Collections: Vintage Printer's Drawers with Miniatures
- Jacki Moseley
- Sep 9, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 14, 2024
I remember when my grandma gave me her printer's drawer. It was filled with tiny things, like a glass Coca-Cola bottle and a wire basket filled with paper eggs. When I was little, she would let me take the miniatures out of the drawer and hold them. I thought they were so neat!
She gave me her collection about 15 years ago, soon after I moved into my second apartment. It was such a special gift! I figured it would take years to fill up the drawer, and I was right.
In the early 18th and 19th centuries, printer drawers (also known as letterpress trays) organized stamps inside large printing cabinets.
Today, these wooden drawers are used for something completely different. They are the perfect place to display tiny collections.
They make my brain very happy, and I own three of them. 👵🏻
Here's a closer look at the one my grandma gave me. I have it in my bedroom.
In a perfect world, I would find miniatures small enough to fit in those bottom squares.
I have a huge printer's drawer in my living room, and all spaces are the same size. One of my favorite pieces from this collection is the smallest handmade book ever: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Ah!
My most recent collection was a gift from my cousin. Last year, I received a surprise package in the mail from Chicago, and it was filled with my great aunt's printer's drawer, miniatures, and holiday decor from the 1960s. I was elated to receive so many special things that belonged to my grandma's sister, Phyllis.
I have her collection in my office/den room.
I hope this inspires you to look for the little things in life and start your own collection!
xoxo, Jacki
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you are already aware of my printers drawer obsession… I love your 3 so much!! My nana had one hanging up in her home and I wish we knew where hers is… but I was lucky enough to find one for $5 at a thrift store! It brings me so much happiness to put my little treasures on display :))))
also, maybe little beads or pearls for those itty bitty boxes?!!!
Lovely blog, Jackie! So happy to see the link on ABM.
My grandmother had a printer drawer full of miniatures exactly like the one your grandmother passed down to you. Although the drawer wasn’t passed on to me, I was given the teeny glass animals from the drawer that had belonged to my great grandmother and now my toddler plays with them (carefully haha). It’s so special!