Poet of Them All

William Shakespeare and Miniature Designer Bindings from the Collection of Neale and Margaret Albert

Fairman Elisabeth R., Reid-Cunningham James

Showcasing a unique and extensive private collection that is soon to be acquired by the Yale Center for British Art, "The Poet of Them All" illustrates almost one hundred of Neale and Margaret Albert's miniature books, each one intricately constructed and rendered in precise detail at less than three inches in height. Imaginatively hand-bound by some of today's most accomplished bookbinders, the selection features custom miniature editions of publications by William Shakespeare and related to his works, preceded by an in-depth essay from leading book historian, conservator, and artist James Reid-Cunningham. Revealing an underexplored facet of contemporary book arts, this publication illustrates the remarkable singularity of the Alberts' collection, providing both comprehensive views and the scholarly context necessary to fully appreciate the significance of these distinctive objects.

About the Author

Elisabeth R. Fairman is chief curator of rare books and manuscripts at the Yale Center for British Art.

James Reid-Cunningham has worked as a conservator at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and the Boston Athenaeum and is a leading practitioner of book arts as well as a book historian.

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