New Arrivals
Cats
Spartanburg, SC: Kitemaug Press, 1968. [8] pp. Approx. 1 1/8 x 13/16". Tan paper wrapper with title on cover, 4 unnumbered leaves, letterpress, illustrations of cats, in fine condition. Very scarce - not found in WorldCat at this time (6/22). (Bradbury, Kitemaug Press 5)
Kitemaug Press is run by Frank J. Anderson and is a private press. The name Kitemaug comes from the Mohegan Indian language and it means "the place of good fishing." Anderson started printing in 1965 so this book is from very early on in his career.
Zsolnay: Ceramics Factory, Pecs
Budapest, Hungary: Helikon Kiado, 1997. 175 pp. Approximately 2 x 3". Decorated porcelain cover over green velvet boards with gilt title on spine, yellow slipcase, all edges gilt, profuse colored photographs, slight crack to porcelain cover, otherwise all in near fine condition. Text is in English.
This cute little book contains the history of the state-owned Zsolnay factory with many examples of their eclectic collection of art nouveau, art deco, and stylized folk art.
Bernhardt Wall in Miniature
Worcester, MA: Robert C. Bradbury, 2007. 31 pp. Approximately 2 1/2 x 3". LIMITED EDITION of 45 copies. Blue cloth over boards with pictorial paper label on upper cover, marbled endpapers, letterpress, three mounted illustrations, in fine condition.
Bernhardt Wall (1872 - 1956) was an American historian and lithographic illustrator. He was known as the "Postcard King" as he designed more than 5,000 comic cards. He worked with a variety of publishers over his career and specialized in famous people and historical events. Each copy of the regular edition is illustrated with three original miniature etchings by Bernhardt Wall, at least one of which is an illustration. Special copies have thematically related illustrations and deluxe copies have additional etchings mounted in matching volumes. This little book includes bibliography/listing of miniature illustrations by Wall. Only 2 library holdings and not in the trade at the moment (5/22). Somewhat scarce.
The Story of Word Pictures
Santa Cruz, CA: The Good Book Press, 1984. 14 pp. Approximately 2 x 2 1/8". LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies, the first fifty are hand-painted and bound in leather, this being #197 of the regular printing. Pale green paper wrap with design and title on cover and spine in fine condition. Green boards with design on front cover, printed on a hand-operated printing press on Peter's handmade paper, one minor foxing spot on rear endpaper, numbered on the colophon, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Peter and Donna Thomas 11).
Peter and Donna Thomas, well-known book artists, authors, and paper-makers, have been operating their private press since 1976. This is a lovely little book with elfin maidens and wizards and words by the author on how to gather pictures in your own head.
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.
Italia
Seattle, WA: Sam Garriott Antonacci, 2019. One-of-a-Kind Artist Book. Single sheet fold-out pasted down to rear endpaper which shows mosaic illustration of Italy in prismacolor and ink on Thai Unryu paper, 2 1/4 x 2", blue cloth over boards with illustrated front panel; housed in matching clamshell box with layered illustrated cover, completed with two more boxes with printed book details and label, all in fine condition.
According to Sam Garriott Antonacci: "I see many of my books as histories or small personal documents of people, places, or objects." This miniature book is a beautiful homage to Italy, done in the soft Tuscan colors you would expect representing the Italian countryside, with excellent detail paid to the craftsmanship of the enclosing boards and boxes. Sam primarily does one-of-a-kind and limited edition books, mainly miniatures. She was raised in the Ohio River Valley on a rural farm so solitude and nature inform her work. She went to the University of Indiana at Bloomington and art school in Seattle, where she settled when she wasn't traveling - a favorite pastime of hers that also greatly influences her work.
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.
I Love You
Munich: Waldmann and Pfitzner, 1952. Approximately 5 x 5 mm. Red leather binding with gilt decorations on covers, housed in a Plexiglass case with an inset magnifying glass, printed in 4-point type in nine languages: English, German, French, Italian, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish, in fine condition. (Bromer & Edison, P. 117)
This book was part of a 4 volume collection called "Die kleinsten Bücher der Welt" which translates to The Smallest Books in the World. These were commissioned by Walter Schatzki, a Jewish bookseller who settled in New York City in 1937 after fleeing Nazi Germany. He is sometimes attributed as the publisher. Schatzki became an authority on rare children's books and assembled one of the most famous catalogs of children's books ever created by an American bookseller.
Detti e Motti Triestini
Milan, Italy: Legatoria Conti Borbone dei Fratelli Marchesi, 1989. (32) pp. 1 1/4 x 1 3/4". Marbled paper over boards, 7 illustrations, text in Italian, in fine condition.
The title translates to Triestine sayings and mottos. A lovely well-made miniature book. Since 1873, bookbinding Conti Borbone has been a reference point for luxury objects and bindings.
The Well Known Family Game
Germany: n.p., (ca 1920). First edition presumed. Slipcase with chips and small loss of paper affecting two words of the instructions, glossy illustration to front cover, directions to the game on back cover, in good + condition. Twelve cards, 1 1/2 x 2 1/4", cards titled and crudely illustrated in blue, some with roughly trimmed edges (as issued), in about near fine condition.
An apparently unrecorded gambling card game, manufactured in Germany in the early 20th century from cheap materials. The cards are lettered in pairs from A to F and illustrated with members of several "families" such as George Brown, Mrs. John Smith, etc.