Products
The Quality of Life
Philadelphia: Girard Bank, 1970. 85 pp. Approximately 5 3/4 x 8 1/4". First edition, first printing. Slip case is in fine condition; green paper over boards with black lettering to cover and spine, label paste-down on cover which has a tiny nick in it, insert from the Girard Company bank president laid in, in fine condition.
Per the laid in slip from Stephen S. Gardner, President of The Girard Company, this book was commissioned for James Michener to write in order to include it with the bank's 1969 Annual Report. Michener was given free artistic license to express his own views. Nine color reproductions of paintings by James B. Wyeth (son of Andrew Wyeth and grandson of N. C. Wyeth) were added to enrich the text.
The Red Keep: A Story of Burgundy in the Year 1165
Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1938, First edition, Hardcover in red cloth illustrated binding; No dust jacket; Ex-library. Book Condition: Good; book is slightly cocked, corner bumping where cloth has worn away, some stains and cover wear, tanning of pages, remnants of library markings and pockets. Color frontispiece illustrated by N.C. Wyeth. Text drawings by Andrew Wyeth.
Allen French was a Harvard historian so this juvenile tale has good historical accuracy. It is a tale of life in medieval France and covers guilds, class differences, moral lessons and battle information. The story is exciting, with villians, suspense and last minute rescues that either boys or girls would like.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight water stains on bottom edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edges dyed blue, in fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 1 - printed by the Zeese-Wilkinson Company but in a beige slipcase instead of a blue slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughtout and also on the endpapers.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight crack on top edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edged dyed blue, slight foxing to book and label, otherwise in near fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 2 - printed by Rogers-Kellopgg-Stillson in a tan slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughout and also on the endpapers.
The Red Velvet Mansion
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1981. (28) pp. Approximately 3/4 x 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of 195 copies. Red cloth over boards, printed dust jacket, red-toned photographs, original packaging, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 36)
An interesting little book about a real doll house constructed by the author and her husband with various details of its interior and contents.
The Reluctant Dragon
New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1983. Approximately 8 1/4 x 10 1/2". LIMITED EDITION of 350 copies, this being #44. Green cloth over boards with brown cloth spine, brown slipcase, signed on the colophon by the illustrator, Michael Hague, includes a reproduction of a specially commissioned pen and ink drawing, all in fine condition.
Kenneth Grahame (1859 - 1932) was a British writer, best known for his novel, "The Wind in the Willows". This charmingly illustrated short story, is seen as an original idea that a dragon does not have to be seen as a threat, but can be a sympathetic character. This story was originally published in 1898 as a chapter in Grahame's book, "Dream Days".
The Rita and Tim Hildebrandt Fantasy Cookbook: Real Recipes You Can Cook in Your Own Home
New York: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1983. 195 pp. Approximately 8 x 10". First Edition, first printing. Wraparound dustjacket is beutifully illustrated on the front cover but is missing a small chunk on the top of the spine and a large section on the rear cover, good condition only. Green cloth binding with 8 illustrations in color and many black and white line drawings, maps and decorations, some punctures to cover (an overly friendly cat?), but text block is clean. Overall, very good condition.
Greg and Tim Hildebrandt (twin brothers born in 1939) began painting professionally in 1959 as the Brothers Hildebrandt. They are best known for their popular The Lord of the Rings calendar illustrations,painting the first bilingual Star Wars film poster, illustrating comics for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, original oil paintings for a limited edition of Terry Brooks's The Sword of Shannara, and their Magic: The Gathering and Harry Potter illustrations for Wizards of the Coast. Tim Hildebrandt illustrated children's books, two Dungeons & Dragons calendars, and the poster for the film The Secret of NIMH.
The Robber Bride
New York: Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, 1993. 6 1/2 x 9 1/2". 466pp. First American edition, first printing. Dust jacket in good condition only, with crease on the spine and minor wear, not price clipped. Grey cloth quarter-wrapped over boards, slightly cocked, minor wear, otherwise very good condition.
This is Atwood's 8th novel, and is full of her usual wit. The story centers on three women and the influence on them by the fourth classmate, Zenia, the evil maurader. This book comes with the publisher's "Book Group Companion".
The Second Magenta Frog
Vancouver, BC: Talonbooks, 1972. First Edition, limited print run of 4,000 copies. Illustrated stiff paper wrap with some browning to edges and spine, some foxing to inside front/back covers, minor edgewear, numerous illustrations, pictures, newsclips and short stories throughout, on newsprint paper, unmarked, in very good plus condition.
Great collection of the early works of Arnold Saba (now Katherine Collins), best known for the Neil the Horse comics and stories. From the front cover, this book contains, "Stories, Poems, Pictures, Songs, Comics, Jokes, Games, Tricks, Puzzles, Enigmas, Conundrums, Surprises, Marvels, Magic, Deceptions, Illusion, Disillusion, Fear, Horror, Despair, Death, Truth, Lies, Changes, Cycles, Love, Life." Only a few other copies on the market.
The Short Reign of Pippin IV
New York: Viking Press, 1957. 188 pp. Approximately 5 1/4 x 8". First Edition, first state of dust jacket. Illustrated dust jacket in very good condition with minor edge wear, some rubbing, publisher's price of $3.00 on the front flap; Strawberry cloth over boards with heraldic blind-stamping, yellow spine with red printing but discolored/darkened slightly, top stain red, pages clean and bright, in very good condition. (Goldstone & Payne A36a)
Generally considered as one of Steinbeck's lesser books, this book did become popular enough to be a book-of-the-month selection. This is Steinbeck's only work of political satire and tells the story of an amateur astronomer, Pippin, who is proclaimed King of France. He spends most of his time trying to avoid any responsibilities and deal with hangers-on with inherited money. Much of the satire is clearly relatable to today's people and politics as well.