Products
London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1818
(London): (Printed for the Company of Stationers), 1818. Unpaginated. Approximately 1 1/4 x 2 1/4". Original red morocco slipcase with onlays in cream and green, gilt-tooled throughout, in fine condition; Pink outer wraps, most likely replacing a cover that usually matched the slipcase, first page called "Common Notes", all edges gilt, a good copy.
These miniature booklets have been published from the late 17th century until the Victorian era, and give monthly information for eclipses, phases of the moon, saints days, as well as lists of Royals and Lord Mayors, bank transfer days and other banking rates. In this copy, there is a folding view of the Royal Dramatic College.
London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1868
(London): (Printed for the Company of Stationers), (1867). Unpaginated. Approximately 1 1/2 x 2 1/4". Original red morocco with onlays in cream and green, gilt-tooled throughout, some parts of covers and spine missing, all edges gilt, gift inscription on rear endpaper, matching slipcase partly faded and a few chips to edges, else a very good copy.
These miniature booklets have been published from the late 17th century until the Victorian era, and give monthly information for eclipses, phases of the moon, saints days, as well as lists of Royals and Lord Mayors, bank transfer days and other banking rates. In this copy, there is a folding view of the Royal Dramatic College.
London in Miniature. With Engravings of its Public Buildings and Antiquities, from Drawings by Alfred Mills
London: Darton, Harvey, & Darton, and J. Harris, 1814. 96 pp. 2-1/2 x 2-3/8". 47 plates. Original printed pink boards, worn and lightly toned, interior bright with only occasional minor soil. Welsh and Bondy describe this as having 48 plates, but records in OCLC and elsewhere indicate that it is complete in 47 plates. In Very Good condition. (Welsh 4988; Bondy 65)
One of a series of titles illustrated with engravings of drawings by Alfred Mills, and issued in either these slightly cheaper boards or in roan. Includes brief introductions and detailed engravings for many major landmarks, including London Bridge, the Monument, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Royal Academy, the Admiralty, etc., as well as Whittington's and Oliver Cromwell's houses.
Lord of Lackawaxen Creek
Salisbury, CT: Lime Rock Press, 1981. 3 x 2 1/2". 64 pp. LIMITED EDITION of 1,001 copies. Marbled paper wrappers, printed label, illustrated by Catryna Ten Eyck, signed by the illustrator on the colophon, printed by offset lithography, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Lime Rock 12)
Pearl Zane Grey (1872 - 1939) was an American dentist and author, best known for his Western genre writings. This little story is from early on in his career when he published in magazines. It tells of his fishing trip on the Delaware River with two of his brothers and relays his sense of wonder, respect and excitement that he felt toward nature and all of its creatures.
Love, 1 Corinthians: 13
Santa Cruz, CA: Peter Thomas, 1989. (14) pp. accordion fold. Approximately 15/16 x 13/16", oblong. LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies, this being #A/P. (32 printed on parchment and bound with wodden boards). Printed paper over boards, letterpress on handmade paper, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Peter & Donna Thomas, 29; P&D Thomas Bibliography A57)
A lovely microminiature book that was created by Peter for his wife, Donna's birthday. The text is about what love should be and is a lovely accolade to Donna. The book was inspired by Ian MacDonald of the Gleniffer Press who had previously held the Guiness Boolk of World Records for the world's smallest book for many years.
Machine Gun Fire Control
Cleveland, OH: Edward C. McKay, 1917. 84 pp. plus advertisements. First Edition. Approximately 5 x 6 3/4". Black cloth stiff paper covers with some chipping and loss, some spotting to cover and faded title, owner signed on front-free endpaper, very few ink marks on the text, slightly musty smell, very good condition.
This text was written and the control rule designed in order to try and teach the difficult subject of the exterior ballistics of the machine gun and to simplify to a minimum the mathematical operations in the control of fire. (from the preface). Illustrated with many figures and diagrams.
Masses of St. Francis of Assisi and of St. Anne, Facsimile
Yorktown Heights, NY: Belser Incorporated, Publishers, 1988. 63 pp. Also described as Vat. Lat 11254 - Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, this is a facsimile copy of the 16th century work by an unknown artist. Summary book approximately 4 1/8 x 5 3/4", 63 pages. First limited and numbered edition for the English-speaking market of 1000 copies, this being #101. Miniature book with leather binding and gilt decorations on the cover, measuring 1 x 1 1/2", 30 pages, is an exact reproduction of the original in terms of color/size/extent, housed in a silver case with necklace, all original packaging intact, all in fine condition.
The miniature book itself is very charming. It contains beautiful color pictures and ornamental designs as well as the masses by St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anne. St. Francis was best known for being humble and living a life close to that of Jesus Christ and the "F" on the outer locket is a tribute to his work. St. Anne was the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ and the "A" on the outer locket is a tribute to her work. The summary book was written by Dr. Robert Moynihan, a veteran Vatican analyst and the founder and editor-in-chief of "Inside the Vatican" magazine. A beautifully packaged and meaningful collection, showing only 1 holding for the English version in Worldcat.
Medea: Freely adapted from the Medea of Euripides
New York: Random House, 1946. 107 pp. Approximately 6 x 9 1/2". First Edition, first printing. Dust jacket has some darkening to the spine and sun fading on both covers, some chipped and rough edges with a missing small piece at the top of the spine, otherwise in very good condition; Orange paper over black cloth boards,copper lettering crisp on spine, Paul Elder & Co. Bookstore label on rear pastedown endpaper, first printing indicated by the missing word "least" on line 21 of p. 99, in near fine condition.
Medea is a Greek play by Euripides (first produced in 431 BC) that poet Robinson Jeffers has modernized. For instance, he replaces the Greek chorus by three women who represent women in their youth, middle age, and elder years. The play centers around a deeply flawed but strong and powerful heroine with themes of racism, sexism, political power, and justice. Robinson Jeffers (1887 - 1962) was an American poet best known for his work about the central California coast.
Medieval Labours
Sorbie, Scotland: Final Score, 2007. Approx. 2 x 2 5/8". LIMITED EDITION of 25 copies, this being #3. Brown cloth over boards with gilt-bordered paste-down label on cover, each copy individually illustrated using egg tempura paint on vellum with gold, signed on the colophon by both authors, in fine condition.
This beautiful book contains 13 illuminated illustrations accompanying each month of the year plus the title page. The text describes the work to be completed for each month in medieval times. For example, January described bread baking with a medieval recipe, while June talks of estate management. Only one OCLC holding at this time, from the collection of Muriel Underwood - a US Marine, member of the Caxton Club, longtime member of the Miniature Book Society and miniature book publisher herself.
Memories of an Illustrator
Sebastapol, CA: El Camino Real Press, 2015. 7 pp. Approximately 2 1/8 x 2 15/16". LIMITED EDITION of 150 copies. Blue leatherette with gilt title on cover, decorative endpapers, 8 cent U.S. unmetered postage stamp frontispiece, blue endpapers, bound by Mariana Blau and printed by Patrick Reagh, in near fine condition.
This sweet little book explains why Francis Weber had a penchant for using postage stamps to illustrate his miniature books. Informing and pretty, all at the same time.