Hardcover
London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1818
(London): (Printed for the Company of Stationers), 1818. Unpaginated. Approximately 1 1/4 x 2 1/4". Original red morocco slipcase with onlays in cream and green, gilt-tooled throughout, in fine condition; Pink outer wraps, most likely replacing a cover that usually matched the slipcase, first page called "Common Notes", all edges gilt, a good copy.
These miniature booklets have been published from the late 17th century until the Victorian era, and give monthly information for eclipses, phases of the moon, saints days, as well as lists of Royals and Lord Mayors, bank transfer days and other banking rates. In this copy, there is a folding view of the Royal Dramatic College.
London Almanack for the Year of Christ 1868
(London): (Printed for the Company of Stationers), (1867). Unpaginated. Approximately 1 1/2 x 2 1/4". Original red morocco with onlays in cream and green, gilt-tooled throughout, some parts of covers and spine missing, all edges gilt, gift inscription on rear endpaper, matching slipcase partly faded and a few chips to edges, else a very good copy.
These miniature booklets have been published from the late 17th century until the Victorian era, and give monthly information for eclipses, phases of the moon, saints days, as well as lists of Royals and Lord Mayors, bank transfer days and other banking rates. In this copy, there is a folding view of the Royal Dramatic College.
Medea: Freely adapted from the Medea of Euripides
New York: Random House, 1946. 107 pp. Approximately 6 x 9 1/2". First Edition, first printing. Dust jacket has some darkening to the spine and sun fading on both covers, some chipped and rough edges with a missing small piece at the top of the spine, otherwise in very good condition; Orange paper over black cloth boards,copper lettering crisp on spine, Paul Elder & Co. Bookstore label on rear pastedown endpaper, first printing indicated by the missing word "least" on line 21 of p. 99, in near fine condition.
Medea is a Greek play by Euripides (first produced in 431 BC) that poet Robinson Jeffers has modernized. For instance, he replaces the Greek chorus by three women who represent women in their youth, middle age, and elder years. The play centers around a deeply flawed but strong and powerful heroine with themes of racism, sexism, political power, and justice. Robinson Jeffers (1887 - 1962) was an American poet best known for his work about the central California coast.
Mine
New York: Pocket Books, 1990. 442 pp. 6 1/4 x 9 1/2". First Edition, first printing. Illustrated dust jacket with original price of $18.95, in fine condition; Red paper over boards and black cloth spine with silver lettering, slight foxing on top fore-edge, signed by the author on the title page, in near fine condition.
Robert McCammon (1952 - ), is a well-known fantasy/horror writer, having been a recipient of the Horror Writers of America, Inc.'s Bram Stoker Award and nominated for the 1988 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. This novel is about a woman who steals a baby, the mother who tries to hunt her down and an FBI man who also has a grudge to settle. From the jacket: "A novel of psychological terror and unrelenting suspense set against the backrop of America today".
Moncrif's Cats
New York: A. S. Barnes and Co., 1964. First edition thus, hardcover, 6 1/4 x 9", 187 pp; dust jacket has some edge wear, chipping, price clipped and soiling in fair condition; blue cloth over boards with silver lettering, several b/w illustrations, one page creased, very good condition.
First published in Paris in 1727, translated by Reginald Bretnor, "It is a fanciful and canny research into the history of cats."
More Cats
Vermont: The Stephen Greene Press, 1975, Vermont. Hardcover. 39 pp. Dust jacket has been price clipped, but is bright and in very good condition. First American Edition. Black cloth over boards with silver titles, clean, tight copy, very minor wear to bottom edges, otherwise very good condition.
A humorous collection of full-color cat caricatures, a few of which were published on The New Yorker magazine cover. Adult humor.
More Than Human
New York: Farrar, Straus and Young, 1953. 233 pp. Approximately 5 1/4 x 8". First edition, first printing. Illustrated dusk jacket in very good condition with some stains on the inside, previous tape repairs, some chipping and creasing, price clipped. Red paper over boards black fabric on spine with white lettering, some age toning, in near fine condition.
Theodore Sturgeon (1918 - 1985), born Edward Hamilton Waldo, was an American fiction author, whose genre mainly included fantasy, science fiction and horror. This novel was the winner of the 1954 International Fantasy Award for Best Novel, which is about 6 people with strange powers who are able to come together and act as one.
Mountain Birds
London: Penguin Books, 1952. 31 pp. + 16 color plates. First edition. Approximately 5 x 7 1/4". Printed dust jacket with label title on cover and spine, rubbing to edges, in very good condition. Similarly patterned printed paper boards, Stanford Library withdrawal stamp on front free endpaper along with ink name on verso, otherwise in very good condition.
A beautifully done little book about the birds of the hills of Britain, with stunning full color plates. Robert Coombes is an ornithologist who describes the birds in terms the layman can easily understand and appreciate. The artist, George Lodge, is "especially renowned for his drawings of falcons and other birds of prey" per the dust jacket.
Mr. & Mrs. Potato
(Scottsdale, AZ): Joseph D'Ambrosio, 2003. 2 1/2 x 3"; LIMITED EDITION of 50, this being designated an artists proof. Beige cloth over boards form outer clamshell case, blindstamped title on cover, inner slipcase in gray cloth over boards, all of which are in fine condition and beautifully crafted. Book has dark brown leather spine and sculped white paper boards (cotton Linters), brown endpapers, 4 color-printed and die-cut illustrations tipped-in, set in digital type and ink-jet printed, designed and produced by Joe D'Ambrosio and signed on the colophon, in fine condition.
A charming story about the potato family, with many puns.
My Seventy Years in California
Los Angeles: Times-Mirror Press, 1927. 478 pp. First Edition. Approximately 6 x 9". Illustrated dust jacket with chips, tears and missing parts, in good + condition. Blue cloth over boards with gilt title on cover and spine, bookplate of Alice & J.B. Levison on front paste-down endpaper, black and white illustrations throughout, in near fine condition.
J. A. Graves (1857 - 1927) moved from Iowa to California in 1857 when he was just 5 years old. This book tells of his childhood and education in Northern California. It then moves on to the issues he experienced such as politics, conflicting land claims (while he was a lawyer), railroad interests, water rights, farming, Hispanic citizens, etc. It also deals with his personal life and professional career. A wonderful first-person narrative of an interesting time in the growth of California. The bookplate is from Alice & J.B. Levison, with J.B. being the President of Fireman's Fund from 1917 to 1937. J. B. was largely responsible for the Fireman's Fund surviving the massive amount of claims and helping customers after the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.