1819 - Sands, [Benjamin]. Metamorphosis; or, a Transformation of Pictures, with Poetical Explanations, for the Amusement of Young Persons. New York: Samuel Wood and Sons. Printed by J. Rakestraw, Philadelphia, 1819

Philadelphia, 1819. Folded. Very good. An early edition of a classic children's transformation booklet

Sands, [Benjamin]. Metamorphosis; or, a Transformation of Pictures, with Poetical Explanations, for the Amusement of Young Persons. New York: Samuel Wood and Sons. Printed by J. Rakestraw, Philadelphia, 1819. First published circa 1787 in Philadelphia.

Printed on one sheet, approximately 14.5" x 12.5".The sheet is folded into a leporello with four long 'leaves.' The tops and bottoms of each of those folds was cut (3.5" at top; 2.5" at bottom), and they were folded into the center, creating a total of 24 smaller panels filled with woodcut illustrations and lengthy captions.

The illustrations 'transform' when flaps are lifted, Adam into Eve, a lion into a griffon, a man into a heart, and a man into a skeleton. One of the woodcuts is signed, J. Poupard. The captions relate to the illustrations and also explain how to move on to the next transformation.

A "Sampler" script alphabet and numbers provide a border for the illustrations and are used to spell out the author's name, "B. Sands" on the fourth panel.

. In nicer shape than most. No writing or scribbles, but with paper loss along the folds (which must have been lifted and returned thousands of times over the last two hundred years. All of the folds have been neatly mended or reinforced with what appears to be near transparent archival tissue or tape.

A very early American moveable booklet issued just as children's fare was beginning to become entertaining as well as moralistic.

At the time of listing, there are two other examples for sale in the trade with similar, but unmended problems. The books occasionally appear at auction, but almost all are missing parts, have poorly done repairs, or have hand-sewn or pin repairs. OCLC shows many microform and digital copies are held by institutions; however, only a few have physical examples, and most of those are beset by the same condition problems as those outside libraries.

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