Collecting Pop-Up Books & Movables: An Old Field with New Fans
- by Susan Halas
Ellen GK Rubin, the “Pop-Up Lady.”
Pop up books and paper ephemera with movable parts can be one of the most interesting and delightful genres of all the book arts. Endlessly fascinating and diverse they are situated at the intersection of many fields. In a host of creative ways pop ups combine books and toys, books and artists, books and engineering, books and science, as well as books and excursions into the third dimension to name a few.
This is a category of book collecting with a long history where unusual antique items in good condition are in high demand and can command a hefty price tag. Likewise, equally interesting and intriguing modern material is readily available and can be purchased for nominal sums. Though the subject matter is often geared to children and their interests, there are many pop ups past and present that are aimed at the tastes and interests of more mature audiences.
The internet has contributed not only to the much wider availability of pop ups but also to the sharing of knowledge about this format. Perhaps the most lively and useful of all the sites devoted to the subject is provided by collector Ellen GK Rubin (aka the Pop Up Lady) of Scarsdale, NY. Rubin is an expert whose own collection (more than 20 years in the making) is showcased at her site. Her knowledge of the field is broad, and her willingness to share what she knows is refreshing. If you click on no other link, be sure to visit her site and explore its many headings, links and videos: www.popuplady.com.
According to Rubin, while e-books and other computer assisted publishing are replacing printed books, it is unlikely that this development will affect pop-ups now or in the future. That is because all pop up books are still assembled by hand and the machine has yet to be created that can fold and glue these intricate spreads.
Most often, she said, pop-up books are issued in small editions. “First printings rarely exceed 5,000 copies. Of course,” she continued, “there are exceptions. Some of the works by Robert Sabuda printed as many as 300,000 copies. But by and large, most older and contemporary books came out in small first printings and most of these books seldom reached a second printing.”
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 72. Edwards (George). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds… [and] Gleanings of Natural History, 7 volumes, 1st edition, 1743-64. £7,000-10,000
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 87. Walcott (Charles D. et al.). Geologic Atlas of the United States, 227-volume set, U.S. Geological Survey, 1894-1945. £500-800
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 236. A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew…, By B. E. Gent., 1st edition, [1699]. £3,000-4,000
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 245. Frost Fair Broadside. Upon the Frost in the Year 1739-40, Printed on the Ice upon the Thames at Queen-Hithe, 1739/40. £1,500-2,000
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 270. Micheli (Antonino di). La Nuova Chitarra di Regole…, 1st edition, Palermo, 1680. £10,000-15,000
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 280. Elgar (Edward). Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, [1910], signed presentation copy. £500-800
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 286 - Walton (William, 1902-1983). Autograph manuscript full score for Belshazzar’s Feast, [1930-31]. £20,000-30,000
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 304. Churchill (Winston). A terracotta maquette of Churchill by Oscar Nemon, c. 1955. £1,500-2,000
Dominic Winter, Jan. 28: Lot 364 - Russian Imperial Archaeological Commission. Mecheti Samarkanda..., Fascicule I Gour-Emir, St. Petersburg, 1905. £2,000-3,000
Sotheby’s Fine Manuscript and Printed Americana 27 January 2026
Sotheby’s, Jan. 27: An extraordinary pair of books from George Washington’s field library, marking the conjunction of Robert Rogers, George Washington, and Henry Knox. $1,200,000 to $1,800,000.
Sotheby’s, Jan. 27: An extraordinary letter marking the conjunction of George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Benjamin Franklin. $1,000,000 to $1,500,000.
Sotheby’s, Jan. 27: Virginia House of Delegates. The genesis of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. $350,000 to $500,000.
Sotheby’s Fine Manuscript and Printed Americana 27 January 2026
Sotheby’s, Jan. 27: (Gettysburg). “Genl. Doubleday has taken charge of the battle”: Autograph witness to the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, illustrated by fourteen maps and plans. $200,000 to $300,000.
Sotheby’s, Jan. 27: President Lincoln thanks a schoolboy on behalf of "all the children of the nation for his efforts to ensure "that this war shall be successful, and the Union be maintained and perpetuated." $200,000 to $300,000.
