne Declaration of Sundry Subtill Practises of the Holy Inquisition of Spayne by Raimundo González de Montes (Retrieved from: https://www.smu.edu/Bridwell/SpecialCollectionsandArchives/Exhibitions/ShapeofContent/MovingParts/BigPictures)
Fold-out pages
Beginning with a simpler moving part in literature is the implementation of fold-out pages. One of the earlier examples can be found in Peregrinatio in Terram Sanctam by Bernhard von Breidenbach containing numerous illustrations, done by Erhard Reuwich, which displayed printed woodcuts of large horizontal maps of Egypt and Palestine as well as a panoramic view of Venice. Fold-out pages are supplementary sheets of paper that were glued together and printed across however many sheets there are. This was great for printing large horizontal illustrations in otherwise small books since the folded pages could be extended to show the full image. A similar technique is to print the illustration on one large sheet and then fold said sheet until it was the size of the other pages in the book. This was great for horizontal as well as vertical illustrations because of the larger dimensions.
Flaps
Flaps in books are separate pieces of paper that are pasted onto the pages to conceal certain areas of the text or illustrations. Only one side of the flap is glued to ensure the flap can be lifted by the reader when chosen. The flaps can be blank or have parts of text and illustrations to match the rest of the page while also having alternate text or illustrations beneath. The use of flaps began with early anatomy books by authors such as Descartes and Vesalius. On pages with depictions of the human body several flaps were placed on certain body parts to cover the interior of said part. At first glance the flaps had illustrated on them the exterior of body parts such as the arms or chest and when lifted reveal the interior of the part such as muscles or bones. Other examples of flaps can be found in early children’s books as a way to further engage the reader with the content by adding a sense of curiosity and control over the text.
Catoptrum Microcosmicum by Johann Remmelin (Retrieved from: http://drc.usask.ca/projects/archbook/flaps.php)
Volvelles
The first notable aspect of interactive books began with volvelles. Volvelles are circular shaped pieces of parchment or paper attached loosely to the page with string to allow rotation of each separate dial. This permitted the reader to be able to organize content, reveal additional content, and make predetermined calculations. Volvelles were mainly used in astronomy books as a means to calculate the positions of the sun and moon at different times during the year as well as the astrological sign corresponding with the specified date. Similarly, religious texts also used volvelles to determine the dates of movable feasts throughout a specific year.
Modern Uses
The usage of interactive book parts is still prominent even today. Fold-out pages are seen in textbooks, instruction manuals, topographic maps, and even comic books. The function of fold-out pages is the same now as it was in previous centuries in that they allow large scale illustrations to be printed in books that would otherwise be too small for the full-size production. More distinguishable in children’s books, flaps are very common in picture books that aim to entertain and educate children. As used in older centuries, flaps are still used to cover content on the page with the intent of the reader lifting the flap to remain involved with the content. An example of this is a page containing illustrations of a certain farm animal and challenging the young reader to guess the sound of the animal before lifting the flap to reveal the written answer. The least common in modern literature of the aforementioned innovations is the volvelle. With modern technology it is easier than ever to replicate the main uses of volvelles. Tools such as observatories and satellites provide very similar information as volvelles found in astronomy books or, more simply, a search on the internet can provide one with all the data needed be it constellation coordinates or holiday dates. Aside from production techniques and costs, the applications of moving parts in early literature remain virtually the same as moving parts in modern literature. This will likely continue until the inevitable innovation of future literature with moving parts is achieved and even then, will be derived from its predecessors.
Works Cited:
Amy. “Rare Book Highlights: Volvelles.” Cardinal Tales, 3 July 2018, isuspecialcollections.wordpress.com/2018/07/05/rare-book-highlights-volvelles/.
Corba, Lauren. “A Brief History of the Pop-Up Book.” Books Tell You Why, 25 Oct. 2014, blog.bookstellyouwhy.com/a-brief-history-of-the-pop-up-book.
“Lift to Reveal.” SMU: World Changers Shaped Here, www.smu.edu/Bridwell/SpecialCollectionsandArchives/Exhibitions/ShapeofContent/MovingParts/Lift. Accessed 27 Jan. 2019.
“The First Fold-Out Plates.” SMU: World Changers Shaped Here, www.smu.edu/Bridwell/SpecialCollectionsandArchives/Exhibitions/ShapeofContent/MovingParts/FoldOut. Accessed 27 Jan. 2019.