Hardcover
The War in the Air and Particularly how Mr. Bert Smallways Fared While it Lasted
London: George Bell and Sons, 1908. 390 pp. (with six of the advertisement pages in the rear missing) Approximately 5 x 7 3/4". 1st edition. Red-cloth variant binding (much more scarce than the common blue one) - third state, title in black on cover with illustrated paste-down, title and publisher on spine in gilt, considerable foxing on page edges and some throughout, otherwise, very good plus condition. (Curry 1979, p. 526)
Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) is often called the "father of science fiction" along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback. The War in the Air is a military science fiction novel, originally published in The Pall Mall Magazine, about the futuristic idea of using aircraft in warfare.
The Wayward Bus
New York: Viking Press, 1947. 312 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/4". Pictorial jacket is in very good condition, with some wear, slight chipping of the spine, tape repairs to the inside of the jacket, original price of $2.75 intact, first edition first printing dust jacket. Grey cloth over boards with crisp lettering on cover and spine, blindstamp on front cover the same shade as the rest of the binding, top stained red, in near-fine condition. (Goldstone & Payne A23 third issue)
Originally thought to be one of Steinbeck's weaker novels, it was actually financially successful. The interesting thing about it is that no one single character in the book dominates. Rather, the viewpoint shifts from one character to another quite frequently, with access to the character's thoughts through an internal monologue. Adapted to film in 1957 to some success at the box office, it starred Jayne Mansfield, Joan Collins, Dan Dailey and Rick Jason.
The Wayward Bus
New York: Viking Press, 1947. 312 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/4". Pictorial jacket is in very good condition, with some wear, slight chipping of the spine, tape repairs to the inside of the jacket, original price of $2.75 intact. Dark reddish-orange cloth over boards with crisp lettering on cover and spine, blindstamp on front cover a lighter shade then the rest of the binding, top is not stained green and there is no book club dot so likely some variant of first printing, slight edge wear to covers especially along the bottom edges, stained on the upper page edge corners, otherwise in very good condition. (Goldstone & Payne A23a)
Originally thought to be one of Steinbeck's weaker novels, it was actually financially successful. The interesting thing about it is that no one single character in the book dominates. Rather, the viewpoint shifts from one character to another quite frequently, with access to the character's thoughts through an internal monologue. Adapted to film in 1957 to some success at the box office, it starred Jayne Mansfield, Joan Collins, Dan Dailey and Rick Jason.
The Well Known Family Game
Germany: n.p., (ca 1920). First edition presumed. Slipcase with chips and small loss of paper affecting two words of the instructions, glossy illustration to front cover, directions to the game on back cover, in good + condition. Twelve cards, 1 1/2 x 2 1/4", cards titled and crudely illustrated in blue, some with roughly trimmed edges (as issued), in about near fine condition.
An apparently unrecorded gambling card game, manufactured in Germany in the early 20th century from cheap materials. The cards are lettered in pairs from A to F and illustrated with members of several "families" such as George Brown, Mrs. John Smith, etc.
The Widow's Only Son
Philadelphia: [n.p.], ca 1869. Approximately 1 1/2 x 2 1/16". [3], 3-64 p. Green leather binding with with gilt decorations, two bands on spine, beautiful dentelle on both inside covers, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, one frontispice illustration and three more throughout, red solander case of approximately the same period showing a little wear, letterpress, all in near fine condition. Only 2 copies currently on OCLC as of 4/24. (Bradbury Antique, p. 195)
The publisher is not identified but the address in this book matches an address for a publisher J. Hamilton of Philadephia. Bookseller Jane Hamilton operated a small publishing business within her Church Book Store on Chestnut Street in the heart of Philadelphia. As one of the first women who printed books in the USA, she published under imprints such as J. Hamilton, J. Hamilton Thomas, and The Protestant Epiiscopal Book Society. She issued religious books, children's books, and poetry from the 1850s to 1870s. She seems to have published at least 4 miniature books. (Eminent Miniatures from the McGehee Miniature Book Collection, UVA, p. 15)
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 Wonderful Letter
New York: Anson D. F. Randolph, 1863. 46 pp. Approximately 3 x 4 3/8". Purple stiff card stamped in blind and gilt, minor rubbing and small stain on cover, woodcut on title page, translated from the original French by Amelia Sturges, in fine condition.
Henri Abraham Cesar Malan (1787 - 1864) was a Swiss Protestant minister and hymn-writer. (From the life, labours, and writings of Caesar Malan). Only two library holdings in OCLC, Columbia Library and the Morgan Library and Museum. None currently in the trade (as of Jan. 2021). This is a beautiful copy of an uncommon religious juvenile Christian tract.
![The Worsted Monster [Design Binding]](http://thebooklair.com/cdn/shop/files/002539_daee9f63-981d-4517-9816-a6453be6061d_grande.jpg?v=1717983507)
The Worsted Monster [Design Binding]
Dallas, TX: Aredian Press, 2020. Approximately 2 15/16 x 2 15/16". First edition, LIMITED EDITION of 26 copies, this being letter "G". Design binding by Patrice Miller of Aredian Press, presented within a box covered with a tan slubbed book cloth and burgundy bonded leather. The leather stripping surrounding the box exterior represents strands of yarn. Upon opening the book, one sees a multicolored knitted object sitting inside a woolen sock. Using the sock to lift the object from the box, one finds the book within the wide hand-knitted band of heavy yarn. The book is burgundy leather over boards with WM initials on cover label, inside is a carousel structure with two built-in slipcases holding the text of the play and a portfolio of the play kit with sets, characters, props and Gorey's production notes. Signed and numbered by the publisher on the colophon, fine condition.
The Worsted Monster by Edward Gorey was previously published only in National Lampoon magazine, as a do-it-yourself activity consisting of a plot script with Gorey's illustrations for set, characters, props, and production notes. The play consists of a prologue and three acts. Utter nonsense, the action begins with the infant Isinglass being overtaken by the monster and concludes with the menacing yarn inexplicably having become a huge pile of knitted socks. This is the first edition, authorized by the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust, and is being produced in an edition of 26 with copies lettered A to Z, as well as three out of series copies for the publisher and the EGT archives. 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.
This Perfect Day
New York: Random House, 1970. Harcover. 317 pp. Book Club Edition. Dust jacket is in fair condition: some edge wear, shelf wear, creases, several large tears and corner bumping, interior is excellent, clean, some tanning, binding is tight but book is slightly cocked. Very good condition.
A dystopian novel by the author of Rosemary's baby, with the main character being a young man named Chip, "who fights a desperate battle for freedom in a world benumbed by chemistry and computerization."
Thomas Bewick, Vignettes from Birds, Quadrupeds and Fables, Memorial Edition
Chicago: Black Cat Press, 1971. Approximately 2 1/8 x 2 5/8 ". (48 pp.) LIMITED EDITION of 200 copies. Full dark red leather with gold-stamped Bewick's signature on front cover and title ("Bewick") on spine, illustrated from 15 original wood blocks carved by Thomas Bewick and printed by R. Hunter Middleton (the Bewick authority), frenchfold, type pages were letterpress printed on Troya paper by Charles Young at the Norman Press, binding by Monastery Hill Binder, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Black Cat Press 37)
Thomas Bewick (1753 - 1828) was a natural history author and an engraver. Bewick is most famous for his book, A History of British Birds, whose wood engravings are much admired for the small and often humorous vignettes. This miniature book is considered by some to be the finest book from Norman Forgue's Black Cat Press.