In this collectors interview, we meet Massimo Missiroli from Italy. He started collecting pop-up books back in 1978 and now owns an impressive collection of classic pop-up titles that has been seen by over 70.000 people. Massimo, who is also an expert in the education of the image, worked for many years as an advisor for school projects and councils.  Massimo started with designing pop-up books in 1991 and created his first published book in 1997 “Iciest day ever”, illustrated by Richard Scarry. He also created pop-up books for Schreiber Verlag (German) the pop-up editions of Struwwelpeter and Max und Moritz. In June 2001, he was awarded, for his paper-engineering work, with the prestigious Andersen Prize assigned by the homonymous magazine. And another highlight worth mentioning, Massimo’s Pinocchio pop-up was nominated for the 2004 Meggendorfer prize. 

Interview

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?
MM – I bought my first book 42 years ago. It was the reprint of The Children’s Tableaux, A Novel Color Book for children by Ernest Nister. The reproduction was printed by Intervisual book Inc. and the Italian title was I gatti di Gattolica. After a few years I also bought the original from 1895 but I have always been fond of my first book. Without buying that pop-up book, I would never have started collecting.

BPUB – Who are your favorite pop-up book authors or paper engineers?
MM – My favorite author is definitely Vojtech Kubasta. I like all his books, from the small books with numbers to the theater tales. In particular, the panascope series that I also have in multiple copies and in various editions. For those who find it interesting, I photographed them in stereoscopic and it’s possible to see them on my website in three dimensions with red and blue glasses.

“I photographed them in stereoscopic and it’s possible to see them on my website”

Massimo Missiroli

BPUB – What are your favorite books in your collection and why?
MM – In addition to Kubasta’s work, I also like the French series of Lucos and Bookano and also, of course, Lothar Meggendorfer’s movable books.

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
MM – I stopped counting them when I reached 4,000. Now I think I am approaching 5,000 pop-up books. In the last few months alone, I have received over 200 responses on eBay and purchased just as many on Amazon.

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?
MM – I would like to buy a scenic book because it is missing from my collection. I have about thirty Father Tuck, Nister and Meggendorfer pop-ups but a scenic is missing so I’m waiting for the right time to buy Lothar Meggendorfer’s “Internationaler circus“.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what would it be?
MM – I like the surprise of seeing new titles. Paper engineers are very creative and always know how to make new things to amaze collectors.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?
MM – My collection has become a traveling exhibition since 2017 and has also been staged in the United Arab Emirates and at the Shanghai Book Fair. (Visit the popupshow.net page to find out more…) In two years, the exhibition has been seen by more than 70,000 visitors which I have fascinated with a selection of my most interesting pop-ups.

BPUB – Thank you Massimo, for sharing your pop-up book collection with us!

Massimo engineered this beautiful pop-up page
that was included in the 40-anniversary photo book by Kenzo

Useful links
Massimo’s website
Massimo’s YouTube channel 
Massimo’s Instagram
Stereoscopic pictures of pop-ups

WANTED: Pop-up book fans and collectors

Do you have a pop-up book collection you would like to share with other fans? Do you have special items like a signed book or special edition? Let us know and send us a picture and answer the questions below and maybe, you’ll find your collection on this page!

How it works

Send us a high resolution (landscape crop) picture of you and your pop-up book collection and a short introduction of yourself. Don’t forget to include the answers to the questions from our Fan interview. You can send it to fans@bestpopupbooks.com

Het bericht Pop-up Book Collector Massimo verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

In this collectors interview we meet Reinhard Tenbrock. Reinhard has been collecting pop-up books since 1983. He is a retired teacher for German literature and economics. First, when Reinhard started collecting, he bought books to read them with his five daughters. After a few months he was infected with the collector´s virus and since that time, pop-up books have been an important part of his life.

Interview

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?
RT – My first pop-up was Lothar Meggendorfer´s Doll House. On the backside of the German edition, there is a text from Hildegard Krahé. She tells the reader a lot about the author and his creative work. I was astonished that the Doll House was first published in 1889 and how many other kinds of movable books were created in the 19th century. I started doing some research on these kinds of books in the bookshops in Düsseldorf where I lived at that time (1983).

BPUB – Who are your favorite pop-up book authors or paper engineers?
RT – I love them all. The pop-up scene is so versatile. There are always new artists who surprise me with their own style and creativity. Meggendorfer was my first “pop-up hero“. But Ernest Nister, Louis Giraud and Vojtech Kubasta are important artists, too and take up a lot of space in my bookshelves. Today artists like Robert Sabuda, Matthew Reinhart, Kees Moerbeek, David A. Carter, David Pelham, Sam Ita, Philippe UG, Gérard lo Monaco, Anouck Boisrobert, Louis Rigaud and many others impress me.

“I am in contact with many other collectors and artists. That enriches my life and brings me so many happy hours.”

Reinhard Tenbrock

BPUB – What are your favorite books in your collection and why?
RT – One of my favourites though is Lothar Meggendorfers Zum Zeitvertreib from 1885. It was my first original Meggendorfer and I love the ironic movements, especially the drunken old man in “Der vergessene Hausschlüssel”. Another one is Hilde Langen’s Ziehbilderbuch Schneewittchen from 1947 with paintings like watercolor and wonderful typefaces for the text. I am also proud to own one of the few handmade samples of Kees Moerbeek’s book Rumpelstiltskin, made in 2002. I love the book Birdscapes (2008) by Miyoko Chu and the paper engineering by Gene Vosough, Renee Jablow and Andy Baron. This book combines artwork with science-based information and a realistic stereo sound. That is a great project.

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
RT – Nearly 5.000 pop-up and movable books, and this may be the largest collection in Germany.

