STUDIO ROBERT WU

Galileo Galilei - Galileo A Madama Cristina di Lorena, (1615) Padova, Salmin Brothers. 1896, Italy.

An extraordinary rare antique miniature book on Galileo’s letter written in Latin to his friend Cristina di Lorena, originally published in 1636, is an appeal for the reconciliation of science and religion. “For many years this tiny book which is only half the size of an ordinary postage stamp was considered the smallest book printed from movable type,” Louis Bondy wrote in his Miniature Books: Their History from the Beginnings to the Present Day.

The book was published by the Salmin Brothers in 1896 and printed in Italy in 1897 with Dantino “fly’s eye” type, the smallest movable type in the world. Legend has it that the printer at Maggio damaged his eyesight afterwards.

The book is bound in full French art binding technique with dark purple leather. Every step of the fine binding process is scaled down to such a minute scale, it’s challenging to make to say the least! The book is sewn on guards with original covers bound in so as to allow for minimal intervention to the original paperback book. Handsewn French double headbands in turquoise, fushia and cream with silk threads. Cover gilding is done with 22k gold leaves and palladium and colour foil. Onlays of jade green and yellow textured leather. Interior leather doublures in jade green and purple leather flyleaves. Superfine miniature tiger eye marbled endpaper.

The leather jewellery box is made in the same way with velvet and silk lining to house a special custom Canadian made brass magnifier and the binding. The binding measures only 1” x 1” x 6/8” The box measures 3 1/2” x 2 1/2” x 1 1/2”. Brass closure partially is made by me and finished up with a fine silk thread tassel.

The folding box is covered with Italian linen fabric and lined with big suede and gold corkpaper to house this treasure.

Design: The heliocentric design on the cover corresponds with Galileo’s belief stated in the letter that the sun, rather than the earth, is the centre of our universe. This idea was commonly rejected by the church / political authorities at the time. Galileo was writing the letter to appeal to the grand Dutchess for personal protection to no avail and thereafter Galileo was imprisoned and chastised for.

Private Collection.

Winter’s Tale by Neale M. Albert 2021

An accordion book filled with photographs of flowers. I created this new inventive structure called “Thistle book” as the book opens up to 360 degree to form a purple thistle flower to showcase all the interior colourful photographs of bouquets. Bound in leather decorated with floral textures and silver sunago flakes. The title is stamped in gold with top edge coloured purple and guaffered. Purple dandelion paste endpaper by me with sunago flakes. Purple and gold silk headbands. Housed in a Chinese/ Japanese style folding box covered with green cloth and my own green dandelion paste paper. The book measures 2.5”x3”x1”. The folding box measures 6”x6”x1.5”.

A commissioned Miniature binding. It was featured as the book cover front image for a catalogue.

Redoute’s Roses - published by Robert Wu of Little Gem Press in 2002, Toronto. This 2x3cm postage stamp size miniature book contains a dozen handwatercoloured rose plates in miniature. It’s bound in the traditional English style of miniature bindings made by Sangorski & Sutcliffe residing in Queen Mary’s dollhouse. The binding measures 2x3 cm and the leather jewelry case measures 2x3x4 cm. Handsewn silk headbands in red and turquoise. All 3 edges gilt. Bound in jade green leather with rased bands and decorated with mosaic leather onlays with gold tooling in 22k gold leaves. Ultra fine marbled endpapers in miniature tiger eye pattern. The case is bound in pink leather, gold tooled with 22k gold leaves and lined with teal suede. Custom made brass clasp with a tiny silk tassel.

An exquisite miniature book bound in the style of Sangorski and Sutcliffe. Jeanne d’Arc published by Pairault et Cie in Paris in 1895. The binding measures 1.5” tall. It’s bound in green Goat leather and decorated with mosaic yellow onlays and gilt with 22k gold leaves. Hand sewn silk headbands in red blue and yellow headbands. Marbled endpapers and the title is gilt in 22 k gold leaves as well.

A cute miniature binding housed in a solander box. Overlay images of a cat praying on the beta fish.

Wolrd's smallest Don Quixote. Designed and bound by me complete with a stand. Private Collection.

La Filleule du Seigneur, published by Pairault et Cie, 1897 Paris

An exquisite French binding in miniature inspired by Paul Bonet’s raidant design- complete with a slipcase. Each line is individually gilt with 22k gold leaves. Super tiny titling by hand with hand set types!

A set of two antique miniature books bound by me and housed in a leather box.

Another version of my published mini book Word Songs. Bound in turquoise leather with gilding. All edges gilt with hand sewn headbands. Housed in a leather bound case. Private Collection.

Written, published and bound by yours truly. I love lily of the valley!

Written, illustrated and published by me. This miniature binding measures 1" tall has a abalone shell inlay on the leather cover with clasp, bookmark and tooled dots.

A miniature set of binding and boxes with a magnifying glass. Private Collection.

Super tiny miniature library set measuring only 1 x 1 x 1"  I made for a collector. TWith a push of its little window at the back, the books pop out and it becomes a magnifying glass for reading! 

Another variation I made on my own publication.

Written, illustrated and published by me. This tiny book is bound in purple leather and decorated with mosaic leather onlays and gilding. 

Bijou Redoute's Roses published by my Little Gem Press. It contains a dozen illustrations hand coloured by me in watercolour. Bound in red leather with onlays and gilding. Housed in a solander box and both items with the magnifying glass are housed in a leather folding case. 

Another example of miniature book sets I made for a collector. I published the book and hand coloured each tiny plates with watercolour. Brass tassels are made and books are bound with leather and onlays. Gilt in gold. Magnifying glasses are made by Eugene Federenko. Everything is housed in leather boxes I made lined with velvet. Made in 2006.

A miniature binding for a collector.

Another variation binding of my book Poems & Drawings.

Available for sale from Bromers Bookseller. www.Bromers.com

Another variation I made. It's available for sale through Lorsons Books and Prints in USA.

Written, illustrated and published by my Little Gem Press. The pictures show many different bindings I have made for this miniature book.

A miniature book published, hand coloured, bound by Robert Wu of Little Gem Press. I also made the leather boxes to house these tiny gems. The beautiful tiny magnifying glasses were made by Eugene Federenko of Toronto.

A miniature binding measuring 1.5" x 1" for my own publication. 

A miniature book I made of my own publication. Housed in a leather box. Collection Toronto Reference Library.

Another variation binding I made on my own publication.

A miniature set made by me for my own publication Redoute's Roses.

Private Collection.

Another example of my Bijou Roses miniature book set with leather case and magnifying glass. The whole thing measures only 2" x 1.5" x 1.5".

Word Songs by Gail Ferguson. Published by my Little Gem Press. Hand watercoloured illustrations. Bound in yellow leather with gilding and leather doublure in orange. Hand sewn silk headbands and marbled paper flyleaves. It measures 1" x 1.5" only. Private Collection.

A miniature publication of San Jordi and bound in red leather and yellow onlay and gilding. I also made a brass clasp enclosure for the precious book measuring 1" x 1" only.