It is so small a thing...

I have a fascination with miniature books. A miniature book is defined as not exceeding three inches in height or width. It started when I discovered the work of Robert Wu. His handmade books are incredible. They are tiny beyond belief and the craftsmanship is exquisite.

Follow the above link and click on bindings. You will be astonished and delighted.

Miniature books have been around for centuries. The Lilly Museum at Indiana University currently has an exhibition of them entitled 4000 Years of Miniature Books.

Look at this Renaissance Button Book by Mary Ann Riker. It is 1.375" round miniature accordion book of the belly buttons of Renaissance cherubs. The front cover is a real button:

This book and more can be seen and purchased at Vamp and Tramp, Booksellers LLC.

Here is one I made. It is 3 inches by 3 inches bound by an exposed running stitch. I hadn’t done this binding for a while and was a little disappointed with this book because the stitching isn’t as tight as it could be. Still, it’s a pretty little thing. Its cover is vintage paper and has a postage stamp from Poland. The image is some sort of statue or doll—kind of creepy really:

Here are a couple more I’ve made recently.

Technically, they aren’t miniature books since they are four inches tall. My husband, Michael, works at Greenberg Van Doren Gallery

and travels to New York every year for an art fair there. This year, his bosses, Ronnie Greenberg and John Van Doren, invited me to come along. I made these little books as Thank Yous for the trip, which is why each has a map of New York on its cover. I got the stitching nice and tight this time. : )

Sharon