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The Charlotte M. Smith Collection of Miniature Books

Return to: 20th Century U. S. Imprints in the Smith Collection

The portion of this website in front of you brings together in preliminary fashion a variety of lists and descriptions for United States Miniature Books published during the Twentieth Century. The books have then been organized by press or publisher as described in Robert C. Bradbury's Twentieth Century United States Miniature Books (No. Clarendon, Vermont: The Microbibliophile, 2000). This page describes titles held by the University of Iowa Libraries for the press or publisher described below. The descriptions generally follow Bradbury's format: Author. Title. Imprint (if it varies from the heading), date. Size in inches. Number of pages. Brief physical description. Illustrations note. Copy # of [##] copies.

Marcus, Stanley. Minding the Store, A Memoir. Dallas, TX:  Somesuch Press, 1975. 383 pp. 2 15/16" x 2".
Colophon: The text of this book is Bodoni Book, introduced in 1910, and is a variation of the Bodoni typeface created in 1788 by Giambattista Bodoni, the Italian designer and court printer for the Duke of Parma. At that time, the typeface was considered modern, due in part to its clean serifs and thick and thin lines.
This miniature edition of 'Minding the Store' has been commissioned by Mrs. Stanley Marcus to commmemorate the seventieth birthday of her husband. It has been printed and bound by Padgett Printing Corporation of Dallas, Texas. A limited edition of five hundred copies have been printed. This is copy number 251.
Bound in green cloth, in black dust jacket. Illustrated. B20th 1/1941.

Allen, John Houghton. That Was Randado. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1978. 43 pp. 3" x 2".
Colophon: 295 copies printed on Rives paper, Design by William Holman, Printed by David Holman. Signed David Holman. #220.
Printed at the Wind River Press, Austin. Marbled boards. Illustrated by Ed Lindlof. B20th 2/73.

Church, Francis P. Yes Virginia. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1978. 24 pp. 3" x 2 ¼".
Colophon: 300 copies of this book were printed by Harold McGrath at the Hampshire Typothetae in the autumn of 1978. The type is Bruce Rogers' Centaur, the paper is Charter Oak. The initial 'V' was cut in endgrain boxwood by Barry Moser. Bound in cloth over boards by Barbara Blumenthal. Designed by Anne O'Connor. This is copy number 36. Signed H P McGrath.
Blue cloth with paper label on front board. B20th 3/705.

----. Artist's Proof copy from the collection of Jeff Dwyer, financial manager of the Pennyroyal Press, numbered "a/p" and signed by McGrath. Laid into quarter leather drop spine box finished with linen cloth.  Because of the box, this copy has been cataloged to the "x" collection.

Greene. A. C. A Christmas Tree. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1978. 48 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 1/8".
Colophon: This miniature edition of A Christmas Tree is limited to 300 copies. The types are hand-set Centaur and Arrighi, the paper is Crown and Scepter, and the binding is Italian silk. Set, designed and printed by William and Raquel Ferguson at the Ferguson Press, Cambridge Massachusetts; bound by Barbara Blumenthal, Northampton, Massachusetts, November 1978 Copy No. 259. Sighned William and Raquel Ferguson.
48 pages bound in rust Italian silk with gold lettering. B20th 4/1244.

Henry, O. Gift of the Magi. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1978. 3 " x 2 ".
Colophon: 300 copies of this book were designed and produced in San Francisco by Andrew Hoyem, Printer Fall 1978. Signed Andrew Hoyem, No. 261.
Decorative boards wrapped in christmas ribbon with gift attached. Henry Morris of Bird and Bull Press was originally commissioned to print this book, but edition was never completed. B20th 5/1377.

Dobie, Frank J. Frontier Tales of the White Mustang. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1979. 47 pp. 2 ½" x 1 3/4".
Colophon: 288 of three hundred and ninety five copies designed and printed by David Holman drawing by Jerry Bywaters bound by Jim Tapley. Signed David Holman.
Foreward by Lon Tinkle. xii 49 pages, vellum binding. The first Dobie miniature and the smallest book published by Stanley Marcus of the Press. B20th 6/930.

