Throughout most of the 20th century, the world of miniature books was dominated by a trilogy of fascinating and strong-minded women whose libraries comprised fully 98% of all known miniature treasures. Ruth Adomeit, Julia Wightman and Irene Winterstein were close friends who collaborated in building three unparalleled bibliophilic collections.

It was my good fortune to know them all. Ruth Adomeit attended all but one of the Grand Conclaves between 1983 and the time of her demise; Julia Wightman lived in midtown Manhattan and I had the privilege of visiting her at her home at 121 East 65th Street in 1992. My one and only meeting with Irene Winterstein occurred during Grand Conclave VIII, which was held at Glasgow, Scotland, over the Labor Day weekend in 1990.

Swiss-born Winterstein (1925-1999), whose collection was aptly described as “one of the most important and comprehensive collections of miniature books ever assembled” left instructions to have her 4,000 books put to auction. The catalogue confirmed that it was “the largest single disposal of miniature books ever. The monumental library was entrusted to Christie’s Auction House in South Kensington, London, where, divided into 314 separate lots, it fell under the hammer on March 10, 2000. Titles of the books and manuscripts, dating from the 15th century, were listed and described in a forty-five page catalogue.

Julian Edison attended the three-day auction and described the event in these words: A wide variety of books were offered: literature in several languages, children’s books, travel, religious and art items. A large group of German, French, Austrian and American almanacs of the 18th and 19th centuries, modern private press books, and Hungarian titles from the 1960s, 70s and 80s were included. Some 250 Carnet de bal, 19th century dance programs, and eight magnificent manuscripts, rounded out this rare and unusual lifetime accumulation.

Of special interest were three copies of the “little” Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary ranging in dates from 1677 to 1751. The parvulum officium, a smaller edition of the Divine Office, which priests and others in major orders recite daily, dates back to the middle of the 18th century where it became popular at Monte Casino. There have been several versions of that liturgical devotion over the centuries.

Historically the first miniature edition of the Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis appears to have been an incunabulum issued at Venice by Nicolas Jansen in 1473. That edition, having 176 leaves and measuring 50 x 34mm, was set in Gothic type.

Item #246 in the Winterstein catalogue was of special collecting interest to me because it was printed on the press of Christopher Plantin, a French printer famous for his typographical excellence and beauty, who settled in Antwerp in 1550. Plantin, perhaps the best known of the 16th century printers of manuscripts, is especially remembered for liturgical books, almanacs and editions of the classics.

Described in Christie’s catalog as Officium B. Mariae Virginis…., this 712-page book was printed at Antwerp in 1677. Measuring 105 by 60mm. (text 60 x 35), the volume has twelve full pages of illustrations, with margins of some leaves trimmed, with slight browning. The book, later encased in a vellum binding, follows the liturgical reforms initiated by Pope Pius V, with hymns approved by Urban VIII.

(This article was published in "The Microbibliophile: A Bi-Monthly Journal About Miniature Books").