Victorian Miniature Books – 19th-Century Gilt Gift Volumes of Poetry & Sentiment (1840s)

In the Victorian era, miniature and small-format books were often cherished as tokens of affection or moral instruction. Exchanged among friends and loved ones, they could be slipped into a pocket or reticule — a portable source of sentiment, devotion, and literary beauty. Their intricate gilt bindings and poetic contents made them especially popular as gift books during holidays and special occasions, blending elegance with thoughtfulness.

*The Golden Present: A Gift for All Seasons (Boston: J. Buffum, 1848), edited by Mrs. J. Thayer. Bound in finely embossed cloth with a gilt angel and lantern motif, this lovely little volume exemplifies the sentimental grace of the 19th-century gift-book tradition.

Inside is a hand-colored floral frontispiece with its original tissue guard, followed by a preface dated Worcester, 1848, and a rich selection of poems and reflections on friendship, nature, love, and virtue. Gilt edges shimmer along the text block, and the binding remains tight and beautifully preserved.

*Fables of Flora (1844) A lovely mid-19th-century miniature volume uniting botany, poetry, and moral allegory. Edited by Miss S. C. Edgarton, Fables of Flora pairs each flower with a fable or verse conveying the virtues symbolized by nature — love, constancy, humility, and purity. The book includes pieces such as The Rose, The Periwinkle, The Jasmine, and The Moss Rose, blending natural history with sentiment and imagination in the Romantic style.

Bound in green cloth with an ornate gilt depiction of a young woman scattering blossoms, the design beautifully echoes the floral theme within. The edges are gilt on all sides, and the binding remains tight and well-preserved. Foxing to preliminary pages consistent with age. 

*Golden Leaflets: A Selection of Poetry (1848) A charming mid-19th-century miniature poetry anthology published by G.W. Cottrell, Boston, titled Golden Leaflets: This petite volume features a beautifully embossed cloth binding with a gilt floral centerpiece and ornate gilt spine design, all edges gilt. Within, the pages present poems by Longfellow, Bryant, Sigourney, Osgood, and others—accompanied by decorative engravings and a delicately hand-colored floral frontispiece. 

Some wear to spine ends and corners. Foxing primarily to prelims. Two tears to bottom edge of pages 4 and 5 (approximately 1” and 1¼”). All edges gilt.

Condition of all three:  Very Good- Very Good +.

Size: 3” x 4½” (miniature book size)

Beautifully preserved examples of the Victorian gift-book tradition — a heartfelt “golden present” from the mid-19th century.