Alpenmarchen tales

Cover and image of fairy nowbell flowers

L: Cover, Alpenblumenmarchen, by Ernst Kreidolf. Erlenbach-Zürich : Rotapfelverlag, c1922. qPZ33 .K74 1922 CHMRU. R: Soldanellen (Mountain snowbells).

(Alpine Flowers) is a 1922 illustrated storybook that describes the woodland adventures of two acorn children who are swept away by the autumn winds. Author Ernst Kreidolf (1863-1956) was a Swiss painter largely known for his watercolor illustrations for children’s books about flower fairies and small creatures in the mountains, forests in nature. Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum has a large collection of 19th century illustrated children’s books, in many languages. This is one of many given to the Cooper Union Museum Library by the Misses Hewitt.

L: Alpenblumenmarchen, Bei den Alpenrosen. R: Alpenblumenmarchen, Cipripedium und Centaurea.

Smithsonian Libraries’ has an Adopt-a-Book Program that provides essential funding to support the conservation, acquisition, and digitization of books and manuscripts. In addition to adopting books online, the Cooper Hewitt Library will be having a special Adopt a Book event on Nov.7th, 2017 in the museum in New York City. Alpenblumen is one of the books available for adoption that needs support for preservation treatment, ensuring access to this book and other rare and fragile books for the future. It is an early 20th century publisher’s binding whose spine is nearly detached at the gutter. This is an example of German staple binding. The staples have oxidized and are staining the textblock. Conservators will remove the staples and repair the case. The textblock will be re-cased in the repaired original binding. A custom enclosure will be created for this fragile item.”
Another charming treasure by the same author/illustrator Ernst Kreidolf. Wintermarchen, (A Winter Fairy Tale) was adopted for preservation treatment in 2014.

Elizabeth Broman is a Reference Librarian at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library.

L: Cover, Wintermarchen by Ernst Kreidolf. Erlenbach-Zurich [etc.] : Rotapfelverlag, [c1924]

L: Cover, Wintermarchen by Ernst Kreidolf. Erlenbach-Zurich [etc.] : Rotapfelverlag, [c1924]
R: Wintermarchen, Winter fairies and birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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