Miniature bookcase and books: 1904

This tiny, turn-of-the-20th-century bookcase with its complement of miniature books is on sale at Vininghill, an antiques dealer.

A very sweet miniature bookcase , probably made of maple. This bookcase revolves on a long steel pin, and spins with ease. The 40 miniature books are volumes of Shakespeare and are printed in Glasgow by David Bryce & Son, and in London by Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press Warehouse Amen Corner. The item is dated 1904. One of the books is dedicated to Ellen Terry, the actress. This is a lovely item.
Size: bookcase - 6-1/4 inches x 4 inches books - approx. 2 inches x 1-1/4 inches

Edwardian Miniature Revolving Bookcase (via Bookshelf)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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http://twitter.com/lewsmind Lew

This post is serendipitous as I just ran across this fellow in Cincinnati, who makes miniature rooms. Very interesting art form.
http://miniaturerooms.com/Miniaturerooms/Home.html
- allybeag
  
  As someone who grew up loving dolls’ houses, and making my own furniture and so on, I find these fascinating and intriguing. Watching the video about how he makes them, though, left me feeling a bit cheated. He tweaks the angles to make the perspective look right, and then puts them behind glass, so you can’t actually move things about, or put people inside. They are extraordinary things, so detailed and craftsman made, but for me they’re just too, well, grown-up. Give me a proper dolls’ house any day.
http://www.jjsaul.com Jim Saul

That bookshelf set is exquisite. Now’s the time to start collecting rare books, if one has the interest and resources. There’s something doubly appealing about tiny antiquarian books.
James B

In the photo of the top, it looks like you can see medulary rays on the vertical pieces, making me think it is white oak with a maple top. I have a school desk from the same era that uses white oak for the legs, and maple for the writing surface. I was a bit disappointed that the original cabinetmaker just used big screws through the top. Un-zoomed, it looked like through tenons, but then up close it looks incomplete.

I do like the idea of a minature rotating bookcase. I might have to make my daughter a nightstand like this, but would use a round top so it can sit closer to the wall.
Colin Urbina

Welcome to the wondrous world of miniature books!
You can find the Miniature Book Society at http://www.mbs.org/
A miniature book is anything smaller than 3 inches by three inches, and is a complete subset of book collecting. It truly makes for a practical collection because it travels very easily compared to full size volumes.
jimjambandit

Cool. My folks have a full sized version of this style of bookcase in mahogany, it’s very beautiful at both scales.
lovelystrangeness

I recently saw an exhibit of work from another miniature room artist, Mrs. James Ward Thorne, at the Art Institute of Chicago. They are exquisite: http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/category/15
Jonathan Badger

Is there any good software for making miniature books? I know there’s tons of software for making booklets, but those are usually just folded over once letter/A4 paper and so not really miniature.
Jeffrey Henderer

Kindle for the 19th century