1839. Miniature 64mo, 20 x 14mm; ff. [30]; engraved throughout with wood-engraved frontispiece of Victoria, and six wood-engraved portraits and laudatory verse by Letitia Landon; in the original green gilt decorated stiff paper wrappers, all edges gilt, joints rubbed with some loss, with original matching slipcase, possible loss at tail; despite wear an appealing example of a scarce ephemeral item. A charming and exceptionally tiny miniature or ‘bijou’ almanac. ‘Albert Schloss’s English Bijou Almanac series was published for the years 1836-1843, and then continued as the Bijou Almanac by T. Goode for 1845-46, 1851-52. Bondy, (p. 42) praises the original series for its ‘true miracles of engraving illustration, binding and presentation. Each of them has six miniscule engravings, almost all portraits of famous writers, musicians, painters or stage performers. These portraits are accompanied by poems in praise of the personalities they depict’. The 8 issues are surprisingly elusive’ (Joffe and Neelands, Miniature Books). The portraits included for this 1839 edition are of the Duke of Wellington, Lady Blessington, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Beethoven & the soprano Giuditta Pasta, soprano, together with accompanying verse by the English poet and novelist Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802-1838), as well as a historical calendar and information on royal and noble families. According to Bromer and Edison, Schloss had engaged the specialist engraver Benjamin Rees Davies for the series, who engraved each work on a single steel plate. The type is less than 3-point.
‘In the presentation of miniature books Albert Schloss in London reached a high degree of sophistication. The English Bijou Almanacks... were issued in delicately coloured and gilt-stamped flexible boards, in elegant and splendidly decorated morocco or vellum bindings, always protected by matching slipcases’ (Bondy). Elegantly fitted cases, with accompanying miniature magnifying glasses, could also be acquired to keep such vulnerable treasures safe - though is no longer present here, making it’s survival even more remarkable.