donderdag 25 februari 2010

Miniature Lesson

A Miniature Lesson in the History of the Book / By Julian I. Edison  - Cambridge MA: Harvard College Library, 2005. - 30x20 mm.; 47 p.


Printed green paper wrappers. 1000 copies. Set in Adobe Caslon and New Horizon fonts and printed on 24/60 Classic Crest Smooth Text and Classic Linen Cover. Bound by Acme Bindery.

This miniature book was printed as a keepsake for an exhibition of miniature books of Julian Edison's private collection which was held in the Houghton Librarry in  2005.
Julian I. Edison got his first miniature book as a student at Harvard and in July 1964 he bought in London by Sotheby the famous collection of  848 miniature books from the late mr Percy Edwin Spielmann.
He has been editor of  'Miniature Book News' for over forthy years and is past president of the Miniature Book Society.

zondag 21 februari 2010

Sprookjesboek

Het kleinste sprookjesboek; verzameld door Jannie Daane. - Amsterdam: CPNB, 1966. - 128 p.: ill.; 30x44 mm. obl.

Fairytales from various authors. Gift at the occasion of  the Kinderboekenweek (Week of  the childrensbook) 1966. 
With a small magnifying glass in a matchbox. Illustrated with coloured papercuttings by Mance Post.
Published by Commissie tot Propaganda van het Nederlandse Boek. In the matchbox a small strip of paper with the apologies for using the official logo without permission of the match manufacturer.

donderdag 11 februari 2010

Ludwig Uhland


Ausgewählte Gedichte / von Ludwig Uhland. - Leipzig: Schmidt & Günther, [1909]. - 486 p.; 50x33 mm. [Liliput Bibliothek]



Green leather binding with gilt title on front and spine. Edges red and gilt. Printed in Leipzig by Oscar Brandstetter.

(Johann) Ludwig Uhland was born in 1787 in Tübingen (Germany). Having graduated as a doctor of laws he first worked as a lawyer in Stuttgart, then at the Württemberg ministry of justice and later on  as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament. For a short time he was honorary professor of German literature at the University of Tübingen.
Because of his marriage to a wealthy lady he had the financial freedom to pursue both his political and literary ambitions.
He published studies on Germanic sagas and folklore as well as the medieval poet Walther von der Vogelweide.
As a lyric poet he belongs to the romantic school (Schwäbische Romantik) with ballads like "Roland" and  "Der Wirtin Töchterlein". Many of them used by composers like Franz Schubert.
He died on 13 November 1862 in Tübingen.

Schmidt & Günther Verlag, in Leipzig established by Heinrich Schmidt and Carl Günther in 1872. From 1907 until 1925 they have issued 123 miniature dictionaries (Liliput-Wörterbücher) and about 30 volumes in a series called Liliput-Bibliothek.

Der Wirtin Töchterlein

Es zogen drei Bursche wohl über den Rhein,
Bei einer Frau Wirtin, da kehrten sie ein.
»Frau Wirtin! hat Sie gut Bier und Wein?
Wo hat Sie Ihr schönes Töchterlein?«
»Mein Bier und Wein ist frisch und klar,
Mein Töchterlein liegt auf der Totenbahr.«
….

vrijdag 5 februari 2010

Zsigmond Kiraly - King Sigismund

Zsigmond Király / Janos Thuróczy . - Budapest: Pátria Nyomda, 1981. - 45x35 mm., 233 p., ill., folding ill. - ISBN 9630219470


Brown leather with gilt title on spine. Enamelled plaque with coat of arms on front.
Numbered copy 380 [/500].




King Zsigmond.  Zsigmond Lucemburgi (Sisgismund of Luxembourg), born in Nuremberg 1368, was betrothed to Mary of Hungary, eldest surviving daughter of King Louis the Great of Hungary and Poland in 1374, and as her husband became King of Hungary in 1387.
 







In 1396 Sigismund led the combined armies of Christendom in the very popular last crusade against the Turks.
After the dead of his opponent Jobst of Moravia he was elected King of the Romans in 1411. His coronation took place three years later in Aachen.
Zsigmond died in 1437. During his long reign the Royal castle of Buda probably became the largest Gothic palace of the late Middle Ages.