Hardcover
Ste. Ostrich in Manhattan: The Visitations of a Martyr
Berkeley: Flying Fish Press, 1990. 6 1/4 x 8"; LIMITED EDITION of 125, this being #58. Goldenrod cloth over boards with same color string to tie the book closed, paste down title label that wraps around from front cover to spine illustrated endpapers, colorful accordion folded pages that are hand sewn, beautifully illustrated by Lois Morrison, the pages open up to a 3-D visual and can even be removed from the cover to form an independent display, in near fine condition.
Designed and printed by Julie Chen and Elizabeth McDevitt. Calligraphy by Keith Vinson. Flying Fish Press was established by internationally known book art educator an book artist Julie Chen in 1987. From her website, " I view reading as an intimate act in which the reader must be in close physical proximity to the book, can control the pace of reading through the self-directed turning of pages, or equivalent action, and must interact with the book through the manipulation of the book’s physical structure." This is one of her earlier books.
Stinger
New York: Pocket Books, 1987. 442 pp. 5 1/2 x 8 1/2". First Hard Cover Edition. Illustrated dust jacket with Book Club Edition on front flap, minor dark marks that are very subtle, some edge wear, otherwise in very good plus condition; Brown paper over boards with crisp golden lettering on spine, signed on the title page, slight foxing on top fore-edge, 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 two aliens arriving in a small Texas town - one is a refugee and the other is a bounty hunter, who uses replicants with silver claws for hands and razor blade teeth to help him - the stingers. This is the true first hardcover edition, which precedes the British edition, published by Kinnell.
Stolen Faces
New York, Hagerstown, San Francisco, London: Harper & Row, 1977. 176 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/2". First edition, first printing, SIGNED and inscribed by the author on the title page. 1/4 bound brown cloth over boards with gold titles on spine and publisher blind stamp on cover, very slight shelf rubbing to bottom edges, otherwise fine condition. Illustrated dust jacket with a little rubbing in near fine condition. An excellent copy
From the jacket flap: Muphormosy, a disease not unlike leprosy, has ravaged the first settlers on the planet Tezcatl. Generations later, their similarly emaciated descendents live in a compound where they are isolated from the planet's normal inhabitants.
Stories Children Love
New York: Platt and Munk, 1933. Unpaginated. Approximately 10 x 12". Later printing, no dust jacket. Green cloth over boards with illustrated paste-down on front cover, some staining to a few pages, gift inscription on ffep, otherwise a good+ copy.
Beautifully illustrated by Eulalie and Lois Lenski with many full-color and black and white illustrations, stories included in book are Little Red Riding Hood, The Story of Peter Pan, Dick Whittington and His Cat, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Three Bears, Puss in Boots, Tom Thumb, and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Study Manual for Civil Service
San Francisco: The Recorder Printing and Publishing Co., 1942, hardcover. Dust jacket is in good condition with some stains, chipping and minor tears. Book has red cloth over boards, spine slightly cocked, minor corner bumping, a few pencil marks in "Test Chapter", otherwise very clean and neat. Very good condition.
This book was meant to quickly prepare an individual for the civil service exam, in a time where these positions were abundant. Basic knowledge covered includes arithmetic, art, english, geography, government, history, literature, science, and a helpful test chapter at the end.
Tannhauser: A Dramatic Poem, Freely Translated in Poetic Narrative Form
London: G. G. Harrap and Co., (n.d.). Hardcover, 7 1/2 x 10", black cloth binding with gilt design and title lettering to front board and spine, no dust jacket, unpaginated and untrimmed, 12 color plates, 10 b/w plates, light extremity wear otherwise a very good + copy.
A dramatic poem by Richard Wagner [1813 - 1883], freely translated in poetic narrative form by T. W. Rolleston, and presented by Willy Pogany. The story centers on the struggle between sacred and profane love, and redemption through love, a theme running through most of Wagner's mature work.
Ten Commandments
Los Angeles: Bela Blau, 1965. Approx. 3/4 x 1". Vellum over boards, gilt title on spine, gilt design on cover, illustration of Moses, housed in vellum slipcase, all in fine condition. (Bradbury, Blau 2)
Bound by Bela Blau, a Hungarian bookbinder known for his meticulous attention to detail and fine binding of miniature books, this lovely microminiature book has a representation of the stone tablets with inscriptions in Hebrew and the text of the Ten Commandments in English. Scarce in the vellum binding and printed on vellum, one of about 20-30 known copies, more commonly found in the gilt leather versions.
Testaments of Faith
Skokie, IL: Black Cat Press, 1976. [30] pp. Approximately 1 1/16 x 1 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of 249 copies. Maroon leather over boards, binding by Bela Blau, gilt border and title on cover, letterpress, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Black Cat Press #41)
Published in the year of the US Bicentennial, this is a tribute to that event. Includes the creeds of General MacArthur, William Tyler Page, Dean Alfance, and creeds of our forefathers. A patriotic little book!
Text Book of the Embryology of Man and Mammals. Translated from the Third German Edition By Edward L. Mark
London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co. Ltd, 1901. Third edition, Hardcover. 670pp; Book has moderate wear to edges and spine, slight corner bumping, large amounts of underlining in pencil throughout although it is done very neatly, front hinge cracked, age toning to pages, owner's name on front free endpaper and book plate on front past-down endpaper, no dust jacket. Very good condition.
A beautiful early medical textbook with over 300 illustrations in the text and 2 lithographic plates.
The Art of Virtue: From the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Begun at Passy in 1784
New York: Privately Printed, 1955. 39 pp. 4 1/2 x 7". LIMITED EDITION of 350 copies. Red paper over boards, with gilt title on cover and spine, original onionskin wrap torn and missing a few sections, some small stain on paper fore-edges only to several pages, otherwise, in very good condition.
This little book was made as a keepsake in connection with The Celebration of Printing Week, commemorating the 248h birthday of B. Franklin, Printer. It is primarily about his efforts at self-development. Turns out that young Benjamin was rather self-centered and headstrong and it was through cultivated personal growth, as relayed in this book, that he became more respected, diplomatic, and beloved.