Products
A Bestiary
Boston: Anne & David Bromer, 1979. [19] pp. approx. 2 1/4 x 2 1/16", oblong. LIMITED EDITION of 125 copies, this being #87. Marbled wrap with title label over marbled cover with title label, 15 wood engravings,letterpress on Troya paper, signed by the artist on the colophon, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Bromer 5)
Sarah Chamberlain has illustrated books from Aesop’s Fables to Margarette Reid’s The Button Box. She studied under renowned printmakers and illustrators Barry Moser and Leonard Baskin, and from the 1970s to the 1980s ran the Chamberlain Press.
A Brief History of the Ukulele
Santa Cruz, CA: Peter & Donna Thomas, 1999. 26 pp. 1 3/8 x 2 7/8"; LIMITED EDITION of 300 copies, this being #217. Stiff paper wrap with pasted-down label, mahogany or koa boards made out of ukulele parts, accordion fold printed on both sides, watercolor illustrations by Donna Thomas, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Peter & Donna Thomas, 8; P&D Thomas Bibliography A91)
This is a second edition, different from Bradbury #53 which had fewer pages and a limited edition of 50. A beautiful and colorful miniature book about a fun topic. This is the first miniature book to document the history of the ukulele, from 1879 to the 1990's.
A Floral Fantasy in an Old English Garden
Haslet, TX: Plum Park Press, 2011. Approximately 2 x 3". First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 12 copies, this being #2. Illustrated cloth over boards, floral illustrated endpapers, color illustrations, signed and numbered by the author on the colophon, fine condition.
This lovely book is from the original edition by Walter Crane (1845 - 1915), an English artist and book illustrator, published by Harper and Brothers, London, 1899, set forth in verses & coloured designs. While Tony Firman had been publishing prior to 2010, this is the year he began focusing on miniature books and established his publishing business, Plum Park Press, making small editions and selling them, issuing at least one a month. Firman's book, The Codex, recently won a distinguished award at Miniature Book Society's miniature book competition in 2024. His books are in many reputable institutions and private collections.
A Miniature Book, Tie, and Suspenders from the estate of Julian Edison
New York: Abrams and The Grolier Club, 2007. Miniature edition and exact facsimile of the larger book "Miniature Books: 4,000 Years of Tiny Treasures" by Bromer & Edison; Maroon silk tie with white/gold/red tiny books from His Favorite Tie Neckwear housed in original plastic box packaging; Navy silk suspenders with red/green/gold books and bronze clasps from Paul Stuart, made in England, all from the estate of Julian Edison, all in fine condition.
Julian Edison (1929 - 2017) was an internationally renowned miniature book collector and co-author with Anne. C Bromer of Bromer Booksellers. Julian was an influential support of Washing University Libraries in St. Louis and the Special Collections there has been renamed the Julian Edison Department of Special Collections.
A Papermaking Safari to Africa
Santa Cruz: Peter & Donna Thomas, 1995. 2 1/2 x 3"; LIMITED EDITION of 100 of which the first 25 were deluxe editions, this being # 85, a regular edition with illustrations. Bound in crossed stab binding of handmade "Zebra Stripe" boards in a portfolio style case, two paper samples made in in Africa are missing, 15 line-drawn illustrations by Donna Thomas, letterpress printed on Peter's handmade "Zebra Stripe" paper, slight bowing to inside pages, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Peter & Donna Thomas, 46; P&D Thomas Bibliography A80)
This is a story written by Peter Thomas during a trip in February 1995 about book and papermaking and the general state of affairs in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
ABC of Birds
Freeville, New York: Lilliput Press, 2020. Limited edition of 25 including 5 deluxe (already sold) in cabinet of curiosity format. 2 x 3 x 1.5" miniature book, flutter construction; 30 pp., digitally printed with pigmented inks, 26 Individual collages with text on reverse side, 28 pocket pages (collages plus title page and colophon) with inserts, signed and numbered by the artist, all in fine condition.
A lovely little abcedarium, cleverly constructed and beautifully illustrated throughout. Note that the species of bird does not necessarily coincide with the alphabet page it is on.
Addie, an Obituary, 1895
Evanston, IL: Press of Ward Schori, 1987. 38 pp. Approximately 2 7/16 x 2". LIMITED EDITION of 120 copies, this being #76. Black cloth over boards with gilt title and decorations on front cover, bound by John Lariviere, frontispiece, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Schori 43)
The obituary of Addie Eliza Haley (1868 - 1895) of Buda, Illinois. This pretty little book is both a loving tribute to a young woman who died too soon, and an example of the different style of writing of the 19th century.
Adlai: The Wit and Wisdom of Adlai Ewing Stevenson
Sausalito, CA: Castle Baird Press, 1993. 32 pp. Approximately 2 x 2 1/2 ". LIMITED EDITION of 75 copies, this being #32. Printed paper boards with design and lettering by Susan Acker and Mary McDermott at the Feathered Serpent Press, printed endpapers with the United Nations emblem repeated, US Postage stamp of Adlai Stevenson tipped in at front, Doonesbury cartoon by Gary Trudeau folded in, signed by both the author and publishers, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Castle Baird 3)
A brief but compassionate bio about Adlai Stevenson II (1900 - 1965), a Governor of Illinois, a U.S. Presidential Candidate, and a U.N. Ambassador.
Adlai: The Wit and Wisdom of Adlai Ewing Stevenson
Sausalito, CA: Castle Baird Press, 1993. 32 pp. Approximately 2 x 2 1/2 ". LIMITED EDITION of 75 copies, this being #8. Printed paper boards with design and lettering by Susan Acker and Mary McDermott at the Feathered Serpent Press, printed endpapers with the United Nations emblem repeated, US Postage stamp of Adlai Stevenson tipped in at front, Doonesbury cartoon by Gary Trudeau folded in, miniature bookplate of well-known scholar and miniature book collector Kalman Levitan (also the founder and first president of the Miniature Book Society) on front paste-down endpaper, signed by both the author and publishers, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Castle Baird 3)
A brief but compassionate bio about Adlai Stevenson II (1900 - 1965), a Governor of Illinois, a U.S. Presidential Candidate, and a U.N. Ambassador. levitan
All About the Little Small Red Hen
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2021. Approximately 2 1/4 x 2 3/4", 58 pp. First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 10 copies, this being #3. Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press, presented within a tan and brown checked sack with hand embroidered "red hen" scrim patch. Red leather 1/4 binding with hand-embroidered spine, patterened cloth over boards with printed label on front cover, ribbon bookmark featuring a tiny scissors charm, signed and numbered by the publisher on the colophon, fine condition.
Here is a beautiful rendition of a classic children's tale of an industrious hen outwitting a cunning fox. It includes eight watercolors and nine black and white illustrations by Johnny B. Gruelle. The publisher has hand-colored the half-title and main title page illustrations. Each copy of the edition is bound with a different combination of patterned fabric, spine leather and endpaper materials and treatment. Patrice Miller's work has found its way to private and university collections, in the states and abroad. Human foibles, nature’s panoply, and artistic cleverness cannot help but inform future work. She continues to bind, and rebind, in Dallas, Texas.