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?
RT – I would like to have the other 25,000 movable books that were published in the last 150 years. Unfortunately, my “pocket money“ and the space in our house will not be big enough to complete the collection.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what would it be?
RT – My favorite subject for a pop-up book is Goethe´s “Faust”. There is the fight between the good and the evil. Mysterious things are going on like the bedevilment and there is the tragedy of the love and death of Gretchen.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?
RT – I am in contact with many other collectors and artists. That enriches my life and brings me so many happy hours. I do not want to miss one of them.

BPUB – Thank you Reinhard for sharing your pop-up book collection with us!

WANTED: Pop-up book fans and collectors

Do you have a pop-up book collection you would like to share with other fans? Do you have special items like a signed book or special edition? Let us know and send us a picture and answer the questions below and maybe, you’ll find your collection on this page!

How it works

Send us a high resolution (landscape crop) picture of you and your pop-up book collection and a short introduction of yourself. Don’t forget to include the answers to the questions from our Fan interview. You can send it to fans@bestpopupbooks.com

Het bericht Pop-up Book Collector Reinhard verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

In this collector interview we are going to meet Elisa Gozzi and her pop-up book collection. Elisa, who also won a prize with our Giveaway event, is a student of Art History in Bologna, Italy and in her free time she’s helping associations that organize pop culture and comic events. 

Elisa has been collecting pop-up books for 10 years now and collecting pop-up books probably is something she took from her family. Elisa’s family also likes to collect all kinds of beautiful things for their “Wunderkammer” like antique objects, furniture and paintings.

Interview

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?
EG – I didn’t actually bought it, but I received my very first pop up book from my dad when he went to Paris 10 years ago and he gave me Alice’s adventures in Wonderland by Robert Sabuda as a present. He was amazed by this book and he wanted me to love it as well. It ended up being a true passion for collecting pop up books.

BPUB – Who are your favorite pop-up book authors or paper engineers?
JY – I’d say the most popular Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart, their books are true masterpieces, but I’d mention Junko Mizuno too, who’s not really a paper engineer but her TRIAD pop-up book is amazing.

“My idea about pop up books: they’re not books for children, they’re art”

Elisa Gozzi

BPUB – What are your favorite books in your collection and why?
EG – It’s not easy to pick a few books since they’re all works of art but if I had to choose I’d say Jeux t’aime by Appert Carole and Vidaling Raphaele because it faces the theme of love and sexuality in a delicate and artistic way, for example in this book we find a large map of love where every part hide a particular subliminal image, there is also a page that opens on a giant naked woman that could be dissected and inside of her we find pieces of poetry. It’s visionaire and unique and I think that explains perfectly my idea about pop up books: they’re not books for children, they’re art.

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
EG – Since I received the lovely Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pop up book from your giveaway, I’ve got 44 pop up books.

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?
EG – Definitively Skinner’s Necronomicon. I am a huge Lovecraft fan, so when I heard about this pop up book and saw the sneak peeks I immediately loved them. Also, I went to New York Comic Con a few days ago and I could see and touch the amazing This Book is a Planetarium by Kelli Anderson: it’s such a great book and soon it will enter my collection.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what would it be?
EG – Please make an Adventure Time pop up book! It’s such a colorful and surrealist tv show that if it turned into a pop up it would be truly amazing.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?
EG – I would like to say that you should stop and think how incredible pop up books are: in a society where paper books are disappearing and everything is becoming just a file in our kindle, pop up books can’t be replaced in any technological way and I’m sure they will share their magic in the future. Last but not least, I thank Best Pop Up Books for their incredible work and passion, the idea of a pop up books related website is pure genius.

BPUB – Thank you Elisa for sharing your pop-up book collection with us!

WANTED: Pop-up book fans and collectors

Do you have a pop-up book collection you would like to share with other fans? Do you have special items like a signed book or special edition? Let us know and send us a picture and answer the questions below and maybe, you’ll find your collection on this page!

How it works

Send us a high resolution (landscape crop) picture of you and your pop-up book collection and a short introduction of yourself. Don’t forget to include the answers to the questions from our Fan interview. You can send it to fans@bestpopupbooks.com

Het bericht Pop-up Book Collector Elisa verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

We would like you to meet pop-up book collector Joe Yow from the United States. Joe is retired from teaching and law enforcement.  He’s collecting pop-up books for over two years now and already has a very impressive collection of pop-up and movable collectables. Joe collects antique books, special and rare editions and illustrated books from the golden age of book illustration. The oldest books in his collection are over 400 years old! 

Until two years ago Joe never really considered collecting pop-up books. Even though he always liked the concept of pop-ups and moveable books. Like a lot of people, Joe thought that pop-up books were basically for children. Then one day at the California Academy of Sciences, he noticed the pop-up book Voyage to the Heart of Matter: The Atlas Experiment, and was overjoyed to find a book on one of his favorite subjects explained in a detailed three-dimensional format. Joe started looking more and more into pop-up books and a few months later he bought the Game of Thrones pop-up book. And that was it! I was in for good, Joe says.

Interview

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?
JY – The first pop-up book I bought was Voyage to the Heart of Matter. As a tremendous “fan” of quantum physics and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project, this book appealed to me because of its three-dimensional descriptions of the LHC and the Atlas project at Cern, Switzerland. I next got the Game of Thrones pop-up book, and that brought to light the wondrous world of the more complex pop-up books. Robert Sabuda, Mathew Reinhart and Bruce Foster soon became my close buds, and I began grabbing up their books (as my budget would permit, of course). I then discovered the works of Jan Pienkowski, Sam Ita and others. I have now started collecting books by Vojtech Kubasta, Geraldine Clyne, Blue Ribbon, and other vintage artists/publishers.

BPUB – Who are your favorite pop-up book authors or paper engineers?
JY – I really have no favorite pop-up book authors or paper engineers. For complexity and volume of pup-ups per page, Reinhart, Sabuda and Foster are a sure bet. Ita’s graphic novel pop-up books are unique and sheer joy to behold, and effectively demonstrate how pop-ups can greatly enhance the reading experience. Moerbeek and the Santoros bring innovative applications to their work. Carter’s pop-ups are often on the simpler side, yet highly artistic. And Kubasta’s illustrations are beautiful, whimsical and expressive, and his pop-ups were probably the first to extend beyond the edges of the pages and book.

