Apparently the oldest known closed terrarium has been sealed since 1972: search for "David Latimer" and "terrarium". Apparently they were popular around 1960 so I'm disappointed they can't find one that's been going since 1960.
Why?, because is the opposite of a landscape. There is not design or arrangement possible. The plant just will fill all the available volume and kill any other species in the bottle.
The plant inside that bottle is Tradescantia fluminensis. A South American weed that is popular indoors. Can store water in the stems and stand dry periods. Will shrink and regrow and multiply later from tiny chunks of the stem. Is an invasive species in Australia and Europe that will be destroyed only by frost.
Funnily enough just stumbled across this the other day.
Does anyone know if it really is as simple as putting some dirt and water in a pot or are there more specific requirements for it to work?