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God's Wanderers: A Year End Reverie
[Seal Harbor, ME]: High Loft, 1980. [11] pp. Approximately 5 x 7 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies. Green stiff paper covers with printed and designed title lable pasted down on front cover, stitched binding, set by hand, printed, & bound at High Loft by August Heckscher, with T.R. Coleman and Karen MacDonald (from the colophon), slight foxing on a few pages and page edges, in near fine conditon.
August Heckscher II (1913 - 1997) was an American author, correspondent, speech writer and biographer as well as an arts consultant in the White House during John F. Kennedy's administration. He was also a NY parks commisioner among other things during his diverse career. He wrote a well-known biography of Woodrow Wilson. This sweet little pamphlet tells a more personal story of how some places can "speak distinctly" and provoke certain feeling and storytelling. Worldcat shows 6 library holdings, including the Grolier Club. (as of 1/20)
Good Books: A Bibliography of the Books Made by Peter & Donna Thomas, 1978-1991
Santa Cruz, CA: Peter & Donna Thomas, 1992. 97 pp. Approximately 2 x 2 3/4". LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies, this being #195. Brown leather spine with two bands 1/4 bound over slightly worn marbled boards, gilt title on spine with a little wear, letterpress on publisher's handmade paper, illustrated by Donna, Tanya, and Suzanne Thomas, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Thomas 41; P&D Thomas Bibliography A73)
A lovely binding and an interesting book with an introduction that details the start of the business and collaboration with others while learning their craft. Black and white illustrations throughout and a bibliography of their various miniature and larger books made by Peter and Donna Thomas from 1978 - 1991.
Gorey Games
San Francisco: Troubador Press, 1979. 8 1/2 x 11". First Edition. No jacket, as issued. Black boards with gilt-stamped title on cover and spine, beautiful red endpapers, illustrated by Gorey throughout including a previously unpublished drawing, limited edition of 750 copies, slight sticker residue on back cover, otherwise in near-fine condition. (Toledano B64a)
A wonderful collection of games for any Gorey fan. Games include mazes, puzzles, hidden objects and more with Gorey's usual cast of characters, including Fantod, Osbick bird, Emblus Fingby, Gashlycrumb Tinies characters, Dracula, and of course Gorey himself.
Gunner's Dawn
New York: The Derrydale Press, 1937. First Edition. Limited edition of 950, this being #78. Red simulated leather over boards with gilt decorations, some dulling to gilt, minor cover rubbing especially to spine edges, original signed etching as frontispiece, 5 color plates and 14 black and white plates with some tissue guards missing, a few pages unopened, gift inscription on front paste-down endpaper which also has a small amount of foxing, otherwise in very good condition.
Roland Clark (1874 - 1957) was an American artist who was best known for his painting and etchings of ducks. He was also an accomplished writer and combined these talents in sporting articles, short stories which were autobiographical in nature.
Heraldry
Chicago, IL: Doris. V. Welsh, 1956. 33 pp. Approximately 1 1/2 x 1 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of 150 copies. Gold printed paper boards, 3/4 bound with black cloth, printed title label on spine, hand-colored illustrations, minor edge rubbing, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Petit Oiseau Press, 7).
Doris Welsh was probably the greatest authority about miniature books in the second half of the 20th century. She collected, wrote about, and published miniature books entirely by herself. Born in 1907 in Pittsburgh, and after receiving her A.B, B.L.S. and M.S. degrees from different colleges, she eventually joined the Newberry Library in 1947 as cataloguer. She remained at the Library until 1970 when she retired. She started publishing her own books in 1952. (MBS newsletter, 11/2013). This book was hand set, printed & bound by Doris Welsh. This interesting little book provides an overview of the history of heraldry and touch on succession, women, and English vs. American heraldry.
Hinky Haiku
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2016. Approximately 3 x 2", oblong. First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 20 copies, this being #4. Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press, Gold and black checkerboard paper over boards, traditional stab binding, beautiful black and gold endpapers, Japanese mulberry paper, signed and numbered by the author on the colophon, fine condition.
Overwrought by grade-schoolers and wanna-be poets, the haiku has been abused unintentionally for far too long. First attempted to distract themselves during an excruciating flight, the authors acknowledge that the haiku in its purest expression is both lyrical and majestic. These are neither, but offer commentary on modern life.
Holy Bible. New Testament.
Tokyo: Japan Bible Society, 1982. Black leather cover with blind stamped title and decorations, 27 x 34 mm, 409 pp., printed by photo offset at Toppan Printing Co., miniature bookplate and bookstore labels present, Japanese text, slipped into in a gold metal case with with red and gold cross decoration and chain. All housed in a red velveteen box with magnifying glass and brochure. Limited to 1,000 copies. The complete package, including original manufacturer's packaing box, all beautifully executed and in fine condition.
The Toppan Printing Company in Japan has long been printers of the world's smallest books with many Guiness Book World Record holders.
Hornblower and the Hotspur
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. 283 pp. 5 1/2 x 8"; Illustrated dustjacket, designed by David Cobb, in near fine condition with minimal edgewear and small enclosed tear at top of back cover, price of 18s net intact; Dark blue cloth over boards with gilt lettering on spine, in fine condition.
Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (1899 - 1966), pen name for C. S. Forester, was and English novelist best known for his 12-book fictional series about the Napoleonic Wars as seen through the eyes of the Royal Navy Office, Horatio Hornblower. Later books filled in the gaps in the early years of the story. This is the last full book, as the final book "Hornblower and the Crisis" was unfinished and published posthumously.
I Love You
Munich: Waldmann and Pfitzner, 1952. Approximately 5 x 5 mm. Red leather binding with gilt decorations on covers, housed in a Plexiglass case with an inset magnifying glass, printed in 4-point type in nine languages: English, German, French, Italian, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish, in fine condition. (Bromer & Edison, P. 117)
This book was part of a 4 volume collection called "Die kleinsten Bücher der Welt" which translates to The Smallest Books in the World. These were commissioned by Walter Schatzki, a Jewish bookseller who settled in New York City in 1937 after fleeing Nazi Germany. He is sometimes attributed as the publisher. Schatzki became an authority on rare children's books and assembled one of the most famous catalogs of children's books ever created by an American bookseller.
If there were no Books...there would be no Black Cat!
Easthampton, MA: Cheloniidae Press, 2018. Approx. 11 x 14". LIMITED EDITION of 100 copies, this being #40. Broadside, letterpress, signed and numbered by the artist, printed by Art Larson in a relief etching from an original drawing on archival Cranes Lettra paper, in fine condition.
Best known as a wildlife artist, Robinson's work enjoys wide appeal among disparate audiences from children and adults, to outdoor enthusiasts and collectors alike including Prince Charles, Charles Schwab, Johnny Morris, and former French President Francois Mitterand. He holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Printmaking (Etchings and Wood engravings primarily) and Sculpture from the University of Massachusetts. This print is one of a set of 12 that are a tribute to great books and authors that have influenced and changed lives.