“I have become so involved with pop-up books that I have learned how to repair them”

Joe Yow

BPUB – What are your favorite books in your collection and why?
JY – I am definitely a fan of complex pop-ups. Reinhart’s Transformers, with actually transforming pop-ups takes the pop-up concept to a wonderful new level. As does his Game of Thrones, with the ability to transform the entire book into a 3D map of Westeros and Essos. One Piece Grand Paper Adventure, from Japanese publisher Shueisha, is well made, beautifully illustrated, and full of complex and diverse pop-ups and movables. It is a true work of art.

One fantastic sleeper in the pop-up book world (in my opinion) is Animus, by Seonna Hong, illustrator of the Power Puff Girls. Animus utilizes simple, yet cleverly constructed pop-ups and movables, combined with beautiful paintings and engaging text to deliver a powerful message.

I also very much like vintage and antique pop-up (and moveable) books. They are of course harder to find in favorable condition, often more expensive, and less complex than so many of the contemporary works, but I find them a joy to handle and behold. I have books by Kubasta (1960’s) and Blue Ribbon (1932-34), as well as Jolly Jump-Ups (1940’s) and the In Action books by Walter Phillips (1949), to name a few. I have also started collecting moveable books by Julian Wehr (1940’s).

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
JY – I now have well over 100 pop-up books plus over 2,000 antiquarian and special collections books, and I have some from every decade from the 1930’s to the present, as well as a Mcloughlin Bothers “Pantomime Theater Toy Book” from 1891. I have only been collecting for two years, and considering that I am very selective on what books I purchase (and my being more of a pauper than a prince), I consider this to be a decent number. For now.

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?
JY – There are so many! I would of course love to have more of the vintage/antiquarian books, but these will come in time. At the moment I am waiting for Il Etait Une Fois, with artwork by Benjamin Lacombe, to arrive from the UK, and am planning on getting soon The Pop Up Art Book featuring art from Angry Woebots, Skinner, Kozyndan, Junko Mizuno, Tara McPherson, and Jim Mahfood.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what would it be?
JY – I actually have two subjects that are near and dear to me that I would love to see in pop-up books. The first is the history and making of books, and the second is an in-depth look into quantum physics.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?
JY – I have become so involved with pop-up books that I have learned how to repair them. I have bought several books for extremely low prices, that needed repairs, some of the repairs being quite complex and extensive (at least from my point of view), and have restored the pop-up mechanisms to “good as new.” In order to repair them, I had to learn how the different pop-up mechanisms work. This led me to make pop-up cards for my wife and daughter, and I am now working on making my first pop-up book. The past two years of learning about and collecting pop-up and moveable books has added a rich, artistic, and interactive dimension to my book collecting.

BPUB – Thank you Joe for sharing your impressive pop-up book collection with us!

WANTED: Pop-up book fans and collectors

Do you have a pop-up book collection you would like to share with other fans? Do you have special items like a signed book or special edition? Let us know and send us a picture and answer the questions below and maybe, you’ll find your collection on this page!

How it works

Send us a (landscape cropped) picture of you and your pop-up book collection and a short introduction of yourself. Don’t forget to include the answers to the questions from our Fan interview. You can send it to fans@bestpopupbooks.com

Het bericht Pop-up Book Collector Joe verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

In this Collectors Interview we share the touching story of Dutch pop-up book collector Anneke Eggink-Pelsma and her husband Jan Eggink. Anneke is a proud collector and huge fan of pop-ups. In the past Anneke worked with children that have behavioral disorders or dyslexia and as a teacher, Anneke started to use pop-up books to motivate the children to read more and most important, to enjoy reading books.

The combination of surprising pop-ups and short pieces of text helped her students to read a full book in a short period of time. Anneke was amazed and discovered how powerful pop-up books can be as an educational tool. This was the start of a beautiful collection and a passion for life.

In 2005, Anneke got hit by a stroke and she lost the ability to speak and walk. Suddenly her life was upside down. She wasn’t able to continue her work and it felt like her dreams were shattered. Her husband Jan, who was a great support for her in these rough times, motivated Anneke to continue her passion for pop-ups. Jan was already impressed about how her students reacted to pop-ups and convinced Anneke to collect pop-up books as a hobby. In the years that followed, Anneke learned how to speak and walk again, literally step by step, word by word. During Annekes rehabilitation Anneke and Jan both became pop-up book collectors and enthusiasts. Even though she has stopped with her profession, Anneke still uses pop-up books for educational purposes but this time to teach the Dutch language to young students.

Interview

BPUB – When did you buy your first pop-up book?
AEP – The first pop-up book I bought was when I was eight years old, now 58 years ago. At that time I just played with it and didn’t know that I would be a collector of pop-up books later on in my life. When I became a teacher for children with dyslexia and other problems, I rediscovered pop-up books. Pop-up books helped the children to enjoy reading and to love books. Of course at first only pop-up books, but later on they also began to appreciate books in general. It didn’t make the dyslexia disappear but it let them handle their problem thanks to pop-up books. That’s why my pop-up collection became bigger and bigger and over time I learned to see the differences between Authors and Paper engineers.

BPUB – Who are your favorite pop-up book Authors or Paper Engineers?
AEP – I love the books of Ron van der Meer, Robert Sabuda, David Carter, Kees Moerbeek, Harry Willock, Matthew Reinhart, Bruce Foster, Sam Ita, Courtney Watson McCarthy, Yevgeniya Yeretskaya, Ray Marshall, Anouck Boisrobert and Louis Rigaud, Lucio and Meero Santoro, Chuck Murphy….of course I forget some of them. The most beautiful pop-ups for me are the ones that surprise me, that are colorful and also the pop-ups that you can view from the front and the back. Every season, I have an exhibition at home about Christmas, Easter, Sinterklaas and so on. I display the books in front of a mirror so you can see both the front and the back of the pop-ups. Pop-up books have always been a reason or introduction to start a conversation.

