Miniature Books

Miniature books were originally coveted in the Middle Ages for their portability. They were easy to pack for traveling, and clergymen and pious laity particularly liked carrying a small Psalter or other devout text around with them at all times, often attached to their belt or girdle. In fact, miniature books were in such high demand, and parchment was so expensive, that thieves began turning a profit by cutting out the margins and other blank parts of large books to sell to makers of miniature books. Miniature books were also widely used in Europe and Asia as protective charms during the medieval era. In the 18th century, miniature editions of children's books caught on as the latest fashion, and the miniature book industry entered a "golden age" in the 19th century. By this time, miniature books served as decorative items as well as functional reading material.

How small does a book have to be to be considered a miniature? There are no set standards, but any book measuring less than 3 to 4 inches tall and wide could potentially be classed as a miniature. The record holders for smallest books in the world are a copy of the Lord's Prayer printed in Amsterdam in 1952, and a copy of the Olympic Oath published in honor of the 1964 winter games in Austria.

(Compiled by Yi Hong Sim from The History of Miniature Books (Albany, N.Y.: Fort Orange Press, 1987) by Doris Welsh.)