Beschreibung:

MINIATURE BOOKS – A large collection of 214 volumes, dating from the 17th-20th century. An extraordinary collection of fine and rare miniature books, published from the mid-17 th -century to the modern day. It includes books printed in France, the Netherlands, England, Italy and Germany, on a diversity of themes ranging from histories to works of scripture, devotion, literature, almanacs, and natural history. The collection boasts three 17th-century works, with the earliest being a Dutch song book from 1650 preserved in a charming contemporary vellum wallet binding, as well as a French book of hours from 1684 and an English bible in contemporary morocco from 1693. Many of the books are attractively bound in contemporary gilt morocco, others in gilt and blindstamped calf, decorative paper wrappers, silver cases, while some are contained within miniature wooden boxes as part of a child’s sewing kit. Some books are housed in cases with their own miniature magnifying glasses, and others are arranged on miniature shelves or cabinets, including a miniature revolving bookcase constructed by Julian Stanley of High Wycombe, commissioned by Lord Wardington and presented by him to Nanni Israel. Also included are the loose unfolded sheets and engraved plates for a 19th-century miniature Parisian edition of Paul et Virginie . Sold not subject to return. [ Sold with :] a small group of catalogues and other bibliographic material relating to miniature books.