The Littlest Knife

The same colorful plant motif is embedded in both sides.

When I was around 6 years old, I used to stare at this tiny knife that lived on my dad’s desk in our home office. I remember picking it up and playing with it when he wasn't around, always scared I’d get in trouble for messing with things that weren’t mine. This tiny knife may well be responsible for initiating my lifelong fascination with miniature things. While I don’t know its origin or how my Dad ended up with it, at some point I inherited the li'l guy. It had a tiny key chain hole, so of course, I made it into a necklace. Tiny knife probably comes closest to the most functional item of jewelry I own, though I’m pretty sure that blade is not capable of much (see picture below). It gets a lot of wear, but I’ve never attempted air travel in it. TSA is real strict these days!

Some of my miniatures
 

I've also included most of my miniatures collection. My favorites include: 5 gram Colgate toothpaste, Ansco 50 camera, teeny dice, mini Hitler propaganda book, and Matchbook literary journal. The latter is published by my friend Friedrich, who runs Small Fires Press from his midtown apartment. He inserts tiny poetry and illustrations into vintage matchbooks, a feat that I find thoroughly impressive. Check him out!