Books in miniature

 

     I've had the book Queen Mary's Dolls' House for many years, and I look at it periodically and marvel at the work that went into the house, which is on show at Windsor Castle (I've been to see it there myself), and about which you can find out more here. Designed by Lutyens in the early 1920s, it is "the only completely untouched Lutyens house in existence, a permanent record of a way of life between the wars". But apart from that, what is so stunning is the authenticity of the contents: everything that might have been in a grand house of the period is here, from a Purdey shooting stick to golf clubs and bag by J.T. Gowdie & Co. and a tiny box of watercolours by Winsor and Newton, and on through every room, humble or smart, all fully equipped for its miniature inhabitants.

    The library is interesting as "the greater part of the literarture was commissioned from living authors, being either new work for the purpose...or their own selection from published work. Their books are in manuscript, often the author's handwriting, and some are illustrated with specially drawn pictures".

   So here's a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,

and poems by Kipling, illustrated by himself, while Queen Mary's bookplates, affixed to every book, are designed by Ernest Shephard:

To give an idea of scale, the red book below is the smallest amongst the original contributions, measuring 1" by 7/8"; it is sitting on a full-sized volume from the royal collection.

Were you to search the catalogue you'd find the great names of the period; only George Bernard Shaw "did not accept with alacrity the invitation to contribute to the library, and .... he refused 'in a very rude manner' ", but the shelves include Barrie, Buchan, Hardy, Housman, Chesterton, Conrad,  Milne, Maugham and many more.

For a glimpse below stairs at the Dolls' House, have a look at today's post on Cornflower.

Comments

[Juxtabook]

Ooh, aren't they gorgeous little things. Miniature books are really enchanting objects but all those author manuscripts, as well as the tiny designs, make that probably the world's most covetable.

[Rebecca]

Oh Karen, it really does hurt, you made me feel 9 years old again. Lovely.

[Simon T]

How wonderful - as are the items from the post on your other blog. I do hope it was treasured by the royal children, before it became an object of public interest.

[Elaine]

I, too , have this book and saw the houses many years ago when I visited Windsor Castle. Room was full of children with their noses pressed up against the glass oohing and aaahing. A lot of adults to - including me