In their broadest sense, the book arts are at the core of our inventory. To be sure, the category encompasses the specialties that you see on our homepage, such as Fine Printing, Fine Binding, and Illustrated Books. However, it also includes such things as writing books and calligraphy, fore-edge paintings, books on papermaking, and leaf books.
Read more about one of the book arts, Fore-edge Painting
Harper Woods: Adagio Press, 1969. Folio. 54pp. With a Preface by Strouse and a Note by the Printer, Leonard F. Bahr. From an edition of 329, this is one of seventy-five copies with a Bible leaf on handmade paper and a quarto leaf on vellum. In this copy, the paper..... More
San Francisco: Grabhorn Press, 1935. Folio. (29)pp. One of 73 copies printed for David Magee by the Grabhorn Press, containing original leaves from each of the first four folio editions of Shakespeare's plays. The leaves included are from A Midsummer Night's Dream (pp. 147/8), The Life and Death of King..... More
(N.p. 1989). Small quarto. 10ff. A one-of-a-kind manuscript, completely hand-bound, lettered, painted, and signed by the artist Nancy Leavitt. Leavitt's superlative skill as a calligrapher is clear in this illustration of Suzanne Vega's song of loss and unrequited love, "Calypso." Vega retells the beginning of the Odyssey from the perspective..... More
Enkhuizen: Jack R. Levien, 1971. (14)ff. An abridged version of the New Testament story, illustrated with tiny reproductions of medieval woodcuts. Fine in full leather, with gilt fillets and a tiny gilt star. (11/16 by 1/2; 17x12mm). More
Enkhuizen, Holland: Levien, Jack R., 1970. (30)pp. The story of Noahs ark, with Levien's charming drawings. Text in English. Minor discoloration to edges of cover, otherwise fine in red leather with a little ark stamped in gold. A.e.g. (1 1/4 by 7/8; 31x23mm). More
St. Louis, MO: Julian Edison, 1970. 55pp. Illustrated throughout with photographic reproductions of miniature books. Book and binding designed by Jack R. Levien and printed in the Netherlands. Fine in full gilt-stamped leather. A.e.g. (2 9/16 by 2; 66x51mm). More
Sierra Madre, CA: Bernhardt Wall, 1946. 34pp. Number one of 200 copies, signed by Wall, who etched the entirety of this book, including the text and illustrations, and printed and bound the edition. The book is printed in several colors of ink on a variety of papers and includes numerous..... More
Greenbrae, CA: Allen Press, 1988. Small quarto. 136pp. One of ten copies bound in full vellum by Jenifer Lindsay. Handsomely illustrated with black & white drawings by Michèle Forgeois. Calligraphic variations on the letters "R" and "J" by Mark Livingston are printed in the margins in lush purple, orange, green..... More
Centre Hall, PA: Paul Maurer and Diane Maurer, 1984. Oblong octavo. 24pp. With several black & white illustrations, and with two large signed samples of marbled paper, one by Paul Maurer and one by Diane Philippoff Maurer. Fine in printed wrappers, with a window to show the front sample. More
Dallas: Bridwell Library, (1995). First edition. One of 500 copies, signed by the curator, David J. Lawrence. This copy inscribed by Lawrence to Anne Bromer. An illustrated miniature catalogue for the Stanley Marcus Collection exhibition at SMU in Dallas, Texas. Mint in violet patterned paper boards with printed label. Lacking..... More
London: British Institute of Industrial Art, 1926. Octavo. 24pp. A treatise on the then-current state of the industry and instruction of printing. Bound in gray wrappers, somewhat toned and shelf-worn. A very good copy. More
London: Frederick Muller Limited, 1976. Octavo. xvi, 192pp. Frontispiece photographic portrait of Mason, taken in 1925. Reproductions of typographic and manuscript work scattered throughout the text. A rather authoritative and comprehensive biography of J. H. Mason, printer and instructor eminent during the rise of private presses in England and Europe..... More
