I wore myself out on Thursday. I spent 5 hours at The Grolier Club.   It was too much. Much too much to absorb in one visit. My brain was completely fried. I’m only just recovering. I have so much to write about that I don’t know where to begin. It will take many, many posts to cover what I saw and learned. Please have patience. My day job/parenting/hobby blogging trifecta is time consuming, but I am having a great time. I will press on. Just try to stop me.

Before I continue however, I need to make a few corrections to my previous entry.

First, the Neale Albert Collection of miniature books is on permanent display, but in a room where an exhibit was being mounted. Hence the access challenge.

Second, I didn’t get my hands on a single book from the Albert Collection. I took lots of terrible pictures, some of which I hope I can salvage, but wasn’t permitted to handle the books. I might get permission to do so. I live in hope.

Also on permanent display in the same exhibition room as the Albert Collection, is a collection of fine bindings, most of which are neither cataloged, nor on the spreadsheet Meghan provided. I didn’t have time to get through all of them, but there were some significant sleepers.

I saw a few recent, gorgeous bindings of Grolier Club publications. There was this one by Michael Wilcox:

More about Michael Wilcox in the future, but you can see some of his work here.

Prying myself away from the bindings shelved along the walls, I turned to the Albert Collection, which is housed in a very clever cabinet.

It was overwhelming. I couldn’t photograph everything I wanted to. There are well over 200 of them. One thing was clear, other than the fact that miniatures are difficult to photograph: there is fodder here for a teaching lineage montage.

P.S. I have a very artistic 9-year-old who has had a few amazing binding lessons. Her original teacher is not currently available. She will work 6 hours straight, and do it again the next day. She wants to continue. She says that leather speaks to her. Is there anyone in Manhattan willing to take on a private student, from time to time, on the weekends? Please message me privately. Thanks!