New Arrivals
My Pretty Pony
New York: Alfred A. Knopf in association with the Whitney Museum of American Art, 1989. (62) pp. Approximately 9 1/4 x 13 1/2". Pictorial boards in carboard slipcase with a slight amount of discoloration in spots, illustrated by Barbara Kruger, in near fine condition.
Originally published in a limited edition by The Whitney Museum of American Art in 1988. This first trade edition is limited to 15,000 printed. A short story by Stephen King, illustrated by Barbara Kruger, under the auspices of Artist and Writer Series.
The Duel
(Nebraska): Corenne Placek, 1978. (10) pp. 1 3/8 x 1 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of unknown copies, this being #61. Printed paper wrappers, illustrated, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Corenne Placek, 2)
Corenne Placek was the sister of Wayne Placek who was a well-known collector of miniature books. Corenne published only 2 miniature books. This one is an offset reduction of a book printed and illustrated by her in 1927. Eugene Field, Sr. (1850 - 1895) was an American writer who was best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays. This poem of his is about a dog and cat having a duel under the watchful eye of the Chinese plate and the old Dutch clock.
The Widow's Only Son
Philadelphia: [n.p.], ca 1869. Approximately 1 1/2 x 2 1/16". [3], 3-64 p. Green leather binding with with gilt decorations, two bands on spine, beautiful dentelle on both inside covers, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, one frontispice illustration and three more throughout, red solander case of approximately the same period showing a little wear, letterpress, all in near fine condition. Only 2 copies currently on OCLC as of 4/24. (Bradbury Antique, p. 195)
The publisher is not identified but the address in this book matches an address for a publisher J. Hamilton of Philadephia. Bookseller Jane Hamilton operated a small publishing business within her Church Book Store on Chestnut Street in the heart of Philadelphia. As one of the first women who printed books in the USA, she published under imprints such as J. Hamilton, J. Hamilton Thomas, and The Protestant Epiiscopal Book Society. She issued religious books, children's books, and poetry from the 1850s to 1870s. She seems to have published at least 4 miniature books. (Eminent Miniatures from the McGehee Miniature Book Collection, UVA, p. 15)
![RNDM TXT [design binding]](http://thebooklair.com/cdn/shop/files/001732_11849b4b-b7bc-4584-b508-1bb761718eac_grande.jpg?v=1717984039)
RNDM TXT [design binding]
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2016. Approximately 2 x 3". First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 20 copies, this being #12. Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press, metallic cloth covered cell phone style case. Black alligator-patterned goat skin over boards, floral endpapers, signed and numbered by the author on the colophon, fine condition.
Here is a creative binding and miniature book that is designed to have the appearance of an old-fashioned looking address book. The contents are comprised of a series of text message reminders of an individual over several weeks; the reader as voyeur peeks at a slice of a life. Quite humorous. Very limited edition at 20 copies. Patrice Miller's work has found its way to private and university collections, in the states and abroad. Human foibles, nature’s panoply, and artistic cleverness cannot help but inform future work. She continues to bind, and rebind, in Dallas, Texas.
Sonnets I
Levsa - Omszk: Anatoly Konenko, 1994. Approximately 1 1/4 x 1". Design binding by Anatonly Konenko. Brown leather over boards with textured label on cover and spine with matching attached book marker, illustrated endpapers, extra colored illustrations in the rear of the book with a tissue guard, illustrated frontispiece, beautiful gilt gauffered top edge, colorful illustrated dust jacket, all in fine condition. An exquisitely beautiful little package.
Miniature artisan Anatoly Konenko is an amazing miniaturist who creates fantastic mini art with extensive accomplishments. His work is coveted by book and miniaturist collectors all over the world, and many of his pieces are on display in museums. One of his works is the world's smallest manicure set that fits into the two halves of a poppy seed, with all items made of gold.
The Cask of Amontillado
Boston: Anne & David Bromer, 1981. [21] pp. approx. 2 x 2 5/8". LIMITED EDITION of 150 copies, thirty-five of which are deluxe. Apart from the deluxe bindings printed by the Thistle Bindery which have a black inlaid morocco binding with box, this is a unique deluxe A/P edition in a custom Roland Meuter binding with pink leather, marbled aluminum covers and gilt top edge gauffered. Colored illustrations, signed by the illustrator on the colophon, housed in a wooden box with pink leather accents, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Bromer 7)
When Linnea Gentry moved her successful Amaranth Press from San Francisco to Santa Fe in 1980, she brought an exceptional sense of quality and a reputation as one of the Bay area’s most talented book artists. Gentry started her career as a designer at the EP Dutton firm in New York. In San Francisco she camped on the doorstep of the much-lauded Grabhorn Press, until she was taken on as a typesetting apprentice. She later launched her Amaranth Press where she turned out fine letterpress work for a discriminating clientele. In the mid-1970s she helped found and became production manager of Fine Print, an international journal of the book arts.