“I would like to organize a very large exhibition with some other collectors”

Anneke Eggink-Pelsma

BPUB – Do you have favorite books in your collection and can you tell us why?
AEP – All my Sabuda books are favorite, also in special: The facts of Life by Jonathan Miller and David Pelham. Paper Blossoms: Butterflies & Birds and Paper Blossoms, both by Ray Marshall. Birdscapes: A Pop-Up Celebration of Bird Songs in Stereo Sound (and that’s really true!) engineerd by Gene Vosough, Renee Jablow and Andy Baron, illustrated by Julia Hargreaves. And of course: The Limited Edition of The Shopping Walhalla “Neiman Marcus”. They celebrated their 100th Anniversary and you can read their story in this really beautiful pop-up book.

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
AEP – I own over 2000 pop-up books and also a lot of smaller books or very simple ones. I didn’t count my pop-up cards,  but it’s a lot more than 100.

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?
AEP – Animal Babies A to Z and other books by Chuck Murphy.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what will it be?
AEP – I miss a beautiful pop-up book about Sinterklaas! (Wiki) The feast of Sinterklaas starts mid November and ends at December 6th. All this time, at home and in school, most children in the Netherlands are very exited about Sinterklaas! 
Maybe Ron van der Meer, a Dutch Paper Engineer who knows Sinterklaas, can surprise a lot of Dutch children with a pop-up book about Sinterklaas.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?
AEP – I would like to organize a very large exhibition with some other collectors, from very old books till now. For example in the Literature Museum in The Hague. And as a collector I would like to help each other. Like when you have double pop-up books in your collection, you can exchange those with other collectors. Maybe using this website. I’m also a long time member of The Movable Book Society and I have contact with Ann, the motor behind the MBS!
 The Movable Book Society provides a forum for collectors and creators so you can follow the development in the world of pop-ups and movables!

BPUB – Thank you Anneke, for sharing your amazing story and wonderful collection with us!

Unfortunately, we have to report that Jan Eggink passed away in March this year. Life has become even more challenging for Anneke with the loss of Jan but her collection and love for pop-up books are a great support and consolation. Anneke continues her plans for a pop-up book exhibition and also would like to share more about her passion with other collectors.

If you would like to send Anneke your support, wishes or get in touch as a collector, please use our contact form and we’re happy to forward your message to Anneke.

Image credit: Photo taken by Jan Eggink

Het bericht Pop-up Book Collector Anneke verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

Corrie Allegro is a graphic designer, pop-up book collector and occasional book antiquarian from Australia. He’s a very active enthusiast and dedicated pop-up book collector. Corrie and his wife Nancye work together as directors in their graphic design studio. Over the past 38 years he became a pop-up enthusiast with an impressive collection of over 4200 books! As a graphic designer, Corrie couldn’t resist the powerful combination of artwork, words and printing embellishments combined into visually tactile works of art that are accessible for young and old. Corrie discovered a rich history of over 500 years and became a specialist in pop-ups and movables. A hobby was born and Corrie was hooked! 

The Allegro Movable Book Collection is Australia’s largest and most comprehensive collection of movables and pop-up books covering over 300 years of published history. This collection is a broad mix with all kinds of modern and antique pop-up books. Owning such a collection brings responsibility with it. Corrie realizes it’s time to share his impressive collection with other collectors and the next generation of book lovers. So he started the website The Allegro Movable Book Collection that is a fun read and all about pop-up books and his collection. A great website for pop-up book collectors with lots of information and facts. We’ve asked Corrie to share his story with us and we are honored and proud he said yes. Enjoy our interview!

Interview

BPUP – We are very impressed by your collection! Isn’t this bigger than just a hobby?
CA – Where do you start a conversation when asked about your particular passionate hobby and you realize you have been a collector for 38 years of a genre of books called ‘Movable and pop-up’ books? Where do you begin? How do you try and explain to your family and friends that all those books sitting on floor to ceiling shelves and stuffed cupboards is quite normal?

BPUP – So, how many pop-up books do you own at the moment?
CA – A very common question but always with a shake of the head. I thank the stars that my wife, Nancye and our kids appreciate, sorry, tolerate this man’s passion. Four thousand two hundred plus… But it’s over 38 bloody years and just grew and grew. And it was originally a design inspiration for our Graphic Design office we run, often suggesting a 3D paper solution to our client’s needs. Then the aesthetics of this art form took over, additional books wandered in and a collector was born.

BPUP – Is it even possible to describe your passion for pop-ups when it’s grown into such a broad and huge collection?
CA – No. A collector’s justification never sounds justifiable. But for a book lover it was the combination of artwork, words, paper, movement, hand-made elements and the creativity of artists and paper engineers coming up with fresh new concepts. Of course there are many, many simple basic pop-up books amongst the myriad of classic, unbelievably beautiful books in the collection and it is quite amazing to observe the complexity and creative production skills multiply over time. The designer mantra, ‘function before form’, or viewed in reverse ‘form follows function’ has been turned inside out by the pop-up paper engineer who can either throw out the ‘less is more’ rule and then totally go over the top in mountains of paper sculpture or design a double page spread with the minimalist of a pop-up story element.

BPUP – How did it all begin? There must be a first pop-up book that started this collection?
CA – In the beginning we took a year off to travel parts of the world as many Australians did in the Seventies and in London I came across a simple Hallmark pop-up book on dinosaurs. It flashed through my mind that I could use these clever paper mechanisms in our future design work which I am glad to say we did as often as a client would allow us. From that very ordinary start it slowly grew to become a resource and historical archive of ‘movable books’ ranging from 1797 to today’s artists books. The historian in me wanted books from the movers and shakers across the years ranging from Meggendorfer, Nister, Tuck and all the other old masters who laid the groundwork for today’s creative pop-up talents throughout the world.

