Hardcover 1946 children’s book – “Fun with Dick and Jane”: 1,045 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

When tested with an XRF instrument, this 1946 hardcover edition of of “Fun with Dick and Jane” had the following readings:

On the painted part of the cover (yellow area):

• Lead (Pb): 839 +/- 24 ppm
• Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (negative)
• Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (negative)
• Arsenic (As): 76 +/- 17 ppm
• Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (negative)
• Barium (Ba): 538 +/- 105 ppm
• Chromium (Cr): 636 +/- 73 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 333 +/- 16 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 57 +/- 14 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 428 +/- 35 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 10,100 +/- 400 ppm

On the painted part of the cover (red area):

• Lead (Pb): 1,045 +/- 27 ppm
• Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (negative)
• Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (negative)
• Arsenic (As): 114 +/- 19 ppm
• Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (negative)
• Barium (Ba): 666 +/- 106 ppm
• Chromium (Cr): 736 +/- 74 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 295 +/- 15 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 60 +/- 14 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 991 +/- 48 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 8,334 +/- 379 ppm

On an unpainted blue part of the cover:

• Lead (Pb): 147 +/- 9 ppm
• Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (negative)
• Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (negative)
• Arsenic (As): Non-Detect (negative)
• Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (negative)
• Barium (Ba): 875 +/- 110 ppm
• Bromine (Br): 6 +/- 2 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 355 +/- 15 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 82 +/- 12 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 413 +/- 32 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 5,269 +/- 330 ppm

Continue reading below the image.

On a sample of the interior pages:

• Lead (Pb): 601 +/- 21 ppm
• Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (negative)
• Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (negative)
• Arsenic (As): Non-Detect (negative)
• Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (negative)
• Barium (Ba): 349 +/- 136 ppm
• Bromine (Br): 8 +/- 3 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 19 +/- 9 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 35 +/- 13 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 293 +/- 34 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 6,141 +/- 406 ppm

All tests reported on this blog are from tests done for a minimum of 60 seconds each, unless otherwise noted. Tests were repeated multiple times (on each component) to confirm the results. Results are science-based, replicable, and accurate. All metals detected with the XRF instrument (in Consumer Goods mode) are listed above. Outside of the “toxic top five” (the five poisonous heavy metals I look for most frequently – Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Antimony), if a metal was not detected it is not listed.

Takeaway:

Vintage books are not generally safe for children to play with or read. If you must keep them for sentimental reasons please keep them locked in case behind glass as you might with other works of art or items of historical significance. Books made after 1980 are more likely to be Lead-free, but this is in no way guaranteed. Your best bet in looking for safe books (from a toxicant perspective) for use by young children is to only purchase books printed after 2011 (after which the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission Improvement Act of 2008 was fully enforceable.)

To see more vintage books I have tested, click here.

Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts!

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama