ST. FRONT, Sask. – Tiny enough to be stored in a velvet ring box, this Holy Bible is the smallest known book in the world, says Guinness World Records.
Maureen Syrenne was given the 3.17 x 4.44 centimetre book six years ago by her mother Myra Noga, who got it as a gift while courting Maureen’s father William Noga. His farm neighbors at Southey, Sask., gave it to her because it was published in 1896 in Scotland, which was Myra’s birthplace.
Syrenne remembers the book during her years growing up in North Vancouver.
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“It was in a drawer for a million years and she’d bring it out once in a while,” she said.
The book returned to its previous home of Saskatchewan with Syrenne when she married St. Front grain and cattle farmer Norman Syrenne six years ago. The pair met at a logging camp, where Norman worked in the winters.
The Bible was one of 25,000 copies published by David Bryce and Son and Henry Froud, Oxford University Press on tissue-like India paper. It features both old and new testaments, an embossed black and gold cover, 28 illustrations and its own tiny magnifying glass tucked inside the back jacket.
Syrenne, who does not consider herself a collector, also owns a 35-millimetre Mycro camera and leather case small enough to hold in your hand. Her father had traded a suit for it, she said.
In addition, the Syrenne home features a sprinkling of antique wood furniture.
She became curious about the tiny Bible after picking up a copy of the Guinness Book of World Records. After corresponding with the organization over the last two years, she received word in 2000 that her Bible was the smallest.
That was not before she spent a few dollars providing them with professionally taken photographs showing its size, and affidavits from a notary public and lawyer confirming its authenticity.
Syrenne and her husband are both Christians, but regard this Bible more as a curiosity than a religious treasure.
“I’d sooner get rid of it than my china cabinet,” she said, pointing to a glass-faced cabinet given to Myra by William as a wedding gift.
Since an article appeared in a Naicam, Sask., weekly newspaper, many people have contacted her with claims of similar books. Syrenne doubts they are the same, feeling most contain only one of the testaments.
Appraiser Vern Reese of the Travelin’ Antiques Road Show conservatively appraised the Bible at around $100, saying that figure could rise quickly when it appears in the Guinness book.
However, he said not to bank on that.
“Because records are made to be broken, someone somewhere will find a smaller one,” he said.
Reese said it is difficult to know how high it could go because not many are for sale and the market value has not been established.
The mother of two adult children and three grandchildren is prepared for a long wait.
“It will go in a bank and my granddaughter can deal with it,” Syrenne said.
She mused about using the money to take St. Front, population 35, to Mexico for a vacation. Her husband has other dreams.
“Norman hopes it’s worth a million bucks so he can get a new barn,” she said.