“Now, with crowdfunding, a good pop-up book concept can get off the ground and bypass the publishing establishment”

Corrie Allegro

BPUP – Can you tell us what you think of today’s paper engineers and modern pop-up books?
CA – The skills, the ingenuity and ideas come from anywhere in the world. Just look at the vibrant French pop-up scene, the young Japanese designers, the depth of Dutch paper engineering talent. I have to acknowledge the influence on me of the great pop-up historian, the late Theo Gielen who I was privileged to meet in Amsterdam way back in 2008. His history research and writings on European book fairs and artists brought to the pop-up world a huge audience. We marvel at the quality of Thai, Laotian and Chinese book production values that grew out of the early pioneer South American printers and assembly companies. Now, with crowdfunding, a good pop-up book concept can get off the ground and bypass the publishing establishment. Now, that’s disruption.

BPUP – How do you share your pop-up book collection and knowledge about the history of movables?
CA – As a collector and designer I give talks, pop-up workshops, library and museum exhibitions, TV collector programs and hardest of all, radio talks, trying to explain books that move. I used to think Australia was far removed from the centres of book creation and accessibility but that has all changed over the last twenty years, thanks to all the openings that the ‘net’ has brought to the keyboard.

I have a very old static site The Allegro Movable Book Collection that is worth checking out for background historical articles, many photographs of antiquarian movable books and information on the pioneers in movable book design and production. Now, I humbly defer to you guys’ level of expertise and your wonderful online site.

BPUP – As a collector, are there favorite engineers or books you would like to share with us?
CA – I feel for Collector José and his limitations in Portuguese bookshops but I congratulate him on the links he has supplied in his article for all your new viewers. I won’t duplicate all these wonderful names and contacts he mentions as it mirrors exactly my thoughts and desires in chasing those superb books.

BPUP – How about Australian paper engineers?
CA – I would like to mention two local Melbourne artist/designers who utilize pop-up elements in shadow boxes, limited edition paper movable artworks, prints and multi-faceted art projects. Go look for the art of Kyoko Imazu and Anne Kucera at their websites. We might be almost at the bottom of the world, except for our cousins in New Zealand but we do like our pop-up connections throughout the world.

BPUP – What do you think of the future of pop-up books?
CA – Now at BestPopUpBooks.com, the combination of book videos, collectors’ knowledge, links to the wonderful Movable Book Society (every collector should be a member) and the wider pop-up community, there is every reason to be positive for the future of pop-up books.

BPUP – Do you maybe have favorite subjects for pop-up books you would like to see released?
CA – I think José’s aim for political pop-up books is a fantastic idea and sorely needed. There are plenty of ‘one-off’ artist books on similar themes and perhaps crowdfunding might be the path to follow. As an advocate for free speech but feeling squeezed in a political growing phase for populist governments, we need more satire and relevant debate to respond to attacks from both the extreme right and left fringe elements. Perhaps utilizing pop-up books, 3D cards etc we can perform a political act! Back in 2004 Pat the Politician came out as a political satire on George W. Bush and as a parody of Pat the Cat and in 2008 Insight Editions published Mad about Politics, a clever satirical look at the 2000 U.S. election. These very satirical pop-up books were a good antidote at the time. Is it too late in 2016 and onwards for creative juices to flow using pop-ups as political satire? The challenge is out there! I will even TRUMPet any crowdfunded project that I think is worth supporting.

BPUP – Normally we ask collectors for their favorite books. Is it possible for you to answer such a question?
CA – This is a question I always get and is one of the hardest to answer. If only it was that simple. I look around my library as I type this and know there are literally hundreds of favorite volumes and the chase to expand certain parts of the collection drives the hunter & collector in me. What we and new collectors need to do is support artists and paper engineers with their books. This might help to keep production prices down and the publishing industry robust. Everything is cyclical and there are no guarantees that this book genre can survive forever: downturns have happened…

BPUP – Is there anything else you want to share with us and our followers?
CA – BestPopUpBooks.com is a great new forum to spread the word and it can only grow bigger and better with support from the pop-up community.

Thank you Corrie for sharing your wonderful story and amazing collection!

Don’t forget to visit and share Corrie’s website The Allegro Movable Book Collection! A great place for pop-up book collectors and enthusiasts to gather information, enjoy photographs, order collectables and read interesting articles about modern and classic pop-ups.

Header photograph credit: John Gee

Het bericht Pop-up book Collector Corrie Allegro verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

You’ve probably already noticed that we like to introduce pop-up book collectors from all over the world. We also love to share great pop-up book collections and this time it’s the impressive collection of José. José Alberto Rodrigues (a.k.a. JAR) is Portuguese. He graduated as a teacher of Visual Arts and has a MSc and PhD in Multimedia in Education. JAR started collecting (but is more fan than collector) movables and pop-up books about 8 years ago and his collection has grown ever since, although in Portugal it’s very difficult to find pop-up books in bookstores.

He’s currently preparing a series of pop-up books that will explore the transparencies and the explosion of colors, with games and inspiring challenges. These artistic and sensitive books will be published in 2017. He is also preparing a series of training workshops for teachers on paper engineering to explore this technique with children and young people in Portuguese schools.

“When I need a happy moment or some inspiration, I devote several minutes to my pop-up books. Pop-up books are a fascinating world!”

José Alberto Rodrigues

You’ll understand that we’re very proud to share the collection of José. A collector, Paper Engineer and most of all, a fan of movables like all of us. This interview is so loaded with useful and valuable links, we could just as well have made the complete text yellow. Enjoy our interview with José and discover how the purchase of a single pop-up book can lead to so much dedication and passion for art and movable paper!

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?

