Miniature Books relating to Postage Stamps [AND] Miniature Books relating to Postage Stamps.

Levitan, Kalman. Miniature Books relating to Postage Stamps. Two volumes. 1983. Together with, Soliloquy of a Postage Stamp by Ernest W. Brady. Keepsake for Friends. 6 printed pages. Interleaved with 10 postage stamps on glassine leaves. Black Cat Press. Skokie. Illinois. Dos-a-dos-a-dos binding. Red card slipcase with printed stamp design label "Miniature Books relating to Postage Stamps". 3 volumes in total. From, Kalman Levitan's own collection with his exlibris in his own hand,'1717'. Six sets of green marbled endpapers. 54 x 64 mm. Original red leather with identical printed label on front cover (not the gilt red cloth by Bela Blau). The original Levitan cloth binding was in an edition of 250 - no numbers attributed to the edition by Brady. This example with its association to the book's author, kalman Levitan, is possibly unique."This miniature edition has been printed in a limited edition for the author and private distribution. Composed in Linotype Melior and printed on Coronado Text paper by the Schori Press, Inc. Handbound by Bela Blau. Design, typography and production by Norman W. Forgue"--Colophon. Volume one features tipped-in frontispiece, "First experimental mini-stamp issued by the United States Postal Service, January 11, 1978." Volume two features Soliloquy of a postage stamp / by Ernest W. Brady, on yellow paper, inserted between pages 88 and 89. Levitan spent 30 years active duty in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, retiring with the rank of Colonel. He was a member of the Department of Defense Armed Forces Chaplains Board and served nine years as Senior Jewish Chaplain as advisor on Jewish activities to the Chief of Air Force Chaplains. He was Founder and first Chairman of the Miniature Book Society of America. He was an active teacher of Judaism. He received his BA from Yeshiva University, Master of Hebrew Letters from the Jewish Institute of Religion and Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College. He did graduate study at Harvard Law School and Columbia University. In addition he published his own miniature books and wrote and edited volumes about miniature books. In 1983 he was instrumental in bringing together the collectors and publishers from around the United States that eventually formed the basis for the Miniature Book Society. Elected the Society s first Chairman he helped draft bylaws and began an informal newletters. As a child, Rabbi Levitan s father gave him a pocket-sized Hebrew prayer book printed in Warsaw in 1903. That was the beginning of a 2,000 volume collection that David Bromer (Bromer Booksellers, Boston) said was considered one of the most important collections. It spanned five centuries and included many rare and precious volumes. Levitan died less than two years after receiving the Miniature Book Society's prestigious Norman Forgue Award in 2000. First issued as a "Keepsake for Friends, Black Cat Press . 1978." Bradbury, 1821 (levitan) and 492 (Brady). OCLC, 45831817. WorldCat locates 16 copies worldwide.