Products
Mr. H. in America
Los Angeles, CA: Dawson's Book Shop, 1981. 23 pp. Approximately 2 7/8 x 2 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of 150 copies. Green leather with gilt lettering by Bela Blau, printed by the author from zinc plates mae by Pall Bohme, frontispiece also by Pall Bohme. A fine copy. (Bradbury, Dawson's, 67)
A little bit of writing about Charles Lamb and his work as an author.
Munkássakk (Worker's Chess)
Budapest, Hungary: Alföldi Nyomda, 1984. 160 pp. Approximately 1 3/4 x 2 1/2". Text in Hungarian. LIMITED EDITION of 400 copies, this being #2. Light brown leather over boards, Title in black on cover with chess board and knight piece illustration, seven black and white photographs, many chess diagrams, slight wear to cover, otherwise in near fine condition.
One of the best known printing houses in Budapest for the last 40 years, the Alföldi Printing House prints both large books and miniatures for both foreign and domestic markets. Their talent, inventiveness, and artistic ability were noted by Louis Bondy in his miniature book reference (p. 176).
Nansen
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 170 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/2". First Edition, third printing (July, 1945). Illustrated wrappers, some tears and missing sections but front cover is mostly intact, in very good condition. Blue cloth over boards with black design on cover and lettering on spine, some wear to spine top and bottom, INSCRIBED by author on the front free endpaper, beautifully illustrated in blue tones, slightly musty smell, otherwise in near-fine condition.
A beautiful book, illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff, Caldecott Honor recipient noted for his strong work and surreal designs, this is a biography about Fridtjof Nansen, a noted Norwegian scientist, explorer, and diplomat. A fascinating look at this influential and humanitarian person. Winner of a Newberry Honor award in 1941. Scarce in jacket and signed.
Nasty Nancy & Her Cat, A Horrid ABC Book
New York: Mermaid Press, 1962. Approximately 1 7/8 x 2 3/8". (16) pp. Cream printed paper boards with decorations and title in red on front cover and spine, blue slipcase, letterpress, scarce, all in fine condition. (Bradbury, Mermaid Press 1)
The one and only book by this publisher, published at the beginning of the miniature book renaissance in the United States during the early sixties (Bradbury p147), it is a macabre ABC book describing all of the ways in which Nasty Nancy torments her cat (i.e. Jerked it, Kicked it, Licked it.) Luckily, the story ends happily with Kitty living with a much kinder owner the next lifetime it has.
Natural History of Animals
Worcester, MA: N. Hervey, (ca. 1850). 24 pp. Approximately 3 3/4 x 4 1/2". Green paper over boards with red cloth spine, beautiful engravings throughout of animals, birds, and plants, a few ink markings and small water stain on front cover, hinges cracked, owner's writings in pencil on front and rear free endpapers with inscription dated 1858, some foxing, otherwise in very good + condition.
Nathaniel Hervey published with Henry J. Howland from 1835 to 1893. A list of Howland's Worcester Toys is on the back cover. A lovely little children's book which has not been colored in, remarkably. Animals include the camel, goat, wolf, wild boar, roe, sheep, cony, and jackal. Birds include the hoopoe, swan, crane, partridge, great horned owl, sparrow hawk, quail, cormorant, osprey and swallow. Plants include frankincense, camphor, cinnamon, cane, flax, fig tree, plantain, mandrake, lign aloe, and palm tree. All with nicely done engravings.
Nelly, Poet Nobel Laureate, Homage to Nelly Sachs
Evanston, IL: Press of Ward Schori, 1988. 32 pp. Approximately 2 9/16 x 2 1/16". LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies. Black leather over boards with copper gilt lettering on front cover and spine, frontispiece, bound by Hugo Grummich, designed and hand typography by the publisher, some foxing to top edge, otherwise in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Schori 51)
Nelly Sachs (1891 - 1970) was a Swedish poet and playwright of Jewish German birth. She was greatly impacted by the rise of the Nazis during World War II and escaped Germany only one week before having to report to a concentration camp. Her poetry is very lyrical and poignant. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966.
Nonsense
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1977. (26) pp. Approximately 5/8 x 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of unknown copies, this being #15. Green cloth over boards, paste-down paper label on cover and spine, illustrated, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 19)
A charming little book containing little humorous nonsense sayings.
Nurse Harriet Goes to Holland
This book is actually a November, 1970 First Canadian paperback edition, Harlequin paperback #51441. Slight corner bumping and creasing but front cover is still bright and shiny. Age toning is present as is common in books of this vintage. Clean and tight binding with no markings. Back covers is creased near spine. In excellent shape for its age; following true to the Neels recurring subject of Dutch surgeons.
Odds Against
London: Michael Joseph, 1965. 256 pp. Approximately 6 1/4 x 9 1/4". 1st Edition, first printing. Illustrated dust jacket in very good + condition with minor edge wear and repair tape to inside cover near spine, slight rubbing to back cover, not price-clipped; Brown cloth over boards, crisp gilt title on spine, slight foxing of pages edges, otherwise in near fine condition.
Born Richard Stanley Francis (1920 - 2010), Dick Francis was a British crime writer whose novels were mostly centered on horse racing in England (he was a former steeplechase jockey himself). This book is Dick Francis' 5th book, with Sid Halley appearing for the first time as the private investigator. Edgar Award nominee.
Old Christmas
Haslet, TX: Tony Firman Bookbinding, 2011. Approximately 2 1/4x 3". First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 12 copies, this being #4. Illustrated paper over boards with green cloth spine which is slightly faded, color illustrated endpapers, numerous black and white illustrations, signed and numbered by the author on the colophon, in fine condition. Accompanying this book is a similarly bound book of the same shape and size, dated 2011 on the front cover, with a green ribbon for hanging as an ornament, blank pages.
This lovely book is from the original edition by Washington Irving (1783 - 1859), an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century, published by Macmillan & Co., London, 1886. This festive work, deserves to be a holiday tradition alongside Dickens in the celebrations of the winter solstice. While Tony Firman had been publishing prior to 2010, this is the year he began focusing on miniature books and established his publishing business, Plum Park Press, making small editions and selling them, issuing at least one a month. Firman's book, The Codex, recently won a distinguished award at Miniature Book Society's miniature book competition in 2024. His books are in many reputable institutions and private collections.