JAR – The first pop-up book that I bought was One Red Dot by David Carter. This book got me hooked on pop-up books, especially because of all the artistic techniques of paper engineering and also because of the multiples perspectives I got to use in educational context with my young students in Portuguese schools and training teachers. After One Red Dot, many things happened, opened and changed in my life.

BPUB – Who’s your favorite pop-up book author or paper engineer?

JAR – For me, the best paper engineers are definitely Robert Sabuda, Matthew Reinhart, Sam Ita, Kees Moerbeek and David Hawcock. His works are absolutely brilliant and they explore the pop-up techniques to the limit. However, my passion and preference is more the artistic side of pop-up books. This is why, for example, I prefer authors such as David A. Carter, Ron Van der Meer or Katsumi Komagata. I also admire the work of many French authors like Philippe Ug, Gérard lo Monaco, Arnaud Roi, the duo Louis Rigaud and Anouck Boisrobert, Marion Bataille, Martine Perrin, Bernard Duisit or Vicent Godeau.

BPUB – What’s your favorite book in your collection and why?

JAR – This is a really difficult question. I have many pop-up books in my collection and it was love at first sight. It is impossible to choose just one, so I leave here a short list.
Un Petit Bois Mystérieux (French version) by Susumu Shingu. It’s an amazing book. This pop-up book is the first book of this Japanese author that I recently bought in Brussels. In this artistic book, the author conveys his vision of the kinetic art to a magical world of forests.
Little tree by Katsumi Komagata. A book that takes us to the author’s universe, very simple and sophisticated, it’s a real passion, an immense poetry built with fabulous papers and materials.
Inspiration by Ron van der Meer. An explosion of colors and shapes that amazes us at every page. It surprises and makes us gape with its buildings, though simple but wide. An artistic book that absolutely motivates and inspires us.
600 Black Spots by David A. Carter, one of my favorites. Like all his books, it’s a challenge. We must search for the black spots and count them. With very simple pop-up constructions, but sometimes extremely complex, this magic book leads us through a world of discovery and challenge. Whenever I show this book to my students or open the first page, a startled sound comes out of their mouths, awakening all their senses.
Drôle D’Oiseau (Funny Birds) by Philippe Ug. A fantastic journey through the world of birds. A book full of color and life, with a very beautiful message about the preservation of nature, telling us to take better care of it. Philippe Ug is one of the authors that I like and appreciate the most. I had the opportunity to do a workshop with him in October 2014, in Portugal. Therefore, many of the books from my collection are signed by him.

These are only a few of the many pop-up books that I love and own…

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?

JAR – About 100. All of them are new because it is very difficult to find old or antique books. I wish I had more pop-up books but in Portugal it is almost impossible to find these books in bookstores. So I usually buy them online through Spain and UK, or when I go to Belgium or France. My budget is also very limited so I need to control my spending urge. But I believe that my collection will grow a little more.

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?

JAR – This, for me, is a terrible question, a headache. So many, so many books that I cannot buy. For example, I cannot buy How Many by Ron Van der Meer or Paper Folding for Pop-Up by Miyuki Yoshida, and these are only a few of many that I would love to have. Recently I received two new books: Aesop’s Fables by Moerbeek and Le cube rouge by Barnard Duisit and Janik Coat. I’m waiting to get my last order from the UK with the books Trail by David Pelham, Welcome to the Neighbourwood by Shawn Sheehy and More designs of paper folding for Pop-Up by Miyuki Yoshida. My next order, if I can get or find it is Lutins des bois by Philippe Ug and at August 1st the new book by Andy Mansfield: See the Stripes. I’m also aware of two new authors and their works: Roberta Bridda Non fa una piega and Jani Lunablau’s Little Gallery of Nerds & Freaks. I saw some images of their pop-up books at the ArtsLibris 2016 in Barcelona and I was enthusiastic to have them in my collection. However, it will be difficult since they are artist books and I do not know if they will ever be published and sold. I am also eager to see if the pop-up books of Roberta Bridda and Jani Lunablau will be published.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what will it be?

JAR – The Carnation Revolution of April 25th. This is an important date. In 1974 there was a revolution in Portugal. This revolution ended with the dictatorship system in Portugal. It was a peaceful revolution made with flowers and almost no shots were fired. The 24 hours of this revolution would be an excellent subject.

“The most important thing is to awaken all your senses.”

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?

JAR – Pop-up books are a passion. It’s a love that will last forever. We must know how to manage this magical world. Every now and then, we have the desire to buy a lot of books but for those who have a very limited budget, sometimes we get frustrated. We have to know how to manage these impulses because we cannot spend what we do not have, and this makes us very selective in the choices we make. I prefer books that I can use on workshops or at school. I must be the one who has the largest collection of pop-up books in Portugal. I believe that my collection will be unique. That makes me happy. Soon my collection and personal library will be displayed in various locations. I want to share my passion so that more books like this can be available in my country. For those who are now starting, the most important thing is to awaken all your senses. BestPopUpBooks.com allows us, pop-up lovers, to keep in touch and be connected with everyone. The collection and knowledge that each one has on pop-up books, will only enhanced if it’s shared so that everyone knows more about this fantastic world.

BPUB – What do you think of BestPopUpBooks.com?

JAR – Your website is fantastic, a reference to those who have a passion for pop-up books. It was wonderful to discover your work. I believe that it will grow with more articles, book reviews and fascinating videos. It’s very important for those who want to learn and know more about this wonderful world. And also, you should continue to build a good database with all the authors of pop-up books in the world. That would be extraordinary.

BPUB – Thank you José for this great peek at your collection and passion for pop-up books! This interview will be a treasure for every pop-up book collector. We can’t wait to see your work as a paper engineer in your upcoming color books. Please keep us updated about your projects so we can share it with our followers!

For more information about José and his projects, visit and like his Facebook page.

