volvelles

After making a "word wheel" piece, it was suggested to research different permutations of children's books or pop up books to intervene or make for adults.

During insomnia last night, I researched online:
word wheels
movable books
and then came across "volvelle", see below:

A volvelle (French, meaning to turn) is a paper disc in a book that when rotated can be used as a tool for calculations or other less scientific purposes, such as fortune telling. It is considered the first paper movable to appear in a book.



The first known volvelle was created by Benedictine monk Matthew Paris in 1250. The traditional circular charts that appeared in the abbey's books, used to determine when to observe holidays, were cumbersome since the books were heavy and had to be rotated on the monk's laps. Matthew decided it would be easy if the circular chart spun around instead of the whole book and so the first volvelle was born! With the introduction of the printing press in the late 1400's it was possible to mass produce books as well as any paper movables inside. Petrus Apianus, shown here in 1533, was a master at this craft and created some of the most beautiful volvelles ever. Some of Petrus' volvelles were simple yet always contained a stunning degree of complexity and sophistication. The multi-piece volvelle, attached at the center with a plain piece of string, could be used to calculate the movements of the cosmos.


In 1540 Petrus produced the gorgeous Astronomicum Caesareum . All the engravings for this very large volvelle were painstakingly executed and then laboriously painted in with watercolors. These types of volvelles were very expensive and would have been beyond the financial means of the general public. They were usually reserved for royalty or for the well-educated (and well-connected) scientific community. For the astrological or navigational student who couldn't afford one of the big, color versions of the volvelles, Petrus and other volvelle creators made small, pocket-size versions of their books.


Some of the volvelles were very simple and could be used to help navigate by the stars. This was certainly a more economical way to do calculations instead of having to purchase much more expensive metal instruments. The volvelles didn't necessary have to have circular paper elements, either. A variety of shapes could be incorporated depending on the types of calculations required. Today, volvelles can also be viewed exquisite pieces of artwork. Creating the extremely delicate woodcuts or printing plates was not an easy undertaking and one misplaced number or letter would spell disaster for the final piece.

So this can be very expansive if worked in a contemporary context. Hmmmm.....