Holland, Barbara. The Captive Boy, A True Story. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1979. 57 pp. 2 15/16" x 2 3/8".
Colophon: #121 signed Carl Hertzog.
Preface by Archibald Hanna Dallas. Rives mouldmade paper imported from France. 300 copies designed and produced by Carl Hertzog. Plates and printing by Guynes Printing Company. Binding by Gehrard Schermer. 58 plus xiv pages. Bound in red leather and gold stamped. B20th 7/1457.

Milroy, Jack. Portraits of the Queen: The Stamp Collages of Jack Milroy. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1979. 2 7/8" x 2 5/8".
Colophon: One hundred copies of this book were printed for the Somesuch Press in the spring of 1979 by Christine Bertelson at The Rara Avis Press in Madison, Wisconsin. The type is Caslon Old Style and the papers ar Hayle and Dresden Ingres. The stamp collages were fabricated by Jack and Katie Milroy. Amy Cuthbuert made the bindings and the slipcases. All copies, including 25 artist's proofs are signed by the artists. This is copy number 65.
27 pages plus three blocks of stamps (one plain and two collages). Full crimson leather, gold stamped, with marbled board case. Use is made of sixteen Queen Elizabeth stamps to make remarkable designs and combinations of colors. No two collages are exactly alike. B20th 8/2289.

Boorstin, Daniel J. Gresham's Law: Knowledge or Information?Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1980. 44 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 1/4".
Colophon: This book was designed, printed, & bound by Don Greame Kelley & Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Anselmo, California, in an edition of 300 copies, of which 275 are for sale. This is number 33, signed by Don Greame Kelley & Susan Acker.
This is an important essay by the Librarian of Congress on knowledge and our electronic society. Also signed by the author, Daniel Boorstin, and by the illustrator, Dianne Ewell Weiss. Forward by Stanley Marcus. Bound in tan Japanese wool challis over boards with the title on the spine and an illustration on the front cover both stamped in reddish brown. Brown endpapers. B20th 9/466.

Espy, Willard R. Wars of the Words. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1980. 33 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 ¼".
Colophon: This book was designed, handset, printed, and bound by Don Greame Kelley and Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Anselmo, California. Of two hundred copies, tis is Number 33. Signed Don Greame Kelley, Susan Acker.
Included in the Western Books Exhibition of the Rounce and Caffin Club. Bound in brown paper covered cover, with a fighting knight on front. B20th 10/1050.

Ellison, Frank. A Facsimile of "A Journal of a Trip Down East, Aug.1858." Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1981. 62 pp. 2 3/4" x 3 1/4".
Colophon: 200 copies of this book, signed by the printer and the publisher, have been printed by The Meriden Gravure Company in Meriden, Connecticut, of which this is number 61. Signed Stanley Marcus and the printer Stephen Stinehour.
Paper covers. A facsimile in gravure of a rare American miniature. B20th 11/1030.

Faries, Belmont. A Christmas Album: Twenty Years of Yuletide Stamps. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1981. 34 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 1/2".
Colophon: This book was designed, handset, printed and bound by Dan Greame Kelley and Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Rafael, California, in an edition of 160 copies, of which 150 are for sale. Number 54. Signed Kelley and Acker.
Contains 41 mint condition US Christmas stamps. Text also by Faries, international philately expert. Bound in imported green skiver leather. This copy contains only 39 mint stamps.
Signed by Dan Greame Kelley and Susan Acker. B20th 12/1061.

Goldwater, Barry. Certain Unalienable Rights. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1982. 30 pp. 2 5/8" x 2 1/2".
Colophon: 250 copies of this book were printed and bound at the Catawba Press, Northampton, Massachusetts. The paper is Rives lightweight; the type is Bembo. The frontispiece portrait is an original wood engraving by Abigail Rorer. Each copy is signed by the artist and the printer/binder. Copy number 19, signed by Abigail Rorer, artist, and Barbara Blumenthal, binder.
A speech delivered on the floor of the United States Senate on Sept. 15, 1981. Frontispiece portrait from a wood engraving. Bound in blue cloth with title label pasted on the front cover. B20th 13/1206.

