Attilio Mussino - Le maschere animate - 1914

The Animated Masks 1944 - animated book with 6 movable plates by Attilio Mussino - Gran Teatro dei Burattini - R. Franceschini Florence - First edition

Italian Marchetti - Animated drawings by Attilio Mussino - Turin 1878 Vernante 1954 - The Uncle of Pinocchio - Official Pinocchio Illustrator 1911 Bemporad

Publishing house R. Franceschini - Florence - Borgo Albizi 24 - Palazzo Tesoreria Provinciale - August 1944 - War first edition - Literary and artistic property reserved - Composition and printing Stab. Tip. Giannini e Giovannelli Florence - Color photolithographs Stab. Alinari Baglioni Florence - Photographic engravings S.A. Milan - With ministerial approval

96 pages + 6 large chromolithographic plates with movable figures on tongue and brass pin - size 18x25 cm - Illustrated hardcover editorial - weight 450 grams - Language Italian

Rare animated book from 1944 The Animated Masks - Gran Teatro dei Burattini - Comedies and funny sketches by Italian Marchetti - 100 colored drawings and large plates with movable figures by Attilio Mussino

Book dedicated to Commedia dell’Arte and to the puppet theater with Italian masks Polichinello Colombina Arlecchino Pantalone Capitano Spavento Rugantino Stenterello Sandrone Meneghino Scannapino Checca and others - Humorous theatrical texts with jokes serenades duels and tavern scenes

The 6 movable plates all present and functioning in this copy:
- Serene of Pulcinella to Colombina with yellow guitar, page 40; I make you serenade or little sugary mouth - Pantalone on the balcony
- Tavern scene with Stenterello Postiglione, yellow jacket, red hearts, top hat, Checca, white apron, Sandrone, Sganapino, page 82
- Duel with sabers and clubs between Pulcinella and Captain Spavento Rugantino, page 90
- Other plates with Pantalone, Pulcinella, masks on the balcony
- Patriotic ending, all enthusiastically Viva Italia, evviva, page 94; Farewell, my beauty, farewell Rugantino and Spavento seated

Hard cover with illustration of Harlequin beating Pulcinella and Pantalone - wear and margin paper losses at the top margins and spine visible in photo - discolorations yellowing typical - back cover beige with red dancing medallion of three masks faded

Interior pages with natural browning and light foxing due to 1944 war paper but without tears, without holes, without writings - sturdy sewn binding - ex libris absent

Movable plates all present, intact, colors still vivid yellow red blue - brass pin pivot mechanisms functioning - light signs of use on the tongue pieces but they work

Very rare for collectors of pop-up animated books Attilio Mussino Pinocchio puppet theater Italian illustration early 1900s 1944 war books

Provenance: private collection from Tuscany - see detailed photos: front/back cover, title page, green foreword, colophon August 1944, Pinocchio animated advertisement, 50 lire and Miki Fanciulli whitepaper of Giuseppe Fanciulli, Miki Ferro, three movable plates, page 40, 82, 90, final page 94, brass pin detail