DREAMLAND

First edition. Original textured blue paper covered boards with an illustration plate to the upper board. An interactive board book with large colour illustrations by Ries and rhyming text on every page. Each page has slots into which the accompanying paper dolls and items can be slotted. The 45 paper dolls (depicting people, animals, toys, and food) are in the original envelope, which has instructions printed on it as well as advertisements for other Atlantic Books paper doll books. A very good copy, the binding firm, the paper chipped off at the extremities of the boards, the corners a little bumped. The contents, with a little dustiness, very infrequent spotting, and a little rubbing to the slots, are otherwise clean and without stamps or inscriptions. The paper dolls are also in very good condition, with only two, the horse and the sword dancer, having notable damage (both have a foot that is barely, but still, attached). A beautiful and scarce book, particularly in this condition and with this many surviving dolls.

Library hub lists one copy (V&A libraries), which retains 49 dolls. Gerta Ries worked as an illustrator and designer in the early 20th century, and in later life designed a series of medallions for the Jewish-American Hall of Fame, for which she was awarded the Numismatic Art Award for Excellence in Medallic Sculpture in 1998 at the age of 100.