Kathrin Hohensee's books almost disappear in readers' hands - the smallest one barely fits on a fingertip. The trained bookbinder from Leipzig has been making miniature or doll's house books for around 30 years. She has developed, written and set a good 200 titles: from books for children, nature lovers or even about cities.
Real books for doll's houses all over the world
"Making them is my passion and I get a little recognition from selling them," says the 64-year-old. She also sells her books at fairs in the USA, England, the Netherlands and France. It all started with a collaboration with a wooden toy maker in the 1990s. "He wanted small, real books as props for his doll's houses."
The work involves juggling with the text, as a description or story needs to fit into a very small space, explains Hohensee. The text and the pictures determine the size of the book. The only requirement: it should always fit into a doll's house, i.e. not go beyond the scope of the 1:12 scale.
She designs the individual pages and arranges them in printed sheets. After printing, the bookbinding work begins: folding, cutting and assembling the folded sheets. Finally, the cover boards and spine inserts are measured and cut to size.
The 64-year-old explains that collectors of doll's houses are particularly interested in the books. "It's comparable to building and expanding model railroads: Many build their doll's house themselves and then look for matching accessories." And then there's a real book in the doll's house.
Books about cities, US presidents or underwear
Her city books about Leipzig, Rome, London or New York are probably the most extensive. Most of them have more than 90 pages and are still no thicker than a centimeter. But she has also designed a book about underwear, corsages, bridal and swimwear with pictures, some from the 1920s and of US presidents. Her most successful books, however, are probably her children's books about Max and Moritz and Struwwelpeter.
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