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.
Los Angeles: Dawson's Book Shop, 1991. 21pp. One of 60 copies of this miniature leaf book printed by Pall Bohne for Dawson's Book Shop. With an engraved, illustrated leaf from an extremely rare miniature two-volume picture-Bible, printed in The Hague by Daniel Langeweg, circa 1750. The original leaf contains a.... More
San Francisco: Grabhorn Press for David Magee, 1958. Octavo. 30pp. One of 200 copies printed for David Magee at the Grabhorn Press. This original leaf from a Book of Hours was likely written and illuminated in Paris during the first portion of the fifteenth century. It bears four initials accented... More
(Stillwater, ME: 1993). One of twenty-six lettered copies by artist & calligrapher Nancy Leavitt. An original calligraphic manuscript comprised of twenty beautifully hand-painted pages with a miniature garden fold-out panorama. The garden is hand-lettered with tiny cut-outs, and delightfully painted. Bound in the shape of a house in fuchsia, teal... More
(Rochester, NY): Leopard Studio Editions, 2014. (24)pp., accordion-fold, with two four-page inserts sewn in. One of five copies, signed and numbered by the artist. A miniature artist's book by Sue Huggins Leopard based on the poem by Emily Dickinson, which reads: "Love is anterior to life, / Posterior to death... More
(Bristol): LILLIPUT PRESS, 1986. (44)pp. One of 250 copies signed by the printer, Allan Armstrong. Contains British recipes from the 18th and 19th centuries, with a hand-colored frontispiece and hand-colored illustrations of dishes and kitchen equipment. Very fine in gilt-stamped red morocco. (1 3/8 by 1; 35x25mm.). More
(Bristol): Lilliput Press, 1986. (25)ff. One of 55 copies indicated as the first edition, signed and numbered by the illustrator, A. Clements. An accordion-fold panorama about the language of flowers, linking each flower to an emotional state or its social interpretation. "A" is for allspice, which is associated with compassion... More
(Bristol): Lilliput Press, 1985. (43)pp. First edition. Limited to 250 copies. Signed by printer, Allan Armstrong. Illustrated with twenty-two beautifully hand-colored plates of beetles, each with a border in Art Nouveau style, and a facing page of descriptive text. Bound in gilt-stamped green morocco, and marbled endpapers. Top edge green... More
Valparaiso, IN: Sandlin's, 1994. 41pp. One of 200 copies. The text of President Lincoln's letter to Miss Fanny McCullough is reproduced on a foldout at the center of the book. Preceding the letter is an introduction by Ralph Geoffrey Newman, and following it are his notes. Fine in gilt-stamped black... More
(c. 1900-1930). (110)pp. This Islamic devotional text is calligraphed in black and red and accented with blue and burnished gold. Illuminated with a hand-colored calligraphic frontispiece illustration in gold, blue, green, and purple ink. One section of the text opens with a decorative headpiece in green, and another page has... More
Paris: Marcilly, (c. 1830). 127pp. A beautiful little book of hours for young people, with engraved title and five plates, the most charming showing David dancing and playing his harp, as he leads the procession of the Ark. Contains the Order of the Mass and various services in French, and... More
Paris: Marcilly, (c. 1840). 96pp. Printed by Firmin Didot, but with a Marcilly imprint. With engraved half-title and five plates, the finely executed illustrations depict scenes from the life of Christ. The prayers are arranged for special occasions: morning prayers, evening prayer, and prayers for communion and vespers. This tiny... More
NY: Viking, 1979. 228pp. One of 850 copies by the former chairman of Neiman-Marcus, a collector and publisher of miniature books. A miniaturized edition of the full-sized book with dust wrapper and author photo on back. Fine. Bookplate of former owner. (3 by 2 1/8; 77x55mm). More
(New Britain): REM Miniatures, 1967. (18)pp., + 2ff. plates. One of 500 copies, printed as a gift edition and not offered for sale at the time of publication. Illustrated with two tipped-in plates of the titular fund-raising jack, printed in sepia. A riotous story about a priest and his racing... More
(New Britain, CT): Massmann, Robert E., 1962. 51pp. Limited to 2000 copies. The first book printed by Massmann. An address given on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Elihu Burritt, reformer, pacifist and humanitarian. Very fine in the deluxe binding of gilt-titled blue morocco. A.e.g. (3 by 2; 63x46mm.). More
Newton, IA: Tamazunchale Press, 1987. 31pp. Truman Capote's essay describes his first meeting with French author Colette, during which she gave him a crystal paperweight and inspired him to start collecting the objects for himself. The book has been specially bound by Tom McEwan to reflect the world in miniature... More
Westmoreland, NH: (Hurley, H. H.), 1981. From an edition of 350 copies, this is a specially bound deluxe copy. Melville begins with fantasies on the ideal binding for the "Red Rover," such as "jet black, with a red streak around the edges (pirate fashion)." He goes on to speak of... More
Munich: Waldmann & Pfitzner, (c. 1953). A complete set of four micro-miniatures. The titles of the tiny volumes are "The Lord's Prayer", "I Love You", "Lincoln's Oath of Freedom" and "The Olympic Oath." Each book is bound in leather with silver or gilt tooling, and is in a plexiglass case... More
Paisley, Scotland: Gleniffer Press, 1985. (12)pp. One of 85 copies. This micro-miniature was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the "Smallest Book in the World" in 1985. The book was printed using offset lithographic methods, with the text area of each page being less than 1 square millimeter... More
(Tokyo: Toppan Printing Co., 2000). (16)pp. Two volumes. According to the accompanying prospectus, this ultra-micro miniature containing the Chinese zodiac was the 2000 Guinness World Records holder for the smallest precision-printed book in the world, measuring a mere .95mm square. Remarkably, each page of this speck of a book bears... More
Tokyo: Toppan Printing Co., (c. 1965). (24)pp. This set includes two versions of the ancient Chinese poet Tu Fu's verse "The Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup": a miniature book measuring 1 3/8 inches (35mm.) square, and an ultra-microminiature measuring a mere 3.75mm square. In each, the text is presented... More
Jamaica, NY: Minia Press, (c. 1945). (181)pp. Forty-four sonnets composed during the author's twenty-month correspondence with fellow poet Robert Browning that preceded the two writers' marriage. Many of the sonnets reportedly continue themes and sentiments articulated in the poet's courtship letters. Very fine in red cloth boards with gilt lettering... More
(Jamaica, NY: Minia Press, c. 1943). 192pp. Printed and published by Edmund S. Wood at his Minia Press. A reproduction of the original, with Tenniel's renowned illustrations. Very fine in gilt-stamped red cloth, with gold paper slipcase. Minor general wear to book, else near fine. T.e.g. (Bradbury, p.150). (2 1/4... More
Oxford: Oxford University Press, (c. 1900). 576pp. An edition of the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer. Bound in full black leather with gilt tooling to upper cover, spine, and inner edges of covers. All edges red. The volume is in such fine and unsullied condition likely because it... More
Japan: (1963). One sheet folded accordion-style, printed on one side only. Reportedly from a Buddhist Temple, this sheet features three different styles of Japanese text. Bound in red silk with gilt decorations. Housed in clear plastic case with gold letters and within paper covering with sauwastika (a left-facing swastika) and... More
