Fuck Yeah, Book Arts!

Jozsef Tari has been collecting miniature books since 1972, and is now the proud owner of over 4,500 literary works, including the world’s smallest book (2.9 x 3.2 mm).

“A printer by trade, Tari has always been fascinated by the written word, and in 1972 he began collecting miniature books. Most of the items in his collection are in Hungarian, but he also has quite a few from the US, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Indonesia and Japan. Ironically, he only has a few books from the countries neighboring Hungary. As far as topics are concerned, Jozsef Tari is interested in everything from religion to sports, literature and even cooking, but he only collects books that are 76 mm in size, or smaller. His collection features books that are over 100 years old, but his most prized miniature is the world’s smallest book – it measures only 2.9 x 3.2 millimeters and fits into a nutshell.

Apart from the 4,500 books in his collection, Tari also has 15 kinds of miniature newspapers, including the smallest in the world, which measures only 19 x 26 mm.” 

(However I do believe there is a new world’s smallest book! I wonder if Tari will be adding it to his already amazing collection…)

(Source: odditycentral.com)

(via earnestly)

The Book of Soil : By Teagan White

A selection of pages from The Book of Soil, an experimental book- and paper-making project.
The content is related to my own ongoing interest in life cycles, decomposition, and the often overlooked world beneath our feet. I have a nearly religious reverence for decomposers, and the idea that the vehicle through which we achieve a very real (if only physical) immortality is the lowest of life forms, who go about their work indiscriminately and with no expectation of praise in return. I hope that this book communicates some part of the flawless grace of that reciprocal arrangement, and that the knowledge of it can be as comforting to others as it is to me.

All paper is handmade with a combination of fibers including flax, kozo, gampi, abaca, and self-harvested cattails, and a number of pigments and additives. The book has an exposed hardcover binding and measures 4.5”x6”. The illustrations were drawn directly with ink, and the text added via image transfer.