WINGIN’ IT introduces our latest boxed set designed for shelf storage. The case opens to a side-by-side view of two doll-backed monographs.

Each book becomes a free-standing sculpture when pages are fanned into a skirt.

Envelopes behind each figure hold templates and instructions to make four pig-theme articulated puppets reminiscent of 18th and 19th century paper amusements.

Additional features of each volume include tipped-in, miniature reproductions of two of the earliest toy books (Part I), and two stitch-bound illustrated sidebars about Victorian toy theaters and walking paper dolls (Part II). The limited edition of 100 sets was cut, assembled, and bound by hand in the tradition of the antique Toy Book invented in 1810. The presentation is designed for collectors of Artist's Books. Consequently, both monographs are numbered and signed by the author, Jacqueline Ernst, and book binder, Kenneth Holly.

Ernst discusses paper dolls against a changing backdrop of historical context to explain how and why they evolved to record and influence attitudes and commerce of their day. Social, political, economic, and technological developments set the stage for bits of paper ephemera to depict changing perceptions of education, racism, child psychology, human rights, labor standards, pop culture, wearable fashion, literary merit and war-time support.

Though the subject is frequently caught with its pants off, paper figures are survivors. During their first 16 centuries, they were buried, burned, bloodied, drowned, and made into purchase incentives, puppets for adults, and proxies for human sarifice. Only in the last 227 years have they been recognized as popular playthings for youngsters. Even in that capacity, they leveraged surprising influence. Paper dolls were instrumental in the design of early children's books. They significantly advanced the publishing industry, helped hone printing technology, and influenced international product marketing.

Clearly, paper dolls consistently exceed their most readily identified role as two dimensional paper playthings. Ernst & Holly have hand crafted an insightful, focused study that is also an engaging contribution to book arts.