When you hold a miniature book in your hand, it is like holding a jewel. A miniature book is usually no bigger than three inches (76 millimeters) tall, and although some need magnification to be viewed properly, most can be read with the naked eye. Dating as far back as 2500 BCE, Sumerian clay tablets with cuneiform writing are considered the prototype for miniature books ...
Read more about Miniature Books
Our miniature books are listed below. You may also browse our miniature books by publisher or by century.
Bradenton, FL: Opuscula Press, 1992. 12pp. One of 125 copies. Frontispiece is a twenty-nine cent postage stamp featuring the first Liberty Ship. What follows is Weber's history of the S.S. Mision Purisima, an oil tanker launched out of Sausalito, California and in service throughout World War Two. Bound in blue... More about A Mission Goes to Sea
Paris: Pairault & Cie, 1898. 64pp. One of 150 copies. All volumes in this turn-of-the-century miniature series are illustrated in black & white by contemporary French artists, in this case Charles Jouas. Bound in printed rose wrappers with a glassine dust wrapper. Some light toning to title page and final... More about Boum-Boum
Rijswijk, Netherlands: Gentenaar & Torley, 1998. Oblong small quarto. 255pp. Together with a smaller "child" book containing seventeen artistic paper samples, measuring 2 3/4 inches square, nested within the center of the "parent" book. Published on the occasion of the second Holland Paper Biennial in the Rijswijk Museum in 1998... More about Papier en Vuur / Fire and Paper
Pasadena, CA: Permanent Press, 1975. 69pp. One of 250 copies. Full-page illustrated initials open each of the five chapters of this first volume. The first half of Lathourakis' biography of the infamous Rasputin. Bound in black polished cloth over boards. Lacking second volume, but fine otherwise. (2 11/16 by 2 3/16; 67x55mm). More about aka Rasputin
Chicago: Petit Oiseau Press, 1954. 7pp. Although the limitation is not printed in the book, this is one of 100 copies. Doris Welsh's second book, published before she began to use the "Petit Oiseau" imprint. Illustrated with a drawing of the Mayflower as the frontispiece. Bound in purple cloth-backed decorated... More about The Mayflower Compact
Chicago: Petit Oiseau Press, 1963. 21pp. One of fifty copies. An amusing story about trying out a typewriter. Very fine in cloth-backed blue boards. (Bradbury, p. 179). (1 7/8 by 1 1/2; 48x38mm). More about The King of Indoor Sports
East Greenwich, RI: River's Edge Studio, 1970. 45pp. From an edition of 500 copies, this is one of 300 bound in Beau Brilliant cover paper. Illustrated with sixteen tipped-in U.S. stamps, all featuring flowers or plants. Printed by Enschedé in the Netherlands. Fine in stiff green wrappers with gilt titling... More about Flowers & Plants on United States Postage Stamps
East Greenwich, RI: River's Edge Studio, 1970. 45pp. From an edition of 500 copies, this is one of 300 bound in Beau Brilliant cover paper. Illustrated with sixteen tipped-in U.S. stamps, all featuring flowers or plants. Printed by Enschedé in the Netherlands. Fine in stiff green wrappers with gilt titling... More about Flowers & Plants on United States Postage Stamps
(England: c. 1902). (6)pp. A brass photograph album in the form of a locket, containing six pictures: King Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark, crowned in 1902, the Prince and Princess who became George V and Queen Mary, and a child who is possibly the future Edward VIII. The final... More about Coronation Album
Los Angeles: Plantin Press for Dawson's Book Shop, 1973. (xxxviij), 61pp. From an edition of 500 copies, this is one of thirty of a special printing by Saul and Lillian Marks at the Plantin Press, featuring a deluxe binding by the firm Patron & de la Mauviniere and a wood... More about Prayers Written at Vailima
Haslet, TX: Plum Park Press, 2014. 240pp. One of twenty copies, signed by the publisher, Tony Firman. Illustrated with a color frontispiece and 41 black & white plates. bA miniature reprint of the first edition, published in 1922 by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Bound in black leatherette with a.... More about The New Heavens
(Berkeley, CA): Poole Press, 1988. (13)ff. One of 75 copies, signed by Maryline Poole Adams. The illustrator meets the challenge of depicting the Bisky Bat, the Fimble Fowl, the Pobble who has no toes, and all of Edward Lear's other characters through the medium of woodcuts. Very fine in patterned... More about The Quangle Wangle's Hat, by Edward Lear—1877
