New Arrivals
The Old Herb Woman
Boston: Henry Hoyt, n.d. (ca 1850). 64 pp. 3 x 4 1/2"; Purple cloth over boards, some toning to pages and slight foxing, gilt lettering on spine reads "Little Folks Library", woodcut illustrations, in near-fine condition.
Henry Hoyt published at 9 Cornhill, Boston, from 1850 to at least 1876. The wood-engraved illustration on page 50 is signed "Hyde" (i.e. John N. Hyde). A lovely book of juvenile fiction based on bible stories to instruct proper conduct of life in children.
Alphabet People
Santa Cruz, CA: Peter & Donna Thomas, 1989. 64 pp. 1 7/8 x 2 3/8"; LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies, this being #141. Printed paper over boards with illustrated paste-down label on cover, letterpress printed on Peter's handmade paper, illustrated by Tanya Thomas, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Peter & Donna Thomas, 42)
An interesting ABC book where the illustrations are based on Tanya Thomas, (the daughter of Peter and Donna), twisting her body into the shapes of letters of the alphabet and creating a drawing for each.
Cotton Facts (Edition of Nov. 1921). A compilation from official and reliable sources of the crops, receipts, stocks, (...), in the United States and other countries for a series of years .
New York: Shepperson Publishing Co., 1921. 162 pp. with illustrations and advertisements. Approximately 4 x 7". Black cloth soft cover with blind stamped design and gilt title, folding map detached but still present, in very good condition.
The extremely long title says it all.
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.
Nonsense
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1977. (26) pp. Approximately 5/8 x 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of unknown copies, this being #15. Green cloth over boards, paste-down paper label on cover and spine, illustrated, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 19)
A charming little book containing little humorous nonsense sayings.