#charlottesmithminis

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

We recently shared that Bethany, a fantastic cataloger here at UIowa, finished cataloging the Charlotte Smith Miniature Collection! This collection is around 4000 books, and this has been a several year project to catalog. This week we are celebrating in Special Collections with a little party for our little books. To help kick off the festivities, instead of sharing just one mini book, here’s three of my favorite to brighten your day.

The first one is Juniper Von Phitzer’s An Alphabet Coloring Book. With black and gold marbling on the covers, this cute book has a plastic red Crayola crayon attached to serve as a bookmark. But please, don’t actually color our copy. 

After A in the alphabet comes H for of course Hamlet. Act 1. Scene III, Polonius’ P’s and Q’s by William Shakespeare. This book is crafted into a three-dimensional scene which is housed in a wooden structure resembling the Globe Theatre. 

And finally, we come up to the letter M, for Mermaid by Holly Bowen. In an accordion style fold, this book shares information about mermaids on one side and an illustration of Lake Wonsapauna on the other. The covers are also made of glass. 

-Meaghan

An Alphabet Coloring Book: Z1033.M6 V65 1997

Hamlet. Act 1. Scene III, Polonius’ P’s and Q’s: PR2807.A3 P6 2002

Mermaids: N7433.4.B679 M47 2002

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

This #miniaturebook is a little worn around the edges, but it still tells an important message about the preciousness of little things, including little books. This book was obviously special to someone at some point, and we are glad it’s our turn to take care of it. 

Here a Little and There a Little was published by Fisher and Brother around 1865.

Smith BJ1631 .H4 1865

~Bethany K.

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

This week we celebrate the history of books! The Book in History : from Manuscript Volumes to the Present Time describes the long history of printing and books in Europe, starting from manuscript traditions and ending in the 19th century, all within this tiny book. Amazing how the printing press revolutionized the world, and how small you can make it!

Published in 1985 at the Hillside Press by Eleanor I. Irwin. Bound in full leather with gilt decorations and marbled endpapers. Includes several reproductions of printers’ marks.

Smith Z4.Z9 I7 1985

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#MiniatureMonday!

Enjoy this miniature example of hiramaki-e, or “a style of Japanese lacquerwork with gold decorations in low or flat relief.”

Hiramaki-e technique can be dated clear back to the 1100s. It involves sprinkling a metal dust onto a wet lacquer pattern and then covering that with a further layer of lacquer. 

This small charm has a tiny illustration of a mother hen and chick, and it contains five dice. For a small game of Yahtzee? Well, okay, probably not.  According to the seller’s card, this was made in the 1920s.

Smith NK9900.7.J3 M56 1920z

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

This copy of “Nonsense Botany” by Edward Lear was published in 1983 by Rebecca Press. This quirky miniature book describes different plants with nonsense language and illustrations--pretty funny if you ask me! Also inside is an Edward Lear flipbook and pop-up illustration.

~Bethany K.

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

Check out this new acquisition in Special Collections--a huge portfolio of #miniaturebooks from Nuremberg, Germany!

This collection of 56 miniature books was most likely used as a sales catalog to show the styles, designs, and fabrics used by this bookbindery. Most of the notebooks contain blank pages, but some have surprises like tiny pocket mirrors inside.

Smith Z1033.D85 C37 1900z 

~Bethany K.

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

I’ve finished cataloging our #microminiatures! This one is "Jama" with tiny woodcuts by Karoly Andrusko and is based on the poem by Ivan Goran Kovačic. This #artistbook measures 6 by 8 mm. So tiny, so amazing! 

Smith PG1414 .A54 1982

~Bethany K.

[uispeccoll]

#MiniatureMonday!

Take a look at this beautiful notebook! It’s a collection of well-wishes and illustrations from the late 1800s and gifted to a girl named May from Iowa. Whoever she was, she was surely loved by many people! Also, I feel like I need to start using the phrase “best earthly friend” more often. 

~Bethany K.