New Arrivals
Role of Honour
London: Jonathan Cape and Hodder & Stoughton, 1984. Approximately 5 1/4 x ". Illustrated dust jacket by Trevor Scobie with author photo, original price of £7.95 intact, in fine condition; Black paper over boards with crisp, gilt lettering on spine, one flawed page printed by publisher that was not cut properly and folded in, otherwise beautifully bright and unmarked, in fine condition.
Base on the Ian Fleming character, this is Gardner's fourth James Bond book. The plot, from the jacket, involves a computer wizard, a mercenary army, and SPECTRE.
A Bestiary
Boston: Anne & David Bromer, 1979. [19] pp. approx. 2 1/4 x 2 1/16", oblong. LIMITED EDITION of 125 copies, this being #87. Marbled wrap with title label over marbled cover with title label, 15 wood engravings,letterpress on Troya paper, signed by the artist on the colophon, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Bromer 5)
Sarah Chamberlain has illustrated books from Aesop’s Fables to Margarette Reid’s The Button Box. She studied under renowned printmakers and illustrators Barry Moser and Leonard Baskin, and from the 1970s to the 1980s ran the Chamberlain Press.
Machine Gun Fire Control
Cleveland, OH: Edward C. McKay, 1917. 84 pp. plus advertisements. First Edition. Approximately 5 x 6 3/4". Black cloth stiff paper covers with some chipping and loss, some spotting to cover and faded title, owner signed on front-free endpaper, very few ink marks on the text, slightly musty smell, very good condition.
This text was written and the control rule designed in order to try and teach the difficult subject of the exterior ballistics of the machine gun and to simplify to a minimum the mathematical operations in the control of fire. (from the preface). Illustrated with many figures and diagrams.
Driving Force
London: Michael Joseph, 1992. 277 pp. Approximately 6 1/4 x 9 1/4". 1st English Edition. Illustrated dust jacket in fine condition; Black cloth over boards, gilt title on spine, signed by the author on the half-title page, in 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' 31st book, with jockey, Freddie Croft, trying to deal with a conspiracy involving the seedy underside of horse-racing.
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.
The Griffin
San Diego, CA: Ash Ranch Press, 1989. 36 pp. Approximately 2 7/16 x 2 7/16". LIMITED EDITION of 126 copies, this being #34. Red leather over boards, blind stamped griffin design on cover with gilt title on spine, letterpress, marbled endpapers, illustrations throughout, signed on the colophon by the publisher, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Ash Ranch Press #14)
The subtitle of the book says, "The Griffin. A note on a fabulous creatures rise from a guardian of gold to a symbol of printing." A lovely little history with illustrations about the griffin symbol.
Olde Christmas Eve
(Manteno, IL): Bronte Press, 1997. (12) pp. Approximately 4 1/2 x 3", oblong. LIMITED EDITION unknown, this being #63. Green paper boards with label on front cover, caligraphy and illustrations by Suzanne Pruchnicki, hand-colored, signed by the artist/printer on the colophon, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Bronte Press)
Published by Washington Irving in 1876, this little book is a short story to enjoy for the holidays.
Shakespeare's Seasons
(Manteno, IL): Bronte Press, 1998. (28) pp. Approximately 2 3/8 x 3". LIMITED EDITION of 60 copies, this being #32. Marbled paper boards, calligraphy and illustrations by Suzanne Pruchnicki, hand-colored by Suzanne and Paul Pruchnicki, signed by the artist/printer. A fine copy, delightfully done. (Bradbury, Bronte Press #50)
Exceprts from Shakespeare's verses on the happenings of the seasons, all beautifully hand-colored.
A Letter from John Steinbeck Explaining Why He Could Not Write an Introduction for This Book
New York: Random House, 1964. 8 pp. Approx. 6 1/4 x 9 1/4". Printed orange wrappers with black ink, in original mailing envelope (which has a slight corner crease), both in fine condition. (Goldstone & Payne A41)
Steinbeck's introduction to "The Thinking Dog's Man" by Ted Patrick, was issued separately in advance of the book as a promotional item; no copies were for sale. This copy once belonged to veteran Milwaukee bookseller Harry Schwartz (the mailing envelope bears his address). A fine, fresh copy in the original printed mailing envelope of this very scarce Steinbeck "A" item.
Up 65 Years to Larchmont
Los Angeles: Bela Blau, 1970. 31 pp. Approximately 1 3/16 x 1 5/8". Brown-red leather over boards with gilt title on cover and gilt publisher on spine, decorative endpapers, frontispiece, letterpress and gilt leather by Bela Blau, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Dawson 37)
A lovely little book about the various locations over the years of Dawson's Book Shop in the Los Angeles area, known as "one of the six renaissance miniature book publishers in the U.S. during the early 1960s." (Bradbury) Bela Blau, along with his wife Mariana, came to the U.S. from Hungary in 1956 and established a bindery business. An amazing award winning binder, his leather work and attention to detail is remarkable.