Uncle Sam's Panorama of Rip Van Winkle and Yankee Doodle

(Nast, Thomas) illustrator. UNCLE SAM'S PANORAMA OF RIP VAN WINKLE AND YANKEE DOODLE. New York: McLoughlin Bros., circa 1872. This item consists of one panorama toy which measures 12-1/2" x 12-1/2" x 1-3/4", and one box/slipcase which measures 12-5/8" x 12-1/2" x 1-7/8".The paper covered cardboard box is open on the top to accommodate the panorama toy; the face of the box is covered with a color lithograph illustration showing the interior of a theater, showing a stage with its curtain down, with the titles of the two shows to be performed, i.e., Rip Van Winkle and Yankee Doodle, written on it, with an elaborate proscenium arch and three levels of box seats on each side of the stage which are filled with audience members; back and sides of box are covered in maroon marbled paper; front panel somewhat concave and with minor creasing, wear along all edges, some splitting to the joints and some loss of paper on the side panels, but complete and rare thus. The face of the panorama toy is decorated in the same manner as the face of the box, with the exception that the stage curtain has now been raised and the shows are now ready to roll; the shows are viewed through an 8-1/2" x 7-3/4" die-cut opening where the curtain had previously been, they consists of six chromolithographed scenes of Rip Van Winkle and six of Yankee Doodle, all twelve of which are after drawings by Thomas Nast; the chromolithographs on the face of the box and the panorama toy are both signed "Wm. Momberger."
The twelve chromolithograph scenes are pasted together side-by-side, forming one long panoramic strip; each end of this strip is mounted onto a wooden dowel, and these dowels are fixed within the one-sided panoramic toy, one on each side of the stage opening; the dowels extend 3/4" above the top edge of the panorama toy, and it is by these that the scenes can be moved back and forth; panorama toy with minor wear to the side panels; the panoramic strip and all twelve images are in pristine condition, and the toy functions perfectly as designed; lacking original [12] pp. story booklet. The condition of the panorama toy is NEAR FINE. The condition of the box/slipcase is VERY GOOD -. Only three copies located on OCLC/WorldCat. EXCEEDINGLY RARE #001104