New Arrivals
The Jumblies
(Shaker Heights, OH): Wind & Harlot, 1991. (38 pp.) 2 7/8 x 2 1/4"; LIMITED EDITION of 74 copies, this being # 17. Transluscent paper protecting pale green boards with printed title label on spine, marbled endpapers, 7 hand-colored illustrations by Bonnie Baris, printed on handmade Hayle paper from Barcham Green in England, in fine condition.
A charming little poem, and rather fanciful as well, about some people traveling on the sea in a sieve to the land of the jumblies. (Bradbury, Wind & Harlot, 10)
Hornblower and the Hotspur
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. 283 pp. 5 1/2 x 8"; Illustrated dustjacket, designed by David Cobb, in near fine condition with minimal edgewear and small enclosed tear at top of back cover, price of 18s net intact; Dark blue cloth over boards with gilt lettering on spine, in fine condition.
Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (1899 - 1966), pen name for C. S. Forester, was and English novelist best known for his 12-book fictional series about the Napoleonic Wars as seen through the eyes of the Royal Navy Office, Horatio Hornblower. Later books filled in the gaps in the early years of the story. This is the last full book, as the final book "Hornblower and the Crisis" was unfinished and published posthumously.
The Farmer's Boy (with double fore-edge painting)
London: Verner, Hood, and Sharpe Poultry; and Longman, Hust, Rees and Orme, Paternoster-Row, 1808. 99 pp. + notes and advertisements. Approximately 4 x 6 1/4"; Straight-grain red morocco, 5 raised bands, gilt borders and spine, all edges gilt, tenth edition (stated), slightly corner bumped, otherwise in near fine condition.
Robert Bloomfield (1766 - 1823), was an English self-educated poet. He was born into a poor family and died in debt, although he had some success with The Farmer's Boy, his best known work. Written in iambic pentameter couplets, The Farmer's Boy describes rural life through the seasons, often showing that it is harsh work, although the tone is still cheerful. The double fore-edge paintings are by an unknown artist and show a fox-hunting scene on one side and the scene of an angler in a small boat on the other, nicely but not elaborately done.
Cape Cod Yesterdays
Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1935. 48 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4"; LIMITED EDITION of 1075, this being #471 as indicated on the colophon, although the slipcase indicates copy #826, signed by both author and illustrator. Slipcase slightly corner bumped but in near-fine condition with spine label showing title and limitation in excellent shape. Calico cloth covered boards with quarter-bound linen backing, beautiful pictorial endpapers, top edge of all-rag paper is trimmed but other edges are untrimmed, both b/w and full color illustrations by Harold Brett, extra label at rear of book, otherwise in fine condition.
Told from the point of view of remembrances of the departing way of life in Cape Cod. Informal diaglogue brings back the time of general stores, ships that sailed without gasoline engines, travelling by horseback instead of car, fishing, all told with the Cape Cod landscape as a beautiful and scenic background.
Sandalwood and Jade. Poems of the Exotic and Strange.
St. Petersburg, FL: The Sign of the Centaur, 1951. 24 pp. Approximately 5 1/4 x 8 1/4"; First Edition. Stapled illustrated wraps, paper slightly tanning, otherwise minimal edgewear, in near fine condition.
Linwood Vrooman Carter (1930-1988), was a writer and editor, mostly in the heroic fantasy genre. He started publishing science fiction in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1957 and planetary romances (like Edgar Rice Burroughs) in the 60s. This book, Sandalwood and Jade, was Carter's privately printed first book and contains his own illustrations.
Arthur C. Clarke: The Authorized Biography
Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1992. 430 pp. 6 x 9 1/4"; Pictorial dustjacket in fine condition; Black paper over boards with gilt lettering on spine, signed Arthur C. Clarke bookplate on front paste-down endpaper, many black and white photographs, in fine condition.
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (1917 - 2008) was the author or more than sixty books and has received many awards for both his science fiction and his scientific non-fiction writing. This biography explores his career and personal vision though candid interviews with Clarke, his friends, family members, and colleagues. The numerous black and white photographs enhance the biography in a delightful way. Bookplate printed "Ex Libris, Arthur C. Clarke" with illustrations of the monolith from his 2001 Space Odyssey series and dolphins from his novel, Dolphin Island.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight crack on top edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edged dyed blue, slight foxing to book and label, otherwise in near fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 2 - printed by Rogers-Kellopgg-Stillson in a tan slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughout and also on the endpapers.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight water stains on bottom edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edges dyed blue, in fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 1 - printed by the Zeese-Wilkinson Company but in a beige slipcase instead of a blue slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughtout and also on the endpapers.
A Tourist In Spite of Himself
Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1930. 252 pp. Approximately 6 x 9". Limited Edition of 525 copies, this being #71. Signed by the author. Cardboard slip case is in good condition with some splitting to edges, past repairs, paper label on spine indicating title and limited edition number; Blue cloth quarter bound over decorative boards with torn label pasted down to spine, many black and white illustrations by Gluyas Williams throughout, in near fine condition.
A delightful book about a book collector's travels around the world, particularly Scandinavia, London, Paris, Egypt, Jerusalem and Rome, all told from a very humorous perspective. Newton also authored The Amenities of Book-Collecting.
Secrets of the Conjurer's Craft
London: Abbey Library, n.d. 144 pp. Approximately 6 1/2 x 9". Dust jacket is in very good condition with some tears with loss in a few spaces, price clipped, slightly dirty rear cover, but still a bright and colorful cover; Black cloth over boards with gilt lettering to spine, many black and white illustrations, slight page tanning, otherwise in near fine condition.
A delightful book revealing how many magician's tricks are performed, along with a "condense history of the Art of Conjuring" from the dust wrapper flap. Some tricks that are revealed include how to saw a woman in half, the Indian Rope Trik, and the Vanishing Lady, among others.