New Arrivals
The Edward Gorey Bestiary: 1984 Engagement Calendar
Corte Madera, CA: Pomegranate Artbooks, 1983. SIGNED. Spiral-bound with glossy pictoral color illustration on the front cover, slight crease to upper corner, no manuscript entries, in near fine condition. (Toledano p. 157B).
This beautiful and unmarked engagement calendar is illustrated throughout with reprinted illustrations, in color and black and white, from a variety of sources including Gorey's books, posters, cards and etchings.
Jack and the Beanstalk
Cleveland Heights, OH: Borrower's Press, 1982. 56 pp. Approximately 13/16 x 5/8". LIMITED EDITION of 300 copies, this being #125. Letterpress, gilt cloth boards, hand-colored illustrations by Amanda Epstein, signed by the publisher, Jane Bernier. A fine copy. (Bradbury, Borrower's Press, 44)
First appearing in print in 1807, it is attributed to Benjamin Tabart but the most common version is the one adapted by Joseph Jacobs in 1890. It is the classic tale of Jack, his magic beans, and his adventures up the beanstalk.
Cowpokes
New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1999. Unpaginated. Approximately 10 x 10". First Limited Edition of 26 lettered copies, this being "P". SIGNED by both author and illustrator. Pictorial boards with full color illustrations throughout. Extra illustration for limited edition only, not in trade copies. Fine in fine dust jacket.
From the front flap, "They don their boots & hats & chaps, down their flapjacks, then it's up into the saddle & off they go." Beautifully done book that will charm both children and adults alike.
Two Bear Cubs
California: Yosemite Association, 1997. (36) pp. Approximately 10 x 10 3/4". First Limited Edition of 200 numbered and 26 lettered copies, this being #13. SIGNED by both author and illustrator. Pictorial boards with full color illustrations throughout. Extra illustration for limited edition only, not in trade copies. Fine in fine dust jacket in fine slipcase.
Authentic Southern Sierra Miwok Indian legend a retold by the author with information about the tribe. Beautifully done.
Catacomb Years
New York: Published by Berkley Publishing Corporation Distributed by G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1979]. 396 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/4". Advanced copy, uncorrected proof for limited distribution of the first edition. A presentation copy with inscription by Bishop. Orange/yellow card stock outer wrap, corners slightly bumped, black titles on cover page, near fine condition
The prequel to this book, "Little Knowledge" and then this book, "Catacomb Years" are about a theocratic regime repressively dominating the near-future America, until a visiting alien race is also converted, thus beginning the destablization of society. (Clute and Nicholls, "The Encylopedia of Science Fiction", p 126.)
Stolen Faces
New York, Hagerstown, San Francisco, London: Harper & Row, 1977. 176 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/2". First edition, first printing, SIGNED and inscribed by the author on the title page. 1/4 bound brown cloth over boards with gold titles on spine and publisher blind stamp on cover, very slight shelf rubbing to bottom edges, otherwise fine condition. Illustrated dust jacket with a little rubbing in near fine condition. An excellent copy
From the jacket flap: Muphormosy, a disease not unlike leprosy, has ravaged the first settlers on the planet Tezcatl. Generations later, their similarly emaciated descendents live in a compound where they are isolated from the planet's normal inhabitants.
The Exquisitry of William Lewis Washburn
New Britain, CT: REM Miniatures, 1999. (44) pp. Approximately 2 3/4 x 2 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of 99 copies, this being #28. Black buckram, printed paper label on upper cover, illustrated, unpaginated, slide-on paper sleeve, all enclosed in a decorated box with printed label. Signed presentation from the Massmanns on second free fly. A very fine copy; prospectus laid in. (Bradbury, REM, 100)
A tribute to William Lewis Washburn, publisher of miniature books and broadsides, with a short-title list of all his publications.
Andrew Smith Hallidie, Originator of Cable Railway Transportation
San Francisco: Lawton Kennedy, 1940. Softcover, 7 x 10 1/2". 14 pp. Limited edition of 200 copies, this is #59; stapled pamphlet, stiff paper wrap has some soiling and edge wear, b/w frontispiece portrait of Hallidie, inscription by the author on the colophon, very good condition.
This is a reprint of an article that first appeared in the California Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. XIX, No. 2, June, 1940. An interesting read on the originator of the cable car system of San Francisco.
The Tragedy of Lesbos
London: Macmillan and Co., 1870. First Edition. 8vo. Bright green cloth binding with gilt spine lettering and front board ruled in gilt; Front hinge is loose and front free endpaper is loose; spine edges are worn; corner bumping; some age-toning; foxing throughout, a few minor pencil marks; Burns & Co. binder ticket on rear endpaper. Original pencil drawing on page 115, artist unknown. Hardcover in Very Good condition.
Edward Henry Pember was an English barrister, educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. The books is inscribed by author at the endpaper: "F. Pember / 1871 / From the author". Presumably this would be his son, Francis William Pember, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University.
A Little Pilgrim
Boston: Roberts Brothers 1882, hardcover. SIGNED by "Mrs. Oliphant" on title page. Grey cloth over boards with gilt lettering on cover and spine, cover has some stains, spine is worn with a little tear on the back side, red topstain, previous owner's name on ffep, tanning to pages, otherwise good+ condition.
Born Margaret Oliphant Wilson (1828 - 1897) was a Scottish novelist and historical writer. She usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. She often wrote about domestic realism, and historical novels but took to writing supernational fiction in the 1880's. This is a collection of stories that deals with after-death experiences.