Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins

Tiny, glamorous, with cheekbones and lips to rival those of Hollywood sirens, miniature countertop mannequins graced stores from the 1920s to the 1960s. Eventually abandoned by retailers, these delicately detailed statuettes, now collectors' items, are documented by New York Times art director Steven Heller and designer Louise Fili in Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins. Color photographs show off the intricacy of the Lilliputian figures (whose clothing was sometimes an exact replica of the full-size version, down to the zippers and hooks), while the authors describe how the mannequins were designed, cast and exhibited in an age when in-store displays were a vital form of advertising. And at 61/4"" 47/8"", the book is perfectly scaled. ( Nov.)