Van het Toovervischje – Vintage Dutch Piggelmee Fairy Tale Book – Van Nelle – Likely 1970s Edition
A beautiful vintage Dutch edition of Van het Toovervischje, the beloved Piggelmee fairy tale associated with the Van Nelle coffee company.
The story is a traditional fairy tale based on the well-known tale of The Fisherman and His Wife, here retold in Dutch verse by Leopold (L.C. Steenhuizen). Piggelmee and his wife live in a little home made from a large overturned coffee pot, until a magical fish offers them the opportunity to have their wishes fulfilled.
The Piggelmee books were originally produced by Van Nelle as promotional illustrated children's books and became a much-loved part of Dutch popular culture. This edition reproduces the charming traditional artwork and design, including the delightful Van Nelle coffee packet illustration on the rear cover.
Based on the printer information and physical characteristics of the book, this appears to be a likely 1970s reissue or facsimile edition. The book itself does not state a publication date, so the date should be considered approximate.
This is a lovely and unusual piece of Dutch children's book history and a rare find in Australia, particularly in such well-preserved condition. A wonderful addition for collectors of Dutch books, vintage children's literature, fairy tales, illustrated books or Van Nelle/Piggelmee memorabilia.
This book in in very good vintage condition for its age. There are some light age-related marks and minor signs of wear to the cream-coloured covers, particularly around the edges and corners, as shown in the photographs. The cloth spine remains in good condition and the binding is sound. The interior is exceptionally clean for a vintage book, with the pages appearing bright and largely unmarked. Please refer to all photographs for the condition of the book.
A beautiful and unusual vintage Dutch fairy-tale book, and a particularly rare find for Australian collectors.
