On display now at the Humboldt County Library kiosk is a collection of miniature books made by various NORBAG artists. Thanks go to Lynne Gurnee for arranging this display. “A miniature
book is a very small book, sized from 1/2 inch square to roughly 2 by
3 inches—no larger than 3 inches in height, width, or thickness. (Outside
the United States, books up to four inches are often considered miniature
according to the Miniature Book Society.)
“These books became
more popular in the last few decades of the 19th century because they were
portable and easy to conceal. One could carry a vast number of books in a small
case for when one traveled. Many are bound in fine Moroccan leather, gilt, and contain
excellent examples of woodcuts, etchings, and watermarks. More popular topics
at that time were dictionaries, language translators, religious stories and
readings, and occasionally, tourist guides.
“Subjects range from
the Bible, encyclopedias, music, stories, rhymes, famous speeches, and the
miniaturization of well-known books such as The Compleat Angler, The
Art of War, and Sherlock Holmes stories. Many are now collectors’
items, with prices ranging from a few hundred to many thousands of US dollars.”
~ Wikipedia
No comments:
Post a Comment