Her introduction to New Mexico came during childhood visits to her aunt, Helen Gentry, a renowned book designer and publisher who lived part-time in Santa Fe during the 1930s and 1940s and settled there after 1965. Colored by the elder Gentry’s circle of artist friends, the visits made a deep impression and influenced the Amaranth’s brief stay in Santa Fe before Gentry closed the press in 1983. (privatepress.org)
The binder, Roland Meuter, maintains an atelier in Ascona, Switzerland, where he continues to produce imaginatively designed bindings that attract considerable attention.
To a Coy Koi
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2022. Approximately 2 1/2 x 2 1/2". LIMITED EDITION of 7 copies, this being #5. Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press. The structure is a crossed portfolio with an illustrated three-dimensional central core, decorated matchbox sleeve enclosure provides the title, colophon, and limitation which is, signed and numbered by the publisher, hand-drawn and hand-colored illustrations, in fine condition. Beautifully structured and original miniature book.
The original sixteen line poem in iambic pentameter is a parody of Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress", and is a water gardener's lament. Patrice Miller's work has found its way to private and university collections, in the states and abroad. Human foibles, nature’s panoply, and artistic cleverness cannot help but inform future work. She continues to bind, and rebind, in Dallas, Texas.
![The Worsted Monster [Design Binding]](http://thebooklair.com/cdn/shop/files/002539_daee9f63-981d-4517-9816-a6453be6061d_grande.jpg?v=1717983507)
The Worsted Monster [Design Binding]
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2020. Approximately 2 15/16 x 2 15/16". First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 26 copies, this being letter "G". Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press, presented within a box covered with a tan slubbed book cloth and burgundy bonded leather. The leather stripping surrounding the box exterior represents strands of yarn. Upon opening the book, one sees a multicolored knitted object sitting inside a woolen sock. Using the sock to lift the object from the box, one finds the book within the wide hand-knitted band of heavy yarn. The book is burgundy leather over boards with WM initials on cover label, inside is a carousel structure with two built-in slipcases holding the text of the play and a portfolio of the play kit with sets, characters, props and Gorey's production notes. Signed and numbered by the publisher on the colophon, fine condition.
The Worsted Monster by Edward Gorey was previously published only in National Lampoon magazine, as a do-it-yourself activity consisting of a plot script with Gorey's illustrations for set, characters, props, and production notes. The play consists of a prologue and three acts. Utter nonsense, the action begins with the infant Isinglass being overtaken by the monster and concludes with the menacing yarn inexplicably having become a huge pile of knitted socks. This is the first edition, authorized by the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust, and is being produced in an edition of 26 with copies lettered A to Z, as well as three out of series copies for the publisher and the EGT archives. Patrice Miller's work has found its way to private and university collections, in the states and abroad. Human foibles, nature’s panoply, and artistic cleverness cannot help but inform future work. She continues to bind, and rebind, in Dallas, Texas.
Peter Rabbit Pop-up
Agoura Hills, CA: Barbara J. Raheb, 1993. (10) pp. Approximately 1 1/8 x 1". LIMITED EDITION of 150 copies, this being #13. Green pyroxylin cover with gilt to cover and spine, marbled endpapers, hand-colored illustrations on every page, all pop-ups functional, signed by the publisher, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Barbara J. Raheb, 444)
A classic children's tale of Peter Rabbit, running away from Mr. McGregor and losing his jacket along the way. First published privately in 1901, this is a scarce and beautiful miniature edition.
Knee Deep at the Long Branch Saloon, Berkeley, California
Berkeley, CA: n.p, [1971]. Approximately 11 x 14". Graphics poster on yellow stock paper, advertising the band Knee Deep playing at the Long Branch Saloon in Berkeley. Online records show that this concert happened December 10, 1971, in near fine condition.
The Knee Deep band is a rock and roll dance band, still playing in the San Francisco Bay Area. The interesting thing about this poster is the location: 2504 San Pablo Avenue, which has a fascinating rock and roll history. In the 60's, this address had been the site of The Cabale, an essential stop on the 60s folk circuit. It briefly became the Good Buddy, then Caverns West, then the Questing Beast in 1965 where Country Joe and the Fish often played. In 1966 the club then became Tito's and in 1969 the Babylon. The room size was doubled and renamed the Long Branch in 1971. Numerous musicians played here such as Earth Quake, Grootna, Flying Circus, Charlie Musselwhite, Cookin' Mama, Elvin Bishop Group, Linx, Alice Stuart, Commander Cody, Sopwith Camel, the New Riders of the Purple Sage (Jerry Garcia), Tower of Power, Cold Blood, and Knee Deep.