Hardcover
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.
Journal of My 45th Ascension
Oakham, MA: Oakham Bindery, 1974. 77 pp. 2 7/8 x 2 1/8". LIMITED EDITION of 500 copies, this being #44. Decorated paper boards with quarter-bound leather, gilt title on spine, patterned endpapers, letterpress by Darrell Hyder, spine ends a little rubbed, otherwise in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Oakham Bindery, 2)
A lovely book about the first balloon flight in the United States, as evidenced by citizens and dignitaries, including George Washington.
Judge Not
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1981. (20) pp. Approximately 3/4 x 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of 300 copies. Blue cloth over boards, printed dust jacket, original packaging, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 37)
Reprinted with permission from an Ann Landers column, dated 9/14/77. A lovely poem with the advice of not judging people.
Kerr & Co.'s Color List
New York: Kerr & Co., ca 1850. Approximately 4 1/2 x 7". Red cloth over boards, very rubbed and bare in spots, gilt title and design on front cover, blind stamped title and design on back cover, 45 still vibrant colored thread samples, in very good condition.
Thread manufacturer Clark & Co. was formed when J & J Clark & Co. and Kerr & Clark, of Paisley, Scotland, were amalgamated in 1865 as Clark & Co. This likely salesman's sample is scarce, with no copies found on the market or in Worldcat (as of 9/20).
L'Emploi du Temps ou les Enfans Modeles
Paris: chez Marcilly, ca. 1830. Approximately 1 15/16 x 2 3/4". 128 pp. Pale pink embossed paper boards, no slipcase, script title on front cover, engraved vignette on back cover and title page, 7 plates, some minor spotting, in French, fine condition. (Welsh 2637)
A beautiful scarce book about moral tales for children, published by leading Parisian publisher Marcilly, responsible for many of the most beautiful children's books of the period.
Levi's Vintage Clothing, Spring 2000
[San Francisco]: Levi Strauss & Co., 2000. 10 x 13"; Limited edition of 500 copies, this being #251. Dust jacket constructed of distressed denim cloth with holes, loose threads, etc., light soiling, some wear to the Red Tab in onside flap (which may be part of the design), otherwise in very good condition. Light blue boards with quarter bound dark blue cloth, Red Tab logo label on front cover, some light cover soiling, color photographs throughout, in very good condition.
A disparate group of global artists were brought together by a common theme - the freedom of self-expression. Contributors include Patricio Grose Forrester, Dexta, Richard Fearless, Tomoo Gokita, Keith Williams, Alexander aka Akay, Brian Hassett and Ben Saffer. Brian Hassett, poet and songwriter, has worked and toured with numerous Beat icons and has written prose for Levi's Vintage Clothing echoing the spirit of the Beat age. A laid-in card describes the publication and contributors. Only 1 WorldCat listing at this time (3/21).
Licence Renewed
London: Jonathan Cape, 1981. Approximately 5 1/4 x 8". Pictorial jacket is in near fine condition, with only a tiny bit of wear at the bottom of the spine, not price-clipped. Black cloth over boards with crisp gilt lettering on spine, slight bumping to spine bottom, some slight foxing to page edges, otherwise in near-fine condition. Overall, a lovely copy of this first edition of the first James Bond continuation novel by John Gardner.
John Edmund Gardner (1926 - 2007), was a British novelist who not only wrote fourteen original James Bond novels, but also wrote the novel versions of two Bond films. The exciting plot of this book, from the jacket, involves the deranged Dr. Anton Murik, a terrorist named Franco, and a beautiful woman, of course, named Lavender Peacock.
Little Tales (4 volumes)
Guben & London: F. Fechner and A. & Joseph Myers & Co., [ca. 1861]. Approximately 2 x 3 1/4". Later printing. Four little volumes, each with a unique decorated cover which includes a textured piece of fake greenery pasted down, all four have a previous owner's name in ink on front free endpaper, all have some moderate wear, all have a beautiful colored frontispiece illustration and 3 of the volumes have another illustrated plate, in very good condition. (Welsh 2800, Spielman 152)
These miniature books were most likely printed in Germany for the English juvenile market. According to Spielman, Fenelon (1651 - 1715) was a famous French ecclesiastic who tutored Louis XIV's grandson, the Duke of Burgundy. It is no surprise then, that these little tales are moral and religious teachable moments for young children. The illustrations have "quite exceptional charm" and are beautifully colored.
Little Tree
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2022. Approximately 2 x 3". LIMITED EDITION of 10 copies, this being #6. Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press, red and gold patterned paper over boards with paper label on removable band, red felt spine, book is not rectangular - rather top right edge is slanted in, Christmas tree inside opens up, poem inside enclosed in its own little section, signed and numbered by the publisher on the colophon, in fine condition.
Lovely poem by e.e. cummings (1894 - 1962) about how cherished a Christmas tree is. Patrice Miller's work has found its way to private and university collections, in the states and abroad. Human foibles, nature’s panoply, and artistic cleverness cannot help but inform future work. She continues to bind, and rebind, in Dallas, Texas.
Lives of the Hunted, Containing a True Account of the Doings of Five Quadrupeds & Three Birds, and, in the Elucidation of the same, Over 200 Drawings.
(New York): Charles Scribner's Sons, 1901. 360 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/2". Olive green boards, gilt-stamped and decorated title in gilt on cover and spine, stated 1st Impression, October 12, 1901, many illustrated pages and several full-page pictures, deckle edges, spine slightly faded, in near fine condition. No dust jacket.
A charming book that portrays legends and stories of various animals. These include Krag, the Kootenay Ram; A Street Troubadour: Being the Adventures of a Cock Sparrow; Johnny Bear; The Mother Teal and the Overland Route; Chink: The Development of a Pup; The Kangaroo Rat; Tito: The Story of the Coyote that Learned how; and Why the Chickadee Goes Crazy Once a Year.