New Arrivals
The Wildling Princess
Joliet: P. F. Volland Co., 1929. Hardcover, First Edition, 6 1/4 x 8 1/4". 79 pp. Brown cloth over boards with gilt stamped lettering and picture of a castle on front cover and gilt lettering on spine and back cover, some rubbing at corners, loose front hinge, a little purple crayon on half-title page and on the back free endpaper, otherwise in clean condition, very good condition overall.
This book is from the Volland Inglenook Series, a set of publications in which the books are meant to build character and entertain at the same time. A rare book by this author, the Wildling Princess is a charming children's tale about a misbehaving and wild princess who is taught by the court magician to be kind and polite. Illustrated in color and b/w by John Edward Perkins with each page of text bordered with castles and turrets.
The Good Time Primer
Boston: Educational Publishing Co., 1898. Hardcover, 5 1/2 x 7". 147 pp. Red cloth spine wrap with pictorial paste-down cover, some edge wear and corner bumping, some loss of paste-down on the back cover, stains to paste-down endpapers, previous owner's gift inscription to ffep, color and b/w illustrations throughout, good + condition. Currently, no other copies in the trade. American Primers, 534.
A lovely children's primer with repetitive phrases for teaching and nature lessons designed to "stimulate the powers of observation." The legend of Hiawatha is included to appeal to pupils and encourage them to express their ideas. The author has also included character-building stories intended to "teach perserverance, obedience, truthfulness, and love."
Calorie Saving Recipes With Improved Sucaryl: New Non-Caloric Sweetener for Reducing and Diabetic Diets
Chicago: Abbott Laboratories, 1955. Paperback, 4 1/4 x 6", 48 pp., pictorial cover wraps, small ex-library sticker taped around upper spine edges, drug store stamp on the rear cover, very good condition.
Sucaryl, also known as sodium cyclamate, is an artificial sweetener approximately 30-50 times sweeter than sugar. Discovered in 1937 at the Univeristy of Illinois, it was banned by the FDA for sale in the United States in 1969 but is still available without restriction in the UK and other parts of Europe. This booklet has many recipes using Sucaryl solution or tablets.
The Poetical Works of Nicholas Rowe, with the Life of the Author. (Bell's Edition of British Poets Complete from Chaucer to Churchill)
Edinburgh: Apollo Press for John Bell, 1782. Hardcover, 3 1/4 x 5 1/8", 142 pp, tree calf binding bordered in gilt with gilt decoration to spine, maroon and black title labels lightly rubbed, marbled endpapers, age darkened pages, some foxing throughout, original ribbon mostly present, very good condition.
This volume contains the Nicholas Rowe's (1674 - 1718) miscellanies, epistles, epigrams, odes, songs, prologues, epilogues, imitations, etc, etc, etc. Appointed Poet Laureate in 1715. Bells Poets, published in the 18th century consisted of the works of some 48 poets, and totalled over one hundred volumes. Scarce in the trade.
Mighty Midget Miniatures - Series No. 1
New York: B. Shackman & Co., (c 1960). First edition thus, paperback, 5 volumes in the complete set, 1 1/2 x 2"; illustrated wraps, faint crease to front wrap of one of the volumes, else minor wear to corners and tips of spine complete, very good condition.
There are 5 titles that comprise Series No. 1 as follows: [v. 1.] Cinderella, [v. 2.] Jack and the Beanstalk, [v. 3.] Little Red Riding Hood, [v. 4.] Rumpelstilskin, [v. 5.] Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. All charming miniature editions of classic fairly tales.
The Cat's Tea Party
London: George Routledge & Sons, [ca 1871]. Date of publication suggested by the Bodleian Library. 10 1/2 x 9"; 6 numbered, [8 unnumbered] pp., colored woodcut illustrations by Harrison Weir; loose pages but all present; tears and chips to covers and pages, some of which were repaired with sewing and reinforcements; some foxing and stains, gift inscription in pencil on inside ffep; good condition.
One of a series of Shilling Toy Books for children published by Routledge, mainly of animals, famous fairy tales and bible stories with striking, large illustrations. Scarce in the trade.
Desert Rat Scrap Book, Packet Two of Pouch Six
Thousand Palms, CA: Harry Oliver, [1953]. First edition; 17 x 22" (folded double three times); heavy cream-colored stock; profusely illustrated with cover art by Art Loomer; minor puncture to lower fold-line and a small rubbed spot to front cover, else minor wear to edges; overall very good to near fine condition.
The "Desert Rat Scrap Book" (or DSRB) was a (somewhat irregularly published) quarterly Southwestern humor periodical created by art director, humorist, and artist Harry Oliver. Boasting to be "the smallest newspaper in the world" and the "only newspaper in America you can open in the wind," the current Packet Two, or The Contentment Packet, included the second installment of western-novels writer Dane Coolidge's "Death Valley Scotty, Prospector and Showman," Don Blanding's "The Desert," and the hilarious article "Mule Decides to Quit Army," etc. Considered by many to be the precursor to the zine culture - few copies of Oliver's journal have survived.
Bible Stories and Pictures
New Haven, CT: Sidney Babcock, 1844. Paperback, 2 x 3 1/2"; Illustrated with title page vignette of the Crucifixion and cover page vignette of Lazarus raised to life; seven wood engravings, 16 pp. Minor foxing and some tranference of ink to title page from cover. Very good condition.
A collection of seven bible stories for children, each one with its own preliminary illustration. Stories include: Moses Viewing Canaan; Samson Carrying Away the Gates of Gaza; David and Goliath; John Baptizing Christ; Water Changed to Wine; Christ Blessing Children; and Conversion of Saint Paul.
The Tragic Story of Es-Kim-In-Zin
New Mexico: The New Mexico Historical Review, 1928. Paperback, 6 x 9"; Some cracking and peeling of spine, sun fading to 1/2 of the front cover, minor markings, 52 pp.
An all too familiar tale for this time period, this is the story of Es-Kim-In-Zin, Chief of the Pinal and Aravaipa Apaches who lived from 1828 - 1894. His name meant "Men stand in line for him" and he was a man of character and leadership who was betrayed time and again by the US Goverment, Mexican citizens and anit-apache American citizens. This story was written by John P. Clum, a Government Indian agent for the San Carlos Apache Reservation, who got to know Es-Kim-In-Zin well.
Three in One: Three Complete Stories in One Book: Sue's Hair Ribbon; Big Old House; Purple Car
Morro Bay, CA: Tabula Rasa Press, 1981. Miniature book, 2 1/8 x 1 3/4"; Letterpress, cloth boards, printed label, 67 pp. Set in Torino type, number 177 of 300 copies, (Bradbury, Tabula Rasa Press 22).
Three cute and brief original children's tales. 4 institutional holdings in OCLC.