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.
NY: Hurst & Company, (c. 1880). 192pp. Twenty-five engravings—one frontispiece and each of the remaining twenty-four introducing a chapter—depicting significant scenes from the Bible. Among them appear Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Pharaoh being swallowed up in the Red Sea, and Peter's denial of Christ. The volume..... More
Philadelphia: Conrad Zentler, 1811. (vi), 106pp. Engraved frontispiece, plus nine further engravings, each depicting biblical scenes, such as the ascension of Elijah and the birth of Christ. A famous Thumb Bible; according to Bradbury, the first foreign religious miniature book printed in America. Originally bound in red leather, this copy..... More
Madrid: (c. 1860). 122pp., + six plates. The Catholic mass is here reduced to its essential points, understandable to children. The plates illustrate familiar scenes, such as the Ascension, the Crucifixion, and the woman at the well. In red morocco wallet--style binding decorated with gilt, including a splendid image of..... 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
(London): Goode Bros. c. 1875. (47)pp. Illustrated throughout with black & white lithographs, this little book includes excerpts from several Old Testament stories. In dark violet gilt-stamped wrappers. An unusually fine copy. (Bondy 162). (2 1/4 by 1 5/8; 58x40mm). More
Paris: Didot, Firmin, (c. 1835). 80pp. A beautiful children's prayer book, illustrated with five engraved plates and an engraved title page. The plates depict scenes from the life of Christ to inspire fervent young readers. These were put out over time in various bindings, but this copy is bound in..... 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
Glasgow: Bryce, David, 1895. 520pp. One of the smallest of all Bryce miniatures and named, at the time of publication, the smallest complete New Testament ever printed. Bondy called it "staggeringly small." A tiny facsimile of the Oxford Pica 16mo Testament, advertised as "printed on the very thinnest Oxford Paper..... More
(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
Paris: P. Blanchard, 1810. 189pp. Engraved frontispiece, after the painting "La Vierge à l'Enfant avec le petit saint Jean-Baptiste" by Raphael, and an engraved title page, showing a young boy dressed in a tunic and praying in a garden. A charming volume replete with prayers for all situations and events..... More
Bristol: Wright , J., (c. 1845). 28pp. One of a series of psalms printed by Wright. These psalm-books are mentioned in the LXIVmos Newsletter 8:3, although this particular psalm was not cited. In original plain gray wrappers. A fine copy of a very scarce item. (1 1/8 by 1; 29x25mm)..... More
Bristol: Wright & Albright, (c. 1840's). 27pp. An extract from the Biblical Book of Daniel. Bound in glazed brown wrappers, embossed to a woven design. Fine. (1 5/16 by 1 1/16; 33x26mm). More
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
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
Enkhuizen, Holland: Jack R. Levien, 1971. (12)ff. One of 100 copies, inscribed by Levien with a hand-written colophon. A facsimile of a miniature book published by Jacques Meson in Anvers in 1667. The text is extracts from the Gospel of John. With frontispiece and illustrated title. Fine in green grosgrain..... More
Huntington Beach, CA: Der Kolibri Press, 1985. (6)ff., accordionfold. One of twenty-five copies. Signed by the illustrator, Margaret Class, below the colophon. The verse of Isaiah 31:5 is paired with two woodcuts of hummingbirds. Bound in half-leather with striking pictorial paper over boards displaying birds and flowers in vibrant colors..... More
Wellington, New Zealand: A.H. & A.W. Reed, 1962-1965. 526; 567; 559pp. All with illustrations throughout. The Proverbs and Place Names are reprinted from "regular" volumes at the time still in print. The Gospels is the first Lilliput edition, published by permission of the British Foreign Bible Society, first publishers of..... More
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
Munich: Waldmann & Pfitzner, (c. 1953). Micro-miniature. One of the four books called Kleinsten Bücher der Welt, and referred to at the time as "the smallest book in the world." Printed in seven languages. Very fine in black leather with gilt bands to spine and a gilt border. Housed in..... More
(Tarzana, CA): Raheb, Barbara J., 1984. (28)pp., accordion-fold. One of 300 copies signed by Barbara Raheb, who calligraphed and illustrated the text, which is a compilation of Bible verses in Latin. Several illustrations in this copy are two-page spreads, as opposed to single-page illustrations found in the copies that are..... More
Worcester, MA: Achille J. St. Onge, 1973. 55pp. The text is printed with large ornamental initials in red by Joh. Enschedé en Zonen. In a striking designer binding by Stephen Conway, evoking ancient wood and stone. Conway writes that his bindings "have a tactile quality, in keeping with the three..... More
Worcester: St. Onge, Achille J., 1973. 55pp. From an edition of 1,500 copies, this is one of thirty-four in a special binding executed by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Printed with large ornamental initials in red by Joh. Enschedé en Zonen. Tiny book label to rear paste-down, else fine in burgundy morocco..... More
Haddon Heights, NJ: Washburn, William Lewis, 1938. (10)ff. One of 49 copies. Printed in black with green decorative borders and rules. Gilt titled on front cover. Fine, in a stab-bound parchment binding with ribbon ties. (Welsh 989; MBC II.1.7; Bradbury p. 318). (2 1/8 by 1 7/8; 54x47mm). More
Worcester, MA: Achille J. St. Onge, (1965). (12)ff. First edition, first issue with the dedication page. Illustrated in full color by Tasha Tudor. A fine copy in gilt-stamped green leather with pictorial dust jacket that shows a little toning to lower edge, and two repaired tears. A.e.g. (Massmann XIII). (3..... More
Japan: Miyako Akai, 2008. (62)pp. From an edition of 100 copies, this is one of 90 regular copies. An original story about a winter trip written in Japanese by Miyako Akai, who also designed the book, with editing and translation into English by Larry Seidman. Circles have been cut out..... More