(Seattle: Holburne Press, 2002). 6ff., frenchfold. One of fifty copies. Frost's brief poem about the ephemeral nature of human events was first published in "Mountain Interval." Here, it is printed by Margery S. Hellman in two variations: she notes that Frost often repeated his short poems when reading them. First... More about A Patch of Old Snow
(Vienna): K.K. Hofbibliothek, (1912). 22; (126)pp. A facsimile of Viennese printer Ludwig Bonnoberger's famous prayer book of 1607, presented to a gathering of bibliophiles at the Imperial Court Library in September 1912. Bound in buff cloth with interwoven silver threads. All edges are gilt and gauffered, with two indented circles... More about Betbüechlein
Wien: (Lichtdruck der K.K. Graphischen Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt), (1912). 22; (126)pp. A facsimilie of Viennese printer Ludwig Bonnoberger's famous prayer book of 1607, presented to a gathering of bibliophiles at the Imperial Court Library in September 1912. Bound in buff cloth with interwoven silver threads. All edges are gilt and... More about Betbuechlein
N.p. N.P., (20th Century). (2)pp. A tiny version of the Lord's Prayer framed within a book-shaped sterling silver locket. On the cover is the design of a cross. In fine condition. (1/2 by 3/8; 14x11mm). More about Lord's Prayer in Silver Case
Edinburgh: Thomas Paton, (n.d.). 28pp. A scarce collection of Bible passages, printed in the nineteenth century. Although the book in not dated, there is an inscription on the endpaper dated 1847. Top of spine chipped, else about fine in cross-hatched, printed wrappers. (Not in Welsh). (1 5/16 by 1 1/8; 33x30 mm). More about Love To Christ
(Dijon: Marchet & Roux, 1897). 191pp. This elegant book of prayers to the Virgin Mary is illustrated with an engraved frontispiece of the nativity. Printed by Firmin-Didot in black and red with red rules. Gilt floral decoration on the interior with blue and gold paste-downs. Some minor creasing to several... More about Nouvelle Imitation de la Très Sainte Vierge
Nappanee, IN: Press of the Indiana Kid, 1972. 19ff. One of 100 copies. Printed on handmade paper. With examples of the papermaker's own labels for the papers he creates. Save a faint stain to lower cover, fine in handmade paper over boards, backed in gilt-stamped red leather. (Bradbury, p. 103). (2 11/16 by 1 7/8; 68x47mm). More about One Day in the Life of a Paper Maker
Boston: Anne & David Bromer, 1989. (49)pp. First edition. From an edition of 400 copies signed by Gorey, this is one of 110 comprising the deluxe issue, with twenty-nine illustrations hand-colored by him in silver and gold metallic paint. An homage to Isaac Watts, Gorey's text is obscurely akin to... More about Q.R.V
London: Field & Tuer; Simpkin; Hamilton, 1884. 146, (16)pp. Comprises the miniature version of Quads for Authors, Editors, & Devils as well as the "enlarged edition." A book of jokes relating to printers, with a sixteen-page glossary. Quads, explains the preface, are "little metal blanks used by the printer for... More about Quads within Quads: Quads for Authors, Editors, & Devils
(Birmingham: Printed by John W. Showell, c. 1838). 30pp. Bound in navy blue leather in wallet style with title in gilt on front flap and yellow endpapers. Gift note on front free endpaper. Front hinge starting, else a fine copy of a scarce book. (1 5/16 by 1 3/16; 34x30mm). More about The One Hundred and Third Psalm
(Van Nuys, CA: Collector Editions in Miniature [Barbara J. Raheb], 1979). 70, (2)pp. One of 300 numbered copies. Includes numerous illustrations by Barbara Raheb. Very slight rubbing to lower board, else fine in black leather, elaborately gilt-stamped with four jewel-like stones affixed to upper cover. Bookplate. (Bradbury, p. 201). (1 3/16 by 7/8; 31x23mm). More about Book of Hours
Skokie, IL: Black Cat Press, (1980). 24pp. One of 249 copies printed by the Schori Press, bound by Bela Blau, and illustrated by Barbara Raheb. Designed by Norman Forgue, the Press’s proprietor. Very fine in cream leather with a gilt teddy bear on the front cover. The smallest Black Cat... More about He Is Nothing But A Little Boy
(Tarzana, CA): Raheb, Barbara J., 1984. (28)pp. One of 300 copies signed by Barbara Raheb, who calligraphed and illustrated the text of what was a medieval illuminated manuscript. The borders of each page are colored gold. Bound in gilt-decorated black pyroxylin leather, with title in gilt to a red morocco... More about Liber Sanctorum
