02 June 2010

Michelangelo in the attic


Well, not exactly.

Last week, when I was at Half Price Books, they had this book by Edward Gorey in their case for $100. It caught my eye.

Not knowing it was a collector's item, I had picked it up for my kids at a garage sale a few years ago for way less than a dollar.

Photo and info below from this site:
One of Edward Gorey's most theatrical published works is The Tunnel Calamity. Published in 1984 by G. Putnam's Sons, New York, this item really cannot be called a book. It is better described as a Magic Windows paper toy.

Holding the front and rear stiff covers, the viewer extends the accordion pleats and looks into a peep hole on the front. This creates a "tunnel" where all kinds of things are happening. The angle can be moderately changed from side to side to view the layers of illustration that appear when the item is extended. The effect is that you are looking down a tunnel or into a deep stage set. This is one of Mr. Gorey's more fragile and frivolous printed works.

Needless to say, the kids aren't playing with it any more.

1 comment:

Terry Nelson said...

I love Gorey! I used to have some of his books before entering the monastery.