Display case featuring four examples of movable books. This page includes photos and descriptions of each one.

Display case in Making the Book, Past and Present featuring four examples of movable books.

From co-curator Emily Martin:
Movables have been used in books for centuries and are in regular use for all sorts of reasons to this day. These three modern artists’ books, Subject/Object/Verb by Ellen Knudson, Oscar Wilde: In Earnest and Out by Emily Martin, and Lunar Volvelle by Monica Ong paired with the historical example of Nouae quaestiones sphaerae, a study of astronomy, demonstrate the range of this simple movable device. Elsewhere in the exhibition is an example of the other early movable style: the lift flap. In the 16th century, lift flaps were used in medical books to facilitate the study of human anatomy.

An simple outline illustration of a woman's head. She is wearing a purple hat. By her ear is a spot to turn a paper disc with words on it. The words show up on her lips. In the exhibit, words are turned to "lose one."

Oscar Wilde: In Earnest and Out. Emily Martin. Iowa City: Naughty Dog Press, 2020. x-Collection FOLIO [N7433.4.M364 O83 2020].

A movable poem of circles of graduated sizes with movable dials. Circles each have a theme: months, days, years, poetic tidbits such as "gather in the margins" or lung scar prayer." North, south, east, west are labeled.

Lunar Volvelle. Monica Ong. Trumbull, Connecticut: Proxima Vera, 2021. Letterpress printing: Boxcar Press, Syracuse, NY. X-Collection [xN7433.4 O546 L86 2021].

Layered movable circles of graduates sizes. Circles can move to match words on each. The outer circle has options of someone, no one, and everyone. The middle circle has options of needs, wants, has. The center circle has options of answers, control, and secrets.

Subject/Verb/Object. Ellen Knudson. Gainesville, Florida: Crooked Letter Press, 2012. x-Collection FLAT FOLIO [N7433.4.K6175 S835 2012]. Special Collections & Archives, University of Iowa Libraries.

A medieval text in Latin with a movable astronomy dial on one page. The arms move around to various points on the dial.

Nouae quaestiones sphaerae (New Questions of the Sphere). Sebastianus Theodoricus. Wittenberg: Johann Krafft, 1564. x-Collection. Special Collections & Archives, University of Iowa Libraries.