If you’re reading this as a starting pop-up book collector you might be impressed to read about the collection of José. So are we. But please, feel free to share your collection and story with us and our followers. It doesn’t matter if you have ten or a hundred books. Your story and passion for pop-up books is what fascinates us. We know it’s hard to pick just one favorite book or author but you’re free to answer the questions of our fan interview any way you want it!

Het bericht Pop-up book collector José and his amazing collection verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

Meet pop-up book collector, pop-up artist and our personal hero Mohamad Rizal Kapandi from Malaysia. After he bought his very first pop-up book, a new collection was born. For Rizal, pop-up books have the power to make your imagination come to life. With the dream of creating his own pop-up book one day, he started learning how to make pop-ups by studying other pop-up books he bought over the internet. Now that he owns the skill to create pop-ups himself, he loves nothing more than to share his knowledge and creativity with others.

Working as a teacher at an Aboriginal school, Rizal uses his passion for pop-ups to teach his students and other teachers to be creative and innovative. He is very committed to the creative growth and development of his students and works very hard for a harmonious and respectful environment. Hence his motto “Teacher by Day, Artist by Love”

Rizal is Malaysia’s leading paper engineer and has been active in many workshops and festivals related to books and creativity. We are very pleased that Rizal was willing to answer our questions and tell us more about his passion for pop-up books.

At school, Rizal teaches his students to be creative and innovatie. A lot of lessons and activities are devoted to the art of pop-ups and how to create them yourself.

The interview

BPUB – What was the first pop-up book you bought?

R – The Jungle Book by Matthew Reinhart and Winter’s Tale by Robert Sabuda. I bought these used books online from my first salary when I started my career as a primary school teacher at an Aboriginal school. I was very pleased when I got my very first pop-up books.

BPUB – Who’s your favorite pop-up book author or paper engineer?

R – Absolutely my dear masterminds Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. Both of them are amazing and have inspired me a lot to create and publish my own pop-up book. They not only gave me moral support, they also gave me a lot of boxes full of books and things related with creating pop-up books such as original Adobe book and CD software, an external hardisk, the DVD Journey of Pop-Up Book, a cutting machine and more. I even got introduced to some of the Singapore Book Council Chairman at India during the book festival. From there, I spread my wings to an international level.

BPUB – What are your favorite books in your collection and why?

R – I can say that I love all pop-up books but my most favorite books are America The Beautiful by Sabuda and Star Wars by Reinhart. Both of these books inspired me in different ways. For me, Robert Sabuda just blew me away with his superb creations in America The Beautiful. This book gave me the idea to create something about my country Malaysia which I love so much, and also to develop patriotism amongst my kids at school. Star Wars, for me, is like imagination becomes reality. We all know how much these movies speak to our imagination and became a phenomenon for more than a decade. Star Wars as a pop-up book was really amazing and unexpected for me. It proves that there is nothing impossible in our lives to realize a big dream. The word impossible itself says “I’m possible”, like Master Yoda said: “Do or do not, There is no try!”

“There is nothing impossible in our lives to realize a big dream.”

Mohamad Rizal Kapandi

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection and how do you display them?

R – More than hundred books. Most of them I display in our school library. I’m a teacher who is in charge of the library and I work hard on the CSR program (Corporate Social Responsibility) from our school community. One of the corporate sectors contributes RM7000.00 (≈ $1700) every year for library and literacy development. So I decided to create an exclusive corner for this CSR program called “Medini Mind”, from the company Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd. This corner focuses on the active, creative and innovative projects. So all signed pop-up books, banners, pop-up books created by students and books that we’ve bought from bookstores are displayed here.

Rizal, in charge of the school library, provides an inspiring and creative environment for the children so that they learn how to develop themselves.

BPUB – Is your collection still complete? Are there any books missing or never returned?

R – The Jungle Book pop-up book with Matthew’s signature on it. I believe someone has taken it because this book was very impressive to everyone. The pop-up designs, the graphics and the story itself. I have bought another four copies for the collection and as a gift for my relatives.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by any author, what will it be?

R – It would be PEACE. I believe that we should respect each other in this world but that there is some media misinterpretation between races, religions and countries. I am working on a motivational pop-up book to inspire others all over the world.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like us to know about you as a pop-up book collector and creator?

R – I am Malaysia’s leading paper engineer recognized by Robert Sabuda by the International Paper Engineer Community. I have designed a lot of cards and books and perhaps that my first pop-up books called Malaysia Alphabet and Puteri Gunung Ledang (Princess of Mount Ledang) will be published at the end of this year. I love to share my pop-up skills by giving workshops for kids and teachers. I also achieved an innovation reward and was invited to many workshops and children’s festivals as a speaker and facilitator. One of these events was the Asian Festival of Children’s Content in Singapore and the next will be the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali.

As a creative teacher I feel the responsibility to share my passion with my students. Allowing them to experience an active growth and become the next creative and innovative generation of entrepreneurs.

My motto is “Teacher by day, Artist by love” and I want to give as much as I can as an educator.

BPUB – Thank you Rizal for sharing your inspirational story with us! We wish you all the best and keep up the great work being an amazing teacher and creating pop-ups!

Do you want to know more about Rizal and his work? Then make sure to take a look at his website or support him on his social media channels: Instagram, FaceBook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Image credits: Mohamad Rizal Kapandi

Het bericht Pop-up book collector and teacher Rizal verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

We had the honor to interview pop-up book collector Ulrich Tietz. Ulrich is 71 years old and a retired teacher from Germany with a very impressive collection of over 2000 (classic) pop-up books. He is married and has two grown-up sons.

BPUB – How did you become interested in collecting pop-up books?
UT – It has to do with the art in the 1960’s, in particulary the Op Art. Since then I’m interested in optic toys, optic illusions, 3D images, flip books, caleidoscopes etc. Above all I’m excited by the way three-dimensional effects can be achieved just by using a two-dimensional material like paper.