Faries, Belmont. Christmas Stamps from Around the World. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1982. 58 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 5/8".
Colophon: This book was designed, handset, and printed by Don Greame Kelley and Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Rafeael, California, and bound by The Schuberth Bookbindery of San Francisco, in an edition of 800 numbered and ten lettered copies. Number 39. Signed Don Greame Kelley and Susan Acker.
58 pages with 18 original stamps, red leather gilt stamped, with green decorative case. This history of Christmas stamps from around the world displays 18 stamps issued by various countries, cities, and islands. The selection of stamps is not identical in all copies. B20th 14/1062.

Marcus, Stanley. Quest for the Best. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1983. 228 pp. 3" x 2 1/8".
Colophon: A limited edition of eight hundred fifty copies have been printed. This is copy #18. Bound in blue cloth published by Padgett Printing Corporation. 35 illustrations and comes with miniature d.j. Kept inside a wine colored paper book jacket with the title in gold on spine and front. Inscribed to Charlotte Smith by Stanley Marcus on 10/14/83. B20th 15/1942.

Harlow, Francis H. Pueblo Art: Southwestern Indian Pottery. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1983. 36 pp. 2 3/4" x 2 1/8".
Colophon: This book was designed, printed, and bound by Don Greame Kelley & Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Rafael, California. Of 395 numbered & five lettered copies, this is No.12.
Contains 4 Indian pottery stamps issued by the US postal service in 1977. Ford Ruthling of Santa Fe, designer of the stamps, has contributed an introduction. Bound in orange-brown cloth with title on the spine and an illustration of a piece of pottery on the front cover both printed in black. B20th 16/1312.

Solomon, Robert C. Love. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1983. 24 pp. 2-1/4" x 2-7/8".
Colophon: This book was designed, handset, and printed by Don Greame Kelley & Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Rafael, California, and bound by The Schuberth Bookbindery, San Francisco.
Contains an introduction by Robert Solomon, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas and 21 quotations from Chaucer to Shakespeare, with a British valentine stamp and the famous Robert Indiana Love stamp. Edition of 1000 copies. B20th 17/2772.

Flaubert, Gustave. Bibliomania, A Tale. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1984. 69 pp. 2 7/8" x 1 7/8".
Colophon: 325 numbered copies and 25 lettered copies have been printed from Trinite type by Joh. Enschede en Zonen, Haarlem, Holland and bound by Reliure d'Art du Centre S.A. Ligomes, France. September, 1984. Signed by the illustrator, Dugald Stermer.
Bound in gold-stamped red leather with decorated endsheets. Printed on Dusen Ingres paper. Gilt edges. B20th 18/1086.

Stermer, Dugald. An Extraordinary Man: Howard Luck Gossage. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1984. 64 pp. 2-7/8" x 2-3/8".
Colophon: This book was designed by Dugald Stermer, typeset by Othmar Peters of Mackenzie-Harris in San Francisco, printed & bound by Don Greame Kelley & Susan Acker of the Feathered Serpent Press in San Rafael, California, in an edition of three hundred numbered copies. This is #28, signed.
An exploration of and by Howard Luck Gossage. Compiled, illustrated, and designed by his friend, Dugald Stermer with at Memoir by Jessica Mitford and an Obituary by Herb Caen. Set in 8 point Centaur. Bound in gold-stamped black leather. B20th 19/2809.

Fuentes, Carlos. On Human Rights. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1985. 52 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 1/4".
Colophon: On Human Rights has been printed in an edition of 395 copies by Darrell Hyder at his press in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. The type is Monotype Caslon 337, the paper Frankfurt White. The binding is by Barbara Blumenthal of Northampton, Massachusetts. The author signed this copy number 49.
Delivered as a speech by Carlos Fuentes before the United Nations Association in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 4, 1980. Introduction by Henry Raymont, President of Mundus Novus. Illustrated with the set of six postage stamps designed for the United Nations in 1983 by the distinguished Austrian artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The stamps, printed by the Austrian State Printing Office in many colors, are mounted in special sleeves individually wrapped in. Bound in blue cloth with title gold-stamped on the front cover and spine. B20th 20/1151.