(New Britain, CT: Art Press, 1984). (8)ff. One of 150 copies. A keepsake for the Miniature Book Society Conclave in Los Angeles, 1985. Lists and describes five REM miniatures about papermaker and historian Dard Hunter. With a tipped-in sample of Dard Hunter handmade paper. Fine in yellow wrappers and paper..... More
New Britain, CT: Art Press, 1978. Two volumes bound dos-a-dos. 38; 34pp. One of 250 copies. The first volume contains the bibliography, while the second contains selected illustrations that had been drawn for REM miniatures, most of which are hand-colored by Eloise and Robert Massmann. Bound in brown leatherette with..... More
New Britain, CT: Art Press, 1971. (6)pp., frenchfold. One of 50 copies printed at the Art Press and signed by the proprietor, Robert E. Massmann. Several keepsakes in one, this tribute to Hunter includes a eulogy and a reproduction of a letter from Harrison Elliot, both held in pockets on..... More
New Britain: REM Miniatures, 2002. (16)pp, accordionfold. One of 150 copies. A sequel to Massmann's project in identifying some of the lapses in the record of miniature Bibles compiled by Ruth Adomeit in her 1980 Three Centuries of Thumb Bibles. Four reproductions provide helpful visual aids. Bound in gray paper..... More
New Britain: REM Miniatures, 2001. (16)pp., accordionfold. One of 150 copies. Laid in is an ALS from Massmann to Anne Bromer. A short, congenial listing of some aberrations or oddities to the record of miniature Bibles compiled by Ruth Adomeit in her 1980 Three Centuries of Thumb Bibles. Eight reproductions..... More
Jay, Vermont: Whitney McDermut, 1934. 48mo. A bookplate designed and printed by Whitney McDermut, featuring a view of the Earth from space above a scientific laborartory, and bordered in red with the names of various eminent scientists, from Copernicus to Edison to Faraday. Pasted into bifold marbled paper. Fine. More
East Barnard, VT: Hand and Spoon / Diane Meaker, 1971. Oblong 48mo. (9)ff. One of twelve copies. Inscribed by the artist at the front flyleaf, "for Georgia with love/from Diane". Meaker's four glossy prints pair color spectrums and repeated images of stars, flowers, and menorah-like trees with the lines of..... More
Gates Mill, OH: 1975. (27)pp. One of 100 copies, signed by Meunier, the author, illustrator and artist. Illustrated with reproductions of Meunier's marvelous animal drawings. Fine in red gilt-stamped cloth. (2 1/4 by 1 3/8; 55x42mm). More
Houston, TX: Ganzeer, 2020. Original illustration, signed by the artist, Ganzeer. Produced for his op-ed, “The Fate of Egypt,” which ran in Middle East Eye in February 2020, the illustration shows a diverse array of Egyptians protesting the dictatorial regime of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who rose to power in..... More
London: R. Wilkin, (1728). A wonderfully illustrated thumb Bible with sixteen copperplate engravings, including two frontispiece illustrations, one preceding the Preface and another prior to the main text, as well as two engraved title pages. Issued by printer and bookseller Richard Wilkin, this is the first English thumb Bible in..... More
N.P. Miniature Book Society, 1988. Fine in printed wrappers. (2 7/8 by 2 7/8; 73x73mm). More
Boston & Vancouver: Bromer Booksellers & HM Editions, 2015. 72pp. From an edition of 120, this is one of thirty-five deluxe copies. Winner of the 2016 Miniature Book Society Competition Distinguished Book Award. Designed and printed at Heavenly Monkey, this lovely miniature memoir and bibliography contains stories of pleasure, coincidence..... More
Boston: Bromer, Anne & David, 1987. Square 12mo. This collection of designer bindings was assembled over two years' time, commissioning bookbinding artists from around the globe. Fully described and illustrated with color photographs, this catalog is a valuable reference and visual record of the style and skill of each of..... More