Sotheby’s, Jan. 27: [World War II]. An archive of maps and files documenting the allied campaign in Europe, from the early stages of planning for D-Day and Operation Overlord, to Germany’s surrender. $200,000 to $300,000.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 29th January 2026
Forum, Jan. 29: Plato. [Apanta ta tou Platonos. Omnia Platonis opera], 2 parts in 2 vol., editio princeps of Plato's works in the original Greek, Venice, House of Aldus, 1513. £8,000-12,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Book of Hours, Use of Rome, In Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [Southern Netherlands (probably Bruges), c.1460]. £6,000-8,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Correspondence and documents by or addressed to the first four Viscounts Molesworth and members of their families, letters and manuscripts, 1690-1783. £10,000-15,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 29th January 2026
Forum, Jan. 29: Shakespeare (William). The Dramatic Works, 9 vol., John and Josiah Boydell, 1802. £5,000-7,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Joyce (James). Ulysses, first edition, one of 750 copies on handmade paper, Paris, Shakespeare and Company, 1922 £8,000-12,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Powell (Anthony). [A Dance to the Music of Time], 12 vol., first editions, each with a signed presentation inscription from the author to Osbert Lancaster, 1951-75. £6,000-8,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 29th January 2026
Forum, Jan. 29: Chaucer (Geoffrey). Troilus and Criseyde, one of 225 copies on handmade paper, wood-engravings by Eric Gill, Waltham St.Lawrence, 1927. £3,000-4,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Borges (Jorge Luis). Luna de Enfrente, first edition, one of 300 copies, presentation copy signed by the author to Leopoldo Marechal, Buenos Aires, Editorial Proa, 1925. £3,000-4,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Nolli (Giovanni Battista). Nuova Pianta di Roma, Rome, 1748. £6,000-8,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 29th January 2026
Forum, Jan. 29: Roberts (David). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, & Nubia, 3 vol., first edition, 1842-49. £15,000-20,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Blacker (William). Catechism of Fly Making, Angling and Dyeing, Published by the author, 1843. £3,000-4,000
Forum, Jan. 29: Herschel (Sir John F. W.) Collection of 69 offprints, extracts and separate publications by Herschel, bound for his son, William James Herschel, 3 vol., [1813-50]. £15,000-20,000
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 72. Edwards (George). <i>A Natural History of Uncommon Birds…</i> [and] <i>Gleanings of Natural History,</i> 7 volumes, 1st edition, 1743-64. £7,000-10,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/7f9e9df2-b83a-40aa-a1b7-a535a02705d5.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 72. Edwards (George). <i>A Natural History of Uncommon Birds…</i> [and] <i>Gleanings of Natural History,</i> 7 volumes, 1st edition, 1743-64. £7,000-10,000")
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 236. <i>A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew…,</i> By B. E. Gent., 1st edition, [1699]. £3,000-4,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/1832c377-f148-4e66-ba22-33bef01d81a7.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 236. <i>A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew…,</i> By B. E. Gent., 1st edition, [1699]. £3,000-4,000")
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 280. Elgar (Edward). <i>Concerto for Violin and Orchestra,</i> [1910], signed presentation copy. £500-800](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/df958814-0689-4876-8b73-cfe5c0c6ad24.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 280. Elgar (Edward). <i>Concerto for Violin and Orchestra,</i> [1910], signed presentation copy. £500-800")
![<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 286 - Walton (William, 1902-1983). Autograph manuscript full score for <i>Belshazzar’s Feast,</i> [1930-31]. £20,000-30,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/5ac2876b-2794-47d3-9df7-c4a002016bd6.jpg "<b>Dominic Winter, Jan. 28:</b> Lot 286 - Walton (William, 1902-1983). Autograph manuscript full score for <i>Belshazzar’s Feast,</i> [1930-31]. £20,000-30,000")
![<b>Sotheby’s, Jan. 27:</b> [World War II]. An archive of maps and files documenting the allied campaign in Europe, from the early stages of planning for D-Day and Operation Overlord, to Germany’s surrender. $200,000 to $300,000.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/9d2762bc-9f26-47ef-96de-1c28070e19f6.png "<b>Sotheby’s, Jan. 27:</b> [World War II]. An archive of maps and files documenting the allied campaign in Europe, from the early stages of planning for D-Day and Operation Overlord, to Germany’s surrender. $200,000 to $300,000.")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Plato. [<i>Apanta ta tou Platonos. Omnia Platonis opera</i>], 2 parts in 2 vol., editio princeps of Plato's works in the original Greek, Venice, House of Aldus, 1513. £8,000-12,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/df7dd9ac-f0d0-4cb3-a44d-2731758530e4.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Plato. [<i>Apanta ta tou Platonos. Omnia Platonis opera</i>], 2 parts in 2 vol., editio princeps of Plato's works in the original Greek, Venice, House of Aldus, 1513. £8,000-12,000")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Book of Hours, Use of Rome, In Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [Southern Netherlands (probably Bruges), c.1460]. £6,000-8,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/c40bad29-8cb5-4347-a0fd-5361d39e84a5.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Book of Hours, Use of Rome, In Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [Southern Netherlands (probably Bruges), c.1460]. £6,000-8,000")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Powell (Anthony). [<i>A Dance to the Music of Time</i>], 12 vol., first editions, each with a signed presentation inscription from the author to Osbert Lancaster, 1951-75. £6,000-8,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/b7fdee12-4803-4d32-9330-a5729091cb92.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Powell (Anthony). [<i>A Dance to the Music of Time</i>], 12 vol., first editions, each with a signed presentation inscription from the author to Osbert Lancaster, 1951-75. £6,000-8,000")
![<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Herschel (Sir John F. W.) Collection of 69 offprints, extracts and separate publications by Herschel, bound for his son, William James Herschel, 3 vol., [1813-50]. £15,000-20,000](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/a06cc0dd-7619-45e9-b155-5ad75ed7b2e5.png "<b>Forum, Jan. 29:</b> Herschel (Sir John F. W.) Collection of 69 offprints, extracts and separate publications by Herschel, bound for his son, William James Herschel, 3 vol., [1813-50]. £15,000-20,000")