New Arrivals
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.
An Incident of Border Warfare
Chicago, IL: Le Petit Oiseau Press, 1958. (26) pp. Approximately 1 9/16 x 2". LIMITED EDITION of 50 copies, this being #50. Pale green printed paper boards, 3/4 bound with black cloth, printed title label on spine, black and white illustrations throughout, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Petit Oiseau Press, 9).
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 miniature tells a story of Indian and pioneer conflict in West Virginia in 1786.
Poems
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1977. (40) pp. Approximately 1 x 1 3/8". LIMITED EDITION of 75, this being #18. Faux blue leather over boards with gilt bird decorations on cover and gilt initials of publisher on spine, illustrated throughout, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 14)
A lovely book, both inside and out, with 8 poems by Martha D. Fletcher. According to the intro, Fletcher was from Alabama and taught various school levels, including some college. She is inspired by nature and infuses her poems with her love of nature and humankind. The author and her husband wish all who read her poems "happiness in life and thought".
Telephone Directory, It's a Small World
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1978. (64) pp. Approximately 1 1/4 x 1". Stiff paper boards with paper label on cover and spine, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 23)
Created to look like a phonebook, this little gem has both "white pages", (which contain the contact information for real collectors, miniature makers and dealers active at the time of publication in both the US and Canada) and "yellow pages", (which contain advertisements for everything miniature book related). This is the bigger edition and is listed first in Bradbury. The revised edition is smaller.
Tiny Texas
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1982. (106) pp. Approximately 1 7/8 x 2 1/2". LIMITED EDITION of 335 copies. Brown cloth over printed paper boards with gilt line, illustrated, original packaging, signed by the publisher on the rear free endpaper, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 42)
Known for it's big size, this interesting little book points out the small things that are from/in Texas, including plants, people, places, etc. Reprinted with permission from the December 1979 issue of Texas Monthly.
The Eyes of Texas
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1982. (28) pp. Approximately 1 x 1 3/8". LIMITED EDITION of 250 copies. Orange cloth over printed paper boards, illustrated, original packaging, signed by the publisher on the copyright page, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 41)
A humorous little tale about how the song "The Eyes of Texas are Upon You" came into being. Written by Jack Maguire, Executive Director of the University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio. This is the smaller first edition, as a larger second edition was printed in 1986.
P.T. Barnum's Circus Museum and Menagerie
New York: White & Allen, 1888. (64) pp. Approximately 10 1/2 x 12 1/2". 1st edition. Color lithographed paper over boards, beautifully illustrated with full page color plates and many black and white illustrations, beautiful lithography by G.H. Buek & Co., some edge wear and light toning, one page has slight tear at the bottom, light soiling to margins of some pages, otherwise, very good condition.
Phineas Taylor Barnum, usually referred to as P.T. Barnum (1810 - 1891) was an American showman, politician, author, publisher, philanthropist and businessman. He said of himself, however, "I am a showman by profession...and all the gilding shall make nothing else of me." (Kunhardt 1995). Told in the form of a story for children, this stunning and scarce book showcases many of the acts, animals, and curiosities that appeared in Barnum's circus, such as Jumbo the Elephant, Che-Mah the Dwarf, and many other exotic animals.
A Year of Prophesying
New York: Macmillan Company, 1925. 352 pp. Approximately 5 1/4 x 7 1/2". 1st edition. Red cloth over boards with title panelled and blind stamped on front cover, gilt title on spine, no dust jacket, minor foxing on page edges, otherwise, very good plus condition.
Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) is often called the "father of science fiction" along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback. A Year of Prophesying is a collection of 55 essays by Wells, written for newspaper columns between 1923 and 1924. An insightful view of early 20th century history.
The Man With the Golden Gun
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. 221 pp. Approximately 5 x 7 1/2". 1st edition, second state. Pictorial dustjacket in very good plus condition, price of 18s net on inside flap, minor tear and soiling. Black cloth over boards with gilt title on spine, First published 1965 on copyright page, green and white patterned endpapers, slight spotting on top edge, otherwise, near fine condition.
The thirteenth novel in the James Bond series, adapted to the movies in 1974 starring Roger Moore as James Bond and Christopher Lee as the assassin, Scaramanga.
Animal Heroes
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1905. 363 pp. Approximately 5 3/4 x 8". Green cloth over boards with blind stamped wreath and title in gilt, many black and white illustrations, sun faded on spine, no dust jacket, some foxing within, otherwise in very good + condition.
Ernest Thompson Seton (1860 - 1946) was an author, wildlife artist and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America. This book is about animal heroes with a hero being defined by the author as "an individual of unusual gifts and achievements...whether it be man or animal." These stories are based on the actual life of a veritable animal hero. For instance, the story of "Little Warhorse" is loosely based on the story of Warhorse, brought to film fame in 2011 by Steven Spielberg, about a thoroughbred in World War I. The other tales include The Slum Cat, Arnaux: The Chronical of a Homing Pigeon, Badland Bills: The Wolf that Won, The Boy and the Lynx, Little Warhorse: The History of a Jack-Rabbit, Snap: The Story of a Bull-terrier, The Winnipeg Wolf, and The Legend of the White Reindeer.