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 ...
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Our miniature books are listed below. You may also browse our miniature books by publisher or by century.
(New Britain, CT): Elihu Burritt Library (REM Miniatures), 1962. 51pp. From an edition of 2000 copies, this is one of a few copies in a variant binding of full leather. Illustrated with a portrait of Burritt, facsimile of a letter he wrote containing the title phrase, and an example of..... More
(New Britain): Massmann, Robert E., 1971. (42)pp., frenchfold. No limitation stated. Printed in purple ink, with illustrations of twenty-five Christian symbols by E. Helene Sherman. Miniature bookplate of Haddon Klingberg, designed by Massmann, used as a frontispiece. Fine in white leatherette, with a label illuminated in gold by Sherman. White..... 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: Robert E. Massman, 1982. One of 250 copies. Illustrated throughout, with many small items of ephemera including a tiny Christmas card, a war ration book with four ration stamps in it, bookplates, and a sample of paper from Dard Hunter's mill. Bound in brown leatherette with illustration..... More
(New Britain, CT): Robert E. Massmann, 1979. 84pp. One of 1,000 copies, with a portrait of St. Onge tipped in as a frontispiece. A bibliography of the forty-six miniature and several larger books published by St. Onge, with notations of issue points. Fine in red gilt-stamped leatherette, with a matching..... 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
New Britain, CT: Robert E. Massmann, 1983. (36)pp. One of 300 copies. Inscribed by Robert Massmann facing the half title. A satirical work of dubious-at-best librarian wisdom, with colored illustrations of the resulting five recommendations. Bound in full burgundy leather with paper label to upper cover. Fine in red paper..... More
(New Britain): Art Press, 1968. One of 250 copies. Designed, printed, and hand-colored by Robert E. Massman, this four-paneled peep-show displays drawings by C. Ernest Massman. The peep-show depicts Moby Dick rising out of the water in front of the Pequod. Slight bumps to corners and lacking chemise, else near..... More
(N.p.): Massmann, Robert E., 1987. (8)pp. Illustration of a bookish owl at the colophon. Calligraphy by E. Helene Sherman and illumination by Eloise C. Massmann adorn this charming keepsake commemorating Morgan's praise of books, which originally appeared as part of a larger effort given for the Miniature Book Society Conclave..... More
New Britain, CT: Robert E. Massmann, 1975. (17)ff. One of 250 copies. Compiled and illustrated by Mildred Claire Pratt. Poetry about seashells printed in a rosy pink on frenchfold papers. Hand-colored illustrations of shells on every page. A pretty book in blue cloth covers with paper label. Very fine in..... More
New Britain, CT: Robert E. Massmann, 1970. (16)ff. One of 300 copies. A triangular book, containing many drawings of "Sukie," a French poodle, in various playful poses, printed in brown. With touches of handcoloring by Eloise and Robert E. Massmann. Minor bumps to corners, faint crease to back cover, else..... More
(New Britain, CT: Robert E. Massmann, 1972). (32)pp. One of 250 copies. A "tête-bêche," or reversible book, containing two excerpts from Mark Twain’s writings, each illustrated with a hand-colored frontispiece. In the middle are two fold-out miniature copies of “The Calaveras Crier,” as well as a center pop-up of “The..... More
New Britain, CT: Robert E. Massmann, 1985. (33)pp. One of 300 copies. Frontispiece color photograph of a young deer. Warner, a neighbor, friend, and colleague of Mark Twain, here expounds upon the sport of hunting with keen brutality, signature wit, and understated conservationism. Bound in brown leather with illustration of..... More
Conway, MA: Robert L. Merriam, 1975. 24pp. One of 1000 copies. Every other page illustrated with quaint scenes from the moral tale. Bound in pale paper wrappers and housed in yellow paper slipcase. Fine. (2 7/16 by 1 11/16; 62x44mm). 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
(France: c. 1900). (13)ff. An alphabet in bold sans serif type, with each letter accompanied by an alphabetically aligned flower. The flowers—irises and eglantines (or sweetbriar) and roses—have been etched in an Art Nouveau style, which, paired with the curvaceous typeface of the title, suggests publication at the turn of..... More
London: E. Newbery, 1786. 256pp. Sixteen plates of engravings depict various significant biblical scenes and personae. Included in the tally are the two engraved title pages, a detail often overlooked in collation elsewhere. A close copy of J. Harris' series of thumb Bibles, here published by Elizabeth Newbery. With the..... More
London: n.p., (1795). 220pp. With eight woodcut illustrations that depict significant figures and scenes, including Adam and Eve, Moses, and King David. Most other known copies contain seven or fewer woodcuts. Adomeit identifies this as the first iteration of at least two issues, which feature reset title pages and texts..... 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
London: Rock & Co., (1845). (32)ff. Each page, including frontispiece and title page, illustrated with an amorous engraving. The images devoted to lovers, singly or together, provide especial insight into the fashions of Victorian England, with one image bearing a striking resemblance to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert themselves. Around..... More
London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, (c. 1915). 702pp. An unabridged Book of Common Prayer. Gorgeously bound in maroon morocco with a hallmarked Birmingham silver plaque affixed to the front cover, featuring five cherubs. Very fine. A.e.g. (Bromer/Edison, p. 81). (2 1/8 by 1 7/8; 53x47 mm). More
NP: Studio D'Ambrosio, 1997. One of 50 copies, signed by the publisher. A series of five boxes bound together between two covers with linking text, printed letterpress. Each box is unique and contains objects such as sea shells, pearls, coral, turquoise, silver, dried and silk flowers, and exotic papers. One..... More
London: Company of Stationers, 1789. Miniature almanac opening with an engraving of York House, spanning four pages. The almanac's calendar records the times of sunrise and sunset, as well as various saints' days and term times for academic institutions. The volume also provides a table of the reigns of the..... More
