About Miniature Books

Miniatür Könyvekröl Gyujtöknek / by Gyula Janka. - Budapest: Müszaki Nyomdad,1973. - 251 p.: ill..; 31x22 mm.


Brown laatherette binding; title in gold on front and spine. 4000 copies printed on 90 gs paper . Typography and design by Gyula Janka. An essay by Gyula Janka on miniature books for collectors. Hungarian, Russian, German and English text.

Gyula Janka, former director of the Budapest University Press, is to be seen as the nestor of miniature-book collectors. He issued a number of miniatures himself and as a designer and typographer he was responsable for many others. His Miniatur Könyvek Bibliográfiája (Bibliography of Miniature Books) 1945-1976 is a very important reference for Hungarian miniature books. He also was the founder of the magazine Microbibliofok (1971-1988). After his death his impressive collection was sold. Some of the books show up in this blog.

Letters

The First [Second, Third] Letter / by Miyako Akai. - Koyo: Hiroshi Miki, 2008.




Calligraphy in real size by Minoru Sasaki, designed and bound by Miyako Akai.


'The First Letter' is an envelope with leather cord and metal leave containing a miniature book, 24x15 mm.



'The Second Letter' is a holding book with a metal key, with a miniature leporello inside, 24x15 mm.


'The Third Letter' is a rolled book with a metal chain and ring. 24x 302 mm.



Original short stories in Japanese about a time machine and Autumn.
Miyako Akai, Japanese miniaturist. Educated as an architect. Writer of novels and short stories. From 2001 on she makes books. Her bindings are very original and the use of materials reflects the long tradition of paper arts in Japan. In 2006 she was distinguished award winner of the Miniature Book Society competition with Kotosubu, a miniature book in a bamboo cage.