Hand-decorated miniature books
Manuscripts made for Dolls’ House anniversary
A series of mini manuscripts have been written and decorated by hand as part of a celebration marking the 100th anniversary of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.
The dolls’ house has been on display for visitors at Windsor Castle since it was built between 1921 and 1924.
The house was created as a gift from the nation to Queen Mary following the First World War and is a 1:12 scale replica of an Edwardian-style residence.
It comes complete with working lifts, electricity and running water and is filled with contributions from more than 1,500 artists, craftspeople and manufacturers of the day.
The Dolls’ House library captures the literary culture of the 1920s through miniature books which were handwritten by writers including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, A. A. Milne, Vita Sackville-West and Thomas Hardy.
As part of this year’s anniversary, championed by the Queen, 20 miniature manuscripts have been written and decorated by hand by leading illustrators and writers, to create a Modern-Day Miniature Library.
The new manuscripts feature short stories, illustrated tales, poetry collections,
plays, articles, and recipes, many inspired by the Dolls’ House or specifically penned for the occasion.
Each manuscript is 4.5cm high and has been handbound with a unique cover by a leading designer-bookbinder.
Each of the miniature covers features a work of art, with each binder taking inspiration from the contents of their book to produce designs ranging from gilded and traditional to whimsical and modern.
The new books are on display throughout 2024 for visitors to Windsor Castle and will become part of the
Royal Collection.
The Queen has contributed a miniature book to the collection – a handwritten introduction to the ModernDay Miniature Library project.
The book, which is bound in the Royal Bindery at Windsor Castle, includes a gold-tooled miniature version of Her Majesty’s cypher, measuring 7mm tall.
It was produced using a specifically made cypher tool which was modelled on the tool used to put Queen Mary’s 7mm-tall cypher on the original Dolls’ House Library books in the 1920s.
A reception, hosted by the Queen, took place on Tuesday at Windsor Castle to thank the authors, illustrators and binders who have contributed to the project.
Among those who have contributed to the ModernDay Miniature Library are authors Malorie Blackman with A Message to Jessica and Dame Jacqueline
Wilson with The House Mouse/translated from Mouse Squeaks.
As well as the miniature books on display, visitors to Windsor Castle this year can also see a centenary display of items usually inside the Dolls’ House in the Waterloo Chamber.
Stella Panayotova, Royal librarian and assistant keeper of The Royal Archives, said: “These tiny books are big in imagination and talent, in feelings and insights.
“Exquisite books rekindle the joy of careful reading, close looking, quiet thinking.
“We are truly grateful to the authors, illustrators and designer-binders for awakening the century-old magic of the Dolls’ House.
“It is exciting to share their small books with large audiences, delighting and inspiring visitors of all ages.”
Dame Jacqueline Wilson, said: “I was taken to see the Queen’s Dolls’ House when I was seven.
“I was completely enchanted and particularly loved the miniature books in the library.
“It was such a thrill to be invited to contribute one myself all these many years later.”