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[ALLEN PRESS]. Allen, Harris Stearns. The Trail of Beauty. San Francisco, 1940. |
| Octavo. 47, (xi) pp. One of 100 copies signed by the author. With an original watercolor illustration by William Gaskin tipped-in. Designed, hand-set, and hand-printed in three colors by Lewis and Dorothy Allen "at their home letterpress." A list of quotes, things, and experiences which the author thought beautiful, with blank pages at the end for "your own trail of beauty." Bound by William Wheeler in cloth-backed patterned boards. The very first book produced by this important American private press, this title represented a true family effort, as the author was Lewis Allen's father, and Gaskin was his brother-in-law. The distribution of copies was limited to family friends, including John Henry Nash, who declared that the typeface used to print this edition "belongs in the bay ... in the deepest part". Spine faded and faint wear to corners, else a fine copy; owner's name on front endpaper. (Allen Bibliography 1). (19226) $1,500.
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[ALLEN PRESS]. Twain, Mark. The Christmas Fireside. The Story of a Bad Little Boy that Bore a Charmed Life. Written by Grandfather Twain for Good Little Girls and Boys. (Hillsborough, CA), (1949). |
| 12mo. (8) ff. One of 75 copies sent to friends at Christmas, and signed by the Allen family. Printed in three colors, with two Victorian wood engravings. The story of a dreadfully bad boy who grew up to be "the infernalest wickedest scoundrel in his native village, and universally respected, and belongs in the Legislature," was written by Clemens for the San Francisco Californian on December 23, 1865. Light rubbing to extremities of marbled boards, else a fine copy of this rare, early book from the L-D Allen Press. (Allen Bibliography 8). (19233) $1,500.
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[BASKERVILLE PRESS]. Virgil. Bucolica, Georgica, et Aeneis. Birmingham, 1766. |
| Octavo. 388 pp. Engraved frontispiece. A charming octavo edition that has been enhanced by the addition of seventeen contemporary engravings by Moreau le Jeune and Zocchi. An autograph note from the firm of Bumpus informed the buyer that the book was purchased at the Paddockhurst sale of 1880 over the bid of Quaritch. A fine copy bound in full red morocco, gilt by Bozerian. A.e.g. (Gaskell 34). (16292) SOLD.
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(Chapbook). THE NEW-ENGLAND PRIMER, IMPROVED. OR, AN EASY AND PLEASANT GUIDE TO THE ART OF READING. TO WHICH IS ADDED, THE ASSEMBLY'S CATECHISM. Hartford, George Goodwin & Sons, 1820. |
| 48mo. 62 pp. With numerous small woodcut illustrations, one half-page woodcut depicting the burning of the sixteenth-century Protestant martyr John Rogers, and a frontispiece illustration of children gathered around Jesus. Frontispiece leaf and last leaf, which contains publisher ads, pasted to inside covers. Bound in plain green wrappers. Some waterstaining to interior as well as a bit on the cover, very small closed tear to front cover at hinge. (Heartman 329). (21745) $300.
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CHINESE EROTICA. (China, mid-nineteenth century). |
| Small folio. Eighteen panels that fold out into a panorama. The eight watercolors show couples engaged in sexual activity in domestic settings. Painted on white paper and mounted into the book, each watercolor is faced with a blank sheet of pink paper, and all are bordered by thin strips of blue paper. In the original binding of patterned silk, bound without a spine to allow the panorama to unfold. Covers rubbed, paper label to cover missing sections at top and bottom, extensive worming to leaves; illustrations largely unaffected. A bright, very detailed set of erotic watercolors. (8982) $2,000.
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CUMMINGS, E.E. EIMI. NY, Grove Press, (1958). |
| Octavo. One of 26 copies specially bound and signed by the author. More of an experimental travel narrative than a novel, EIMI is the diary that Cummings kept while traveling from Paris to Russia and Turkey, and back. Light wear to extremities, else fine in half cloth and board, gilt-stamped with the author and title on the cover and spine. (Firmage A13e). (11761) SOLD.