Smith, Toby. Skyborne: A Ballooning Baedeker. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1985. 25 pp. 2 3/4" x 2 1/2".
Colophon: 285 copies of Skyborne have been printed by Peter Wells at Sunflower Press, Sandia Park, New Mexico. The typeface is Monotype Cochin Light, the paper is Frankfurt White. The binding is by Virginia Gannon and decoration by Priscilla Spitler. 200 numbered copies, 1-200, are signed by the author and printer are for sale; 75 copies, numbered 201-275, have been specially bound for the Maxie Anderson-Ben Abruzzo International Balloon Museum; 10 copies, lettered A-J, are hors de commerce. This is copy #7 signed by the author and printer.
Contains five commemorative postage stamps. Stamps issued by the United States, Surinam, France, Belgium, Germany, and Poland. This book is also extra-illustrated with 3 more US stamps found in the back pages of this book. Inscribed by Stanley Marcus. Bound in red cloth with illustration of a hot air balloon and title gold-stamped on the front cover and title on spine. B20th 21/2767.

Bacon, Roger. The Four Stumbling Blocks to Success. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1985. 20 pp. 2 3/4" x 2 3/4".
Colophon: This book was designed, printed, and bound by Don Greame Kelley & Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Rafael, California, in an edition of 250 numbered (not for sale) and 50 lettered copies of which this is W.
Inscribed by Stanley Marcus. Book by the Anglican Mage Brother, Roger Bacon, O.F.M. Illustration on the title-page by Cornelis Teunissen. Amsterdam, Circa 1532. Illusrations for the text by Hartmann Schedel, adapted from The Nuremberg Chronicle of Anton Koberger, 1493. Bound in dark blue leather with title gold stamped on the front cover. B20th 22/244.

Youthful Recreations. Reprint of children's book published circa 1810. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1986. 40 pp. 2 3/4" x 1 3/4".
Printed and bound in gilt leather with a colored enamel plaque by Halcyon days of London recessed into front cover by Feathered Serpent Press, slipcase by D'Ambrosio. Adapted from original edition published in London, 1801. #5 of 175 copies. Signed by Susan Acker and Stanley Marcus. B20th 23/3328.

Goforth, Joy. Symbol of America: An American Indian Liberty. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1986. 25 pp. 2 3/4" x 2".
Colophon: This book was designed and printed by Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press. Of 275 copies, this is #24, signed by Susan Acker and Stanley Marcus.
The genesis of the United Stated Indian Head Penny, first commissioned in 1856, and the identitiy of the model who posed for the "head" of this coin. Bound in Iris Green cloth with an Indian Head Penny inset into the front cover. Endpaper decorations are taken from Lonacre coins and coin designs. Crane's bank note currency paper, never before released for use in a book. Designed and printed letterpress by Susan Acker at the Feathered Serpent Press. B20th 24/1193.

Kent, Rockwell. The Golden Chain. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1986. 44 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 3/8".
Colophon: Its creator Rockwell Kent described The Golden Chain to his friend Frank Crowninshield as 'something of great intrinsic beauty and worth'. The presentation copy illustrations are reproduced courtesy of the Humanities Research Center, Austin, Texas. The text is reset in Joanna, a typeface named by its designer Eric Gill for his daughter, and printed on handmade Chatham paper from Maidstone, England. The composition and printing are by Susannah Kent, binding by Carol Kent of Erespin Press, Austin, Texas. A reissue in miniature of a story issued on March 2, 1922 in an edition of eight copies with original illustrations by Rockwell Kent. Reproductions of the original illustrations. Hand sewn and bound in cream crepe de chine, mauve and grey. Preface by Stanley Marcus. #54 of 200 copies signed by Marcus. Handset and printed by eight year old Susannah Kent, bound by Carol Kent.
Edition of 200 copies signed by Stanley Marcus. B20th 25/1652.

Horgan, Paul. Saintmaker's Christmas Eve. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1987. 143 pp. 2 5/8" x 3".
Colophon: Two hundred and fifty copies of this book have been printed by offset by the Meriden-Stinehour Press, Meriden, Connecticut, in October 1987. This edition was made possible by the author, Paul Horgan, and his publishers, Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. This is number 96, signed by the author, printer, and publisher.
Bound in red Chinese silk and is illustrated by the author. Title is gold-stamped on the front cover and spine. There is a gold-stamped figure of a saint on the back cover. B20th 26/1464.