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?
UT – On february 17th 1983, around 8:30 AM a college showed me, during a lesson, the book ‘Pension zum ewigen Frieden’ (Haunted House) by Jan Pienkowski and she whispered “Do you know something like this?” I did not and bought the book. So I got the virus.

BPUB –Who’s your favorite pop-up book author or paper engineer?
UT – Vojtěch Kubašta (1914-1992) was an illustrator and book artist from Czechoslovakia (the term ‘paper engineer’ did not yet exist at the time). He made over 120 movable objects, among them a lot of fairy tales, about 15 different nativity scenes, also city panorama’s, DIY sheets, block puzzles and many other things. He is my favorite because he developed simple but original and effective paper techniques. Striking in his illustrations are the details, full of humor and love, without being kitsch. For example, among the visitors of little baby Jesus (shepards, Czech visitors, three wise men) he has hidden a modern Santa Claus.

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
UT – Over the years I collected about 2400 books. But I don’t like mention that, because I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m a collector on his way to a spot in the Guinnes Book of Records. Other aspects are far more important to me: I used to make pop-up books with my students frequently, curated five book exhibitions, gave lectures and organised meetings with collectors. Furthermore I write articles for the magazine of the international The Movable Book Society. Since two years I have interesting contacts with literary scholars of the Bochum University, who are researching pop-up books.

BPUB – Anything else you would like to share with us?
UT – It’s important to me to be in contact with other collectors, most are from The Netherlands. We meet several times a year. It started in 1996 and has led us  to some nice friendships. I have the wish, for the people in the field of pop-ups and movables, to get more and better connected.

Special thanks to Maaike van der Meulen

Het bericht Pop-up book collector Ulrich verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.

Maaike van der Meulen is a Dutch book-artist living in Zwolle. She graduated as an illustrator and uses old printing techniques to make books and artwork. This year Maaike finished ‘Licht’, a handmade pop-up (edition of 3). One copy was acquired by the Dutch Royal Library of The Hague. Maaike started collecting movables and pop-up books about 10 years ago. Maaike says: “The joy of looking into these catching books feels pure happiness”. For more information about Maaike and her wonderful projects visit her website www.tantepapier.nl or @TantePapier at twitter.

The interview

BPUB – What’s the first pop-up book you bought?
MM – When I was a student I bought ‘Pooh’s enchanted place’ in a sale and gave some away as a gift. It brought back childhood memories, as it does for many collectors. It really began to take off when I bought One red dot by Carter. It was an eye-opener to the artistic use of pop-ups and what was going on with paper engineering in the United States. So I got hooked.

BPUB – Who’s your favorite pop-up book author or paper engineer?
MM – More than one, of course. I’m very enchanted by the ‘French school’ at this moment. The duo Rigaud and Boisrobert surprise me every time. And I like Gérard lo Monaco’s style. I also admire the movable books by Katsumi Komagata.

BPUB – What are your favorite books in your collection and why?
MM – Komagata’s ‘Little tree (petit Arbre) is sophisticated, simple and therefore strong design I seldom see. Trail by David Pelham almost made me cry. This book, with such complex engineering, all in white, is a beautiful and surprising ode to the garden.

Shawn Sheehy’s Welcome to the neighbourwood is a favorite, because he used handmade paper and letterpress in his design. The trade edition is mass-printed, and I’m actually curious about the look and feel of the earlier handmade limited edition of this book.

The vintage books by Vojtech Kubasta make me smile, my favourite is Tip and Top on the moon. These books are full of joy and ingeniousely made.

Brava, Strega Nona by Sabuda and Reinhart. They made the story and illustrations by Tomie dePaola into a perfect pop-up book. The engineering gives power to the wise lessons of Strega Nona. I fell in love with this combination.

I was very satisfied with the purchase of Momotaro by Icinori. This silk-screened limited edition reaches perfection in design and execution.

BPUB – How many books are there in your collection?
MM – About 350. A lot of them are new, a lot of them are from the 60’s-80’s and some oldies. Because of my limited budget I can’t afford the antiques (yet).

BPUB – What book is missing or will be the first one you’ll order next?
MM – I try to complete my serie of National Geographic action books. These are pretty and interesting, well engineered illustrated books. My next order will be Sabuda’s The Dragon & the Knight or Dino Mania by Arnaud Roi.

BPUB – If you could choose a subject for a new pop-up book by your favorite author, what will it be?
MM – A story illustrated by Patrick Hruby that comes to life with spectacular American engineering. And make sure it enhances each other… (just dreaming). For now I’m eager to see if Tina Kraus can make her Circus Zingaro published.

BPUB – Is there anything else you would like to share with other pop-up book fans?
MM – A warning. Collecting pop-up books is contagious, bad for your savings but very healthy for your creativity and happiness.

I like being in contact with other collectors. I’m new in the field, and they have collections of thousands, knowledge and experience. Very helpful and fun. I think this group has a joint goal: take care of as many wonderful movables as possible. And they share a love of pop-ups. The rest of your family and friends are probably bored by your next story about a book hunt.

And what should you collect? Since there are so many. By theme or paper engineer? My background as an illustrator plays a role in my choices. I look for engineering and pictures that appeal to me. Artistic and handmade books catch my attention.

BPUB – What do you think of bestpopupbooks.com?
MM – Keep on going! Make it grow. It looks very professional as do the video’s.

Thank you Maaike for sharing your impressive pop-up book collection with us and congratulations being Pop-up book Collector of the Month January!

WANTED: Pop-up book fans and collectors

Do you have a pop-up book collection you would like to share with other fans? Do you have special items like a signed book or special edition? Let us know and send us a picture and answer the questions below and maybe, you’ll find your collection on this page!

How it works

Send us a picture of you and your pop-up book collection and a short introduction of yourself. Don’t forget to include the answers to the questions from our Fan interview. You can send it to fans@bestpopupbooks.com

Het bericht Pop-up book collector Maaike verscheen eerst op Best Pop-up Books.