Cool Collect…miniature books

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with minature books.   There is something so cute and tiny about them, though their novelty factor was the main reason for their production, they also had the advantage of portability: the nineteenth century’s version of the iPad!   Collecting these items has become increasingly popular, and prices have risen to around USD300-400 for a nice examples, though prices can vary according to rarity and condition.  Strictly defined as a book measuring less than 3.5 inches, they are sweet things.

Some have sterling silver covers, images on their fore-edge or are made in precious materials such as ivory or gold.   Some are so tiny  they come with magnifying glasses.   The most common type of miniature books are religious books such as the Book of Common Prayer.  One of the leading dealers of these books is Michael Garbett and Ebay is always a good source for the beginning collector.