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FAULKNER, WILLIAM. A Green Bough. NY, Smith & Haas, 1933. |
| Octavo. First edition. Faulkner's last poetry collection published during his lifetime has title page vignette and dust wrapper illustration by Lynd Ward. Top edge slightly dusty, else a fine copy in green cloth, and with increasingly scarce dust wrapper, which is toned and shows a few nicks to extremities. (Petersen A15.1b). (17823) $1,500.
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FINE, RUTH E. & WILLIAM MATHESON. Printer's Choice. A Selection of American Press Books 1968-1978. Catalogue of an Exhibition Held at the Grolier Club, New York, December 19, 1978-February 3, 1979. Selection of Books and Press Histories by Ruth E. Fine and William Matheson. Bibliographical Descriptions and Notes by W. Thomas Taylor. Austin, W. Thomas Taylor, 1983. |
| Folio. 67 pp. One of 325 copies printed at the Wind River Press. The presses represented range from Abattoir to Zephyrus Image. This handsome book is illustrated with photographs and eight tipped-in specimens, including Allen, Arion, Bird & Bull, Cummington, and Perishable, as well as one from Laguna Verde Imprenta, which is inscribed by Ward Ritchie, the Laguna printer. Extremely fine in four color linen printed at the Janus Press. Prospectus and letter from Thomas Taylor laid-in. (18916) $350.
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[GOGMAGOG PRESS]. Cox, Morris. The Warrior & The Maiden. London, 1967 (1968). |
| Octavo. (26) pp., frenchfold. One of 65 copies signed and numbered by Morris Cox. Contains ten intaglio plates, engraved by Cox, printed in black on colored, hand-made papers. David Chambers writes that this title is nearest to Cox's Magogmagog (1973), being a "nightmare allegory of war, love, birth, and death...reflecting dreams in a night of poor sleep rather than any rational narrative...". These themes are reflected in the subject matter and color of the prints. Very fine in natural felt boards, printed with a flame pattern in orange and white, titling in black on spine. With striped Japanese paper endleaves, which match the slipcase, with silk draw ribbon. Propspectus laid in. (Chambers 19). (19068) $475.
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(GRABHORN PRESS). CRANE, STEPHEN. The Red Badge of Courage. An Episode of the American Civil War. NY, Random House, (1931). Grabhorn Press. |
| Quarto. 142 pp. One of 980 copies printed in red and black at the Grabhorn Press. With a title-page illustration, 24 headpieces, and a tailpiece by Valenti Angelo. This was the first of a series of three books which the Press contracted to do for Random House in 1931, and the only one completed. Inscribed on the colophon by Edwin Grabhorn, who notes that this copy is in an "experimental binding". Indeed, this copy is bound in black cloth with blind stamped, red suede spine, which differs from the cloth-backed blue boards noted in the bibliography. Edges of pages show some slight toning, else fine condition. (Heller & Magee 154). (12991) $400.
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[GRUEL]. Morin, Louis. Vieille Idylle. Paris, Librairie L. Conquet, 1891. |
| 12mo. (xii), 51 pp. Illustrated by the author with twelve drypoint etchings and twenty typographic ornaments. A copy printed on papier velin, not for sale, inscribed by the publisher to Monsieur Legrand. Bound in full red levant morocco by Gruel. Both covers with gilt ornamental border composed of a draped floral garland within two rules. Spine gilt with rules and dots. Richly gilt dentelles with red silk damask doublures and end sheets. T.e.g. With the original color printed pictorial wrappers bound-in. Extremely fine copy of a delicate book in a graceful binding. (2668) $1,650.
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HAWLEY, FRANK. Whales & Whaling in Japan. Miscellanea Japonica: being Occasional Contributions to Japanese Studies II. Kyoto, (Kawakita Printing Co.), 1958-1960. |
| Quarto. One of 125 copies. This is the second number of Miscellanea Japonica and the first part of the first volume of Whales & Whaling in Japan. Intended to be a three-volume set, this was the only volume printed. Illustrated with collotype plates, two of which are fold-outs, and includes a chromoxylograph that forms the frontispiece. Text primarily in English, with some Japanese. Printed on pure Kozo paper made by a master papermaker from Shiroishi, at the Miyagi Prefecture. Unobtrusive spotting to a few pages, else fine in quarter goatskin and gampi. A full and particular account of the consumption of whale meat in Japan, as well as the use of the whale in old Japanese medicine. Housed in the original slipcase. Prospectus (one of 300 copies) and related material housed in a separate envelope. (19822) $2,000.
