Philadelphia Rare Books:

MINIATURE BOOKS

Phinney Thumb Bible, 1839

(A Child's Treasure). Bible. English. Selections. 1839. History of the Bible. Cooperstown: H. & E. Phinney, 1839. 16mo (4.9 cm, 1.9"). 192 pp.; illus.
$300.00

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• Thumb Bibles were a favorite gift or reward for children during the late 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries, but they were enough of a curiosity that they also found audiences among other classes of readers and collectors as well. Miniature books, with page measurements not exceeding 2" x 1 1/2", their text is composed of paraphrased versions of famous Bible stories or passages. Because these books were most commonly owned, read, and played with by children, they suffered heavy and rough use and saw a great rate of destruction.

• Adomeit, Three Centuries of Thumb Bibles, A90. Period-style speckled calf, spine with two raised bands and gilt-stamped title. One leaf with most of lower half torn away, resulting in partial loss of image on one side and loss of roughly 20 words on the other; otherwise, pages slightly age-toned only, with occasional faint spotting. (25202)

Spouses, Don't Thwart Your Bibliomaniacs

Field, Eugene. Dibdin's ghost. A Christmas keepsake. Fullerton: Lorson's Books & Prints, 1980. 16mo (7.3 cm, 2.8"). [16] pp.
[SOLD]

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miniature

one of 500 copies printed by Vance Gerry

• Publisher's textured green paper wrappers, sewn as issued. Clean and crisp. (30658)

DecorativePolish Catholic Miniature

(God be with you!). Bóg z toba! Ksiazka do nabozenstwa dla katolików obojga plci. Warszawa i Wimperk: J. Steinbrenera, 1911. 16mo (9.8 cm, 3.75"). 256 pp. (19–30 lacking); illus.
$100.00

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Uncommon: WorldCat locates only one U.S. institutional holding of this 1911 (as per the imprimatur) edition.

Binding: Cream-colored plasticized boards (with cream cloth intentionally visible at joints), front cover with color-printed overlay of an angel delicately tinted in light blue and pink with gilt backdrop beneath a rose and grapevine motif, turn-ins with gilt roll, moiré silk endpapers. All edges gilt.

• Binding as above, corners slightly rubbed, minor discoloration to sides and spine head. Lacking pp. 19–30 (though with its not being entirely clear whether these were ever present). Pages age-toned; lower outer corners of first few leaves bumped. A beautiful little prayerbook. (30391)

Portable Pindar from the Glasgow Editions of the Greek Classics

Pindarus. Ta tou Pindarou sesōmena ... ex editione Oxoniensis. Glasguae: R. & A. Foulis, 1754–58. 32mo (7.8 cm, 3.1"). 4 vols. in 3. I: [2], 158 pp. II: 186 pp. III: 128 pp. IV: 79, [1] pp.
[SOLD]

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Editiones minimae

Provenance: Each front fly-leaf with early inked inscription of Henry Moore, Worcester College, Oxford; front pastedowns with bookplate of H.M., presumably also Moore.

Binding: Publisher's mottled crimson calf, covers framed in gilt beaded roll, spines with gilt-stamped title and compartment decorations, board edges with gilt roll.

• ESTC T134377; Brunet, IV, 660; Dibden, II, 290; Gaskell 274; Schweiger, I, 236. Bindings as above, edges and extremities rubbed, spine leather darkened and showing small cracks. Vol. I with occasional instances of early inked marginalia in Greek. Vol. II with paper flaw to one leaf that has torn slightly, affecting about three letters. Pages gently age-toned with a very few scattered light spots, otherwise clean. A nicely printed text in a pleasing small format. (30208)

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