3/3/09

Tankstelle Frölich :: Ein Panorama-Buch

I don't speak German, but my closest guess is that translates to "Gas-Station fun - a pop-up book."

Because that's exactly what it is!


My Grandpa was born in Germany, and this book came from him after one of his last trips there. I remember him promising to take me to Germany one day. He died shortly after that.


Anyways, back to the book. It is copyrighted 1977 and was written by Carlsen Verlag. There is a story, which I can't read, and multiple bays which I can have fun with!

Join me as I frölich with my pop-up tankstelle.


There's tons of detail and even little paper figures, for hours and hours of Fahrvergnugen fun!


These guys work on everything from compact cars to trucks to Ferarris! Even the crane slides back and forth across the beam. It also used to have a little paper cutout of some stuff to hang from it, but I lost that piece or it tore or something years and years ago.


"Hey Mr. Goodwrench, can someone look at my car? It idles as if the carber-whoozit isn't flowing to the manifoldoohickey...or something."


"Maybe if I hide my lunch in here no one will steal my twinkie."


"Hey baby, wanna go for a spin? I got twinkies."


"Well now here's your problem...the engine is in the trunk! Whew, that was a tough one! Now for lunch - where's Jenkins' twinkie?"


*PWING!* *PWING!* *GURGLEGURGLE*
"He hates these CANS!"


You can even set a toy car on the stands. Now that's German engineering - pop-up book style!

Each panel is separated by a "wall" with doors or windows - so you can watch in case the mechanic tries to screw you. Or eat your twinkie.

"Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon? No? What about a twinkie?"


Auf Wiedersehen!

10 comments:

  1. For a pld Pop up book, this book look quite new and interesting too! Nice photography and narration.

    Sorry about your Grandpa tho.

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  2. Thanks LEon and Little Plastic Man!

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  3. Wow! Awesome book and aweseom pics. I would've loved that thing as a kid. Reminds me of other paper-craft books I had growing up.

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  4. Thanks Justin! I had a few pop-up books as a kid too, but this is the only one to survive.

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  5. Nice JERK reference. Very funny.

    Nice photography too.

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  6. Uhh...the "ME" comment was me signed under my wifes account. Ooops!

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  7. lol - thanks Brian...I was confused, because it wasn't me, but it said "me!" ;)

    Nice catch on the Jerk ref. as well :D

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  8. "Fröhlich" is a common last name in German, too...
    Man, now I think I've seen this thing a really long time ago... or something similar.

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    Replies
    1. So it would be like calling this 'Smith's Gas Station' or something to that effect? Cool to know!

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