The Very Small Library of Jozsef Tari

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.

via Oddity Central

All the news printed that will fit

Mr. Tari has not given into the pressure of always needed to have the latest phone.

BEATLES!

You may want to check out an earlier posting on miniature books I did as part of a review of the 2013 Antiquarian Book Fair in New York.

Collection of Americana - eccentric story

So interesting.. I just came across this photo and found that it is from a museum/attraction in Pennsylvania called  American Treasure Tour.  It's a huge collection of Americana (three acres worth) housed in an old Burlington Tire factory.  Adding to its strangeness is the fact that it's owned by one person who wishes to remain anonymous.  Visitors are not free to walk around.  Instead, they see the artifacts by taking a guided 90 minute tram tour.  The museum (if that's the right word) has collections of nickelodeon's, vintage cars, toy, dolls, amusements, music, and assorted oddities.  A news story on it's site says the organ in the picture above was once owned by Walt Disney.   The Ronald McDonald clown seems a little out of place, but is at least a little less creepy than the clown with the multi-colored afro or the fat woman figure in the polka dot dress and purple vest.

Victorian Era Hotel in Galveston, Texas

Came across this recently.  There's something I love about these grand old Vic hotels. Something about their style that was both grand and magnificent, but also a bit quickly (this hotel had an on premise animal menagerie, where a child was mauled by a panther in 1884, and daring high wire walks were performed over craggy rocks at San Francisco's Cliff House).  They heavy wood content used for both hotels led to their destructions by fire. For more on the Cliff House see pictures below and my earlier post here.



The Beach Hotel: 

The Beach Hotel was a seasonal resort in Galveston, Texas. It was built in 1882 by architect Nicholas J. Clayton, at a price of US$260,000 (US$6.19 million in today's terms) to cater to vacationers. Owned by William H. Sinclair, the hotel opened on July 4, 1883 and was destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1898.

The front lawn of the beach hotel "provided a site for summer entertainment-fireworks, high-wire walkers, and bands.  The 4 ¹⁄₂-story hotel was built atop 300 cedar piles driven into the sand.^[ The roof had an octagonal dome, which housed the water tanks, and was painted in large red and white stripes, and the eaves were trimmed in a golden green.

The amenities advertised were:

• Dining room
• Gentlemen's parlor
• Reading room
• Saloon
• Grand staircase
• Electric and gas lighting

One of the features, according to Rosen Library, was an animal menagerie.  You can see the cages in the close up picture below.   From the Library's page:

   

The Cliff House:

The 1986 Cliff House, which burned down in in 1907.   The Cliffhouseproject is a great site for info about this San Fran landmark.

The Beast

President Obama was on my block last week for a fundraiser at Harvey Weinstein's home.  Here are two shots I took from inside the lobby of my building (a few minutes before he came the police made us go inside).  There were two Presidential limos (the Beasts) as is apparently standard procedure - one more level of safety... so we didn't know in which one he was.

Here's a 1/43 scale model, marked down to $10 at the moment at Modeltrainstuff:

Can you guess what's inside this box? (Before scrolling down)

If you guessed  (and I imagine some of you did as it is rather obvious ) that it is a rare French musical sewing necessaire automaton from 1890 that has a key- wind, two-air cylinder movement,  and was at one time possessed by the British royal family, you would be correct.   See the more detailed notes  and photos below, which are from liveacutioneers.  There was a video on that site, but it looks like it was removed. Too bad.... I would like to see how the pieces move.

Needleprint blog  

Found photographs at National Geographic

I came across these two very interesting pictures on the Nat Geo site.  They have a section called "Found".  The above photo of a male lion, lit with a flashlight,  was taken in 1910, in Africa.  

The second is a shot of Fairbanks, Alaska at Christmas.. It has a nostalgic feel and reminds me of Michael Paul Smith's work.  Here's my original posting on his fictional village,  Elgin Park.

Here's a shot of Michael's fictional town Elgin Park.  (His photos are available for purchase on his Smugmug site):

Sherlock Holmes: models and mustache

I've posted a few times in the past on Sherlock related miniatures and models.  Here are a few I came across recently.  The above model is by a Ms. Caroline Stafford of the U.K.  It is for sale for 345 British Pounds here. 

 For previous posts visit:

• Sherlock in Miniature and Model
• More Sherlock Holmes - This one's off the cliffs!
• Sherlock in 1/6
• Leslie S. Klinger's Baker Street diorama

Meanwhile, the following are from a Mr. Arthur Walker (aka Charles Baskerville) of Florida.  Read more about his model here.   Nice model and mustache Mr. Baskerville!

Thought I'd close with this very nice graphic I found while searching for the post.