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[MANSFIELD, EDGAR]. The Architecture of a New Era. London, Denis Archer, 1933. |
| Small quarto. (xii), 152 pp. First edition. Numerous halftone illustrations. A designer binding by Edgar Mansfield of full yellow-brown hard grain morocco with geometrical designs tooled in light, medium, and dark blind and gold. T.e.g. This binding appears on page 20 of Mansfield's Modern Design in Bookbinding. Its inclusion is curious because the binding remains unfinished. Mansfield had not completed the doublures, and had marked the endsheets in this copy "waste" in pencil. (21001) $4,500.
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(Miniature). Annuaire de l'Observateur des Modes, Dédié au Beau Sexe (The Observer's Annual of Fashion, Dedicated to the Fair Sex). Paris, E. Jourdan, (c. 1820s). |
| 26 ff. plus 80 blank ff. With a charming hand-colored plate of a man or woman in fashionable costume for each month of the year. Accompanying the plates are descriptions of various costumes, including Toilette du Matin (Morning wear), Costume de Cheval (Riding wear), and Costume de Campagne (Country wear). On the reverse of the description pages are verses, except January, on whose reverse is the title page. Some wear at corners and spine ends, else about fine in a handsome red straight grained morocco, with elaborately gilt foliate border and gilt turn-ins. A.e.g. Bookplate. (Not in Welsh). (3 1/8 by 2 1/8; 79x55mm.). (17826) $1,250.
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(Miniature). BIBLE HISTORY. New York, S. Wood, 1813. |
| 254 pp. Contains sixteen captioned, paginated, wood or type-metal engravings. Adomeit records fourteen copies, two of which lack the cover and/or leaves and two of which contain mutiliated pages. In original brown leather, with five double fillets and "Bible" stamped in gilt on spine. Previous owner's inscription on front endpaper. Some rubbing to rear panel as well as a hole in leather along bottom portion of spine, revealing board underneath. Two leaves with outside margins clipped, but no text loss. A near fine copy. (Adomeit A26; Welch 856.3). (1 13/16 by 1 3/16; 50x33mm). (20452) $350.
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(Miniature). DAS FROMME KIND. Stuttgart, Maler Renz, 1853. |
| 56 pp. A collection of religious readings and quotations printed in old German script. Eight vibrant hand-colored plates, mostly depicting the life of Christ, wonderfully illustrate the text. Bound in leather-backed embossed paper, gilt-stamped to spine. Contains bookplate of miniature book collector Kathryn Ida Hill Rickard. Covers slightly rubbed; else fine condition. (2 by 1 1/2; 50x37 mm.). (20524) $275.
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(Miniature). The Gem. Troy, NY, Moore & Nims, (c. 1850). |
| 64 pp. An interpretation of Bible teachings for children, in story format. Bound in green cloth with a gold-color metal ornamental piece clasped onto the front and back covers. Title and ornamental flowers and bands stamped in gold on spine. A.e.g. With bookplate of miniature-collector Raymond A. Smith, as well as an inscription from another previous owner. Endpapers show some slight wear from the clasps of the ornamental metal piece; else fine condition. (Welsh 2965). (2 1/16 by 1 7/16; 54x37mm.). (20523) $250.
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(Miniature). The Grand Ball, Giving (sic) to His Friends by Puss in Boots. Philadelphia, Johnson, Willard, 1830. |
| 16 pp. (wrappers included in pagination). Illustrated with full, three-quarter and half page wood engravings, as well as several vignettes. Colloquial verse narrative describes a ball hosted by Puss in Boots, which is attended by various characters from nursery rhymes and fairy tales, including Mother Hubbard, Cinderella, and Tom Thumb. Original illustrated wrappers are wrinkled, a split at the spine has been discreetly repaired. An uncommon miniature chapbook. (2 1/4 by 2; 58 x 55 mm). (18359) $450.
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