Corrie Allegro Collector of 3D Books

My signature Zoneone Arts question – what are the most important design elements?

A combination of design elements come together in this genre of books to create a visual and tactile experience for the reader. The play of interaction with 2 dimensional elements into 3 dimensions by turning a page, pulling a tab, even moving into time and sound becomes magical for old and young.

Here design is using words, graphic illustrations, different printing techniques and assorted paper stocks to create in mass publications or in very small limited editions beautiful books. And, which at the final stage are put together by hand through folding and glueing little bits of paper into books that can and have lasted hundreds of years.

In our growing digital age the illustrated ‘book keeps reinventing itself.

What started you on the collecting of Movable & Pop-Up books?

My wife Nancy and I were taking an extended world trip in the late ’70s and as a book enthusiast as reader and a graphic designer for profession I’m always looking for inspiration and ideas.

In London I came across a cheap pop-up book on dinosaurs and thought this is different and can I use it for work. It has opened a whole new field of study and 34 years later a consuming hobby has evolved into a history of ‘movable’ books dating from 1797 to the present.

Do you still have your very first pop-up book?

Yes. But there are many, many others!

Where do you keep your books?

They are in a room on bookshelves to the ceiling on three sides with some shelves behind glass.

How do you protect your collection? eg archival paper

The antiquarian books and a few one-offs are housed in mylar acid free sleeves.

I keep sunlight and heat at bay! But hey, I’m not paranoid…

What book is still elusive?

The hunt and gathering can and does take patience and money.

There are always books from the past and current artists to chase.

Tell us about a place you have visited because of your collection?

Over the years I have been lucky to meet artists and paper engineers around the world working and creating books of beauty.

In 2010 I gave a talk in Portland, Oregon at the Movable Book Society, (3 day conference held every two years). And yes, I thought I was different but there quite a lot of unusual book people.

Tell us about your current favourite paper engineer and why?

In a small field of only a couple of dozen professional paper engineers in the world there are many favourites. There’s Kees Moerbeek in Holland, Robert Sabuda, Matthew Reinhart, David Carter, Andy Barron and Bruce Foster in the US.

David Pelham, Ron van der Meer, Corina Fletcher and others in Europe…and I have to aknowledge the creators from the past. These and may more give their own magic and unlimited imagination to create a printed book that at the end is hand made.

Website: www.allegrobookcollection.typepad.com