Turner, Decherd. The Perfect Blind. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1989. 18 pp. 2 15/16" x 2 7/16".
Colophon: Decherd Turner's reminiscence was written especially for this Somesuch Press edition. The text was handset in Goudy Oldstyle with Gallia display and printed letterpress on Mohawk Satin by Carol Kent of Erespin Press in Austin, who bound the edition in Brillianta from Van Heek Textiles in Holland. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved to Decherd Turner. Of 200 copies numbered and signed by the printer, this is number 151. Also signed by author.
The author was director of the Humanities Research Center. at the University of Texas for many years. Bound in imported burgundy Brillianta bookcloth over boards with inset gold-stamped cover. Specially designed endpapers. Enclosed in a black paper slipsheet. B20th 27/2949.

Waldseemuller, Martin. Tabula Terra Nova (1513). Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1992. 2 7/8" x 5 1/8".
Colophon: Two hundred numbered copies and ten lettered copies of Tabula Terra Nova have been designed and produced by W. Thomas Taylor in Austin, Texas. The type is Adobe Garamond, generated by an Apple computer, printed letterpress from a photopolymer plate. The binding is by Campbell-Logan Bindery in Minneapolis. This is copy #20. Signed by Taylor.
Text unfolds to 7-1/2" x 10" with early map on the reverse side. Bound in full brown leather with title gold stamped on the front cover. B20th 28/3019.

Applegate, Frank. No Calamity Equals a Bad Neighbor. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1993. 26 pp. 2-5/8" x 2-3/16".
Colophon: This book was designed, illustrated, printed, and bound by Susan Acker & Mary McDermott at the Feathered Serpent Press, San Rafael, California, in an edition of 200 copies, of which this is #31. Signed by Susan Acker and Mary McDermmott.
Bound in brown paper over boards with illustration and title printed in red on the front cover and in black on the spine. B20th 30/210.

Anderson, Hans Christian. The Emperor's New Clothes. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1994. 28 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 7/16".
Letterpress and bound in pictorial cloth boards by Carol Kent. Signed by Stanley Marcus. 250 copies. B20th 31/80.

Bantock, Nick. The History of Imaginary Spinning Tops. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1994. 40 pp., 2 7/8" x 2 3/8".
Colophon: The text and illustrations for this book are by Nick Bantock. Handprinted and bound in goat skin by Carol Kent. Type text from M&H Type. Windsor initials. Courtesy of David Edwards. Color xerography by Susannah Kent at Booklab. Made in Austin, Texas. Autumnal Equinox 1994. Of 300 copies this is number 157. Signed by author. B20th 32/273.

Friedeberg, Pedro. Tarot. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1995. 122 pp. 2 15/16" x 2 3/8".
Colophon: Handset in Binney O.S. and Greco display types, letterpress printed and handbound in black tanned llama by Carol Kent. Images of original artwork were reproduced from photographs by color xerography. Vernal Equinox 1996. Of 150 number and signed copies for distribution in theU. S. and 52 lettered copies at the private prerogative of the artist, this is copy 118. Signed by author and binder. B20th 33/1143.

Wells, Maria X. Z. The Pupi of Stanley Marcus' Collection. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1995. 83 pp., 3" x 2 ½".
Colophon: Published by The Somesuch Press in an edition of 250 numbered copies for sale September, 1997. # 250. Designed by Jack Summerford using the typeface Bembo. Printed on Mohawk Superfine paper by Padgett Printing in Dallas, Texas U.S.A. B20th 34/3196.

Greene, A.C. Brandy Miracle. Dallas, TX: Somesuch Press, 1998. 39 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 1/4".
Colophon: Letterpress printed from handset type and bound in full cloth with foil stamping by Carol, Susannah and Genevieve Kent of Austin, TX. Open initials courtesy of Robert Kent. Silhouette courtesy of the United States Marine Corps. Winter Solstice 1998. Copy 75 of 250. Signed by Carol Kent. B20th 35/1245.

Graves, John. The Meaning of Moonlight. Dallas, TX: The Somesuch Press, 1999. 57 pp. 2 7/8" x 2 3/8".
Colophon: Hand set in Binny Old Style, letterpress printed and bound in Buffalo hide by Carol, Sussanah, and Genevieve Kent of Austin, TX. Cheltenham open initials were loaned by Robert Kent. Horse figure stamped in 23k gold was the gift of Egdon Margo. Vernal Equinox 1999. This is number 17 of 250 copies. Signed by author and printer/binder. B20th 36/1233.