Hardcover
The Persian Letters
Cleveland: The Rowfant Club, 1988. 8 x 11". 121 pp. LIMITED EDITION of 300 copies, this being #272. Marble paper covered board with maroon cloth spine and paper label on spine and paper paste-down title label on front cover, beautiful endpapers signed by the artis Renee Fuller, rending of George, Lord Lyttleton signed by artist John Sukys, in fine condition.
Lyttleton was an English gentleman in the eighteenth century, rather a mediaeval and Renaissance man. From the preface, "He was an active statesman, an avid reader, a generous patron, an observant, witty and graceful writer."
The Pioneer History of Meigs County
Columbus, OH: Berlin Print Co., 1908. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8". Black cloth over boards, gilt lettering on cover and spine although very faded on spine, some ink and wear to front cover, overall edge wear and rubbing, ink writing on front free endpaper, frontispiece, many black and white plates, index, a few notes and fingerprints throughout some foxing, otherwise in very good condition.
Stillman Carter Larkin (1808 - 1891) was a member of the Meigs County Pioneer Society and they worked to collect and keep the history and stories of the early pioneer settlers of Meigs County, Ohio. With an excellent index, you can find biographies, name, photos of graveyards and homesteads, along with fascinating stories of these early settlers.
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.
The Principal Antique Patterns of Marbled Papers Made and Described by Anne Chambers with an Introduction by Bernard Middleton
Burford, Oxfordshire: The Cygnet Press, 1984. [44] pp. approx. 6 x 7 3/4". LIMITED EDITION of 250, this being #176. Blue paper over boards with title in black letters on spine, 14 marbled paper samples tipped in, some sun fading to spine, otherwise in near fine condition.
A short but informative introduction by Bernard Middleton on the history of paper marbling, this book is also very helpful in identifying some of the classic patterns such as Antique Spot, French Shell, Italian Shell, English Stormont, Gloster, Spanish, Peacock, and Stonemarble (or Turkish). The tipped in examples are brilliant and colorful and extremely beautiful.
The Private Practice of Michael Shayne
New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1940. 250 pp. 5 1/4 x 7 1/2"; First Edition. Illustrated dust jacket has original price of $2.00 on front jacket flap, some chipping and loss at spine extremities, minor chipping and tears, some spots and creases, some damp stain and previous tape repairs on the inside of the jacket, otherwise in good condition; Black cloth over boards with crisp white lettering on spine, top edge stained red, some tanning throughout, a few stains on foredge, a nice copy of this scarce edition in very good + condition.
Brett Halliday is the pseudonym of Davis Dresser (1904 - 1977), an American western and mystery writer who is best known for his Michael Shayne mystery series. The series was so popular that it spawned a radio series, twelve motion pictures, a TV series, and a Michael Shayne Mystery Magazine. Dresser was also a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America. This is the second book in the Michael Shayne series and is relatively scarce.
The Quality of Life
Philadelphia: Girard Bank, 1970. 85 pp. Approximately 5 3/4 x 8 1/4". First edition, first printing. Slip case is in fine condition; green paper over boards with black lettering to cover and spine, label paste-down on cover which has a tiny nick in it, insert from the Girard Company bank president laid in, in fine condition.
Per the laid in slip from Stephen S. Gardner, President of The Girard Company, this book was commissioned for James Michener to write in order to include it with the bank's 1969 Annual Report. Michener was given free artistic license to express his own views. Nine color reproductions of paintings by James B. Wyeth (son of Andrew Wyeth and grandson of N. C. Wyeth) were added to enrich the text.
The Red Keep: A Story of Burgundy in the Year 1165
Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 1938, First edition, Hardcover in red cloth illustrated binding; No dust jacket; Ex-library. Book Condition: Good; book is slightly cocked, corner bumping where cloth has worn away, some stains and cover wear, tanning of pages, remnants of library markings and pockets. Color frontispiece illustrated by N.C. Wyeth. Text drawings by Andrew Wyeth.
Allen French was a Harvard historian so this juvenile tale has good historical accuracy. It is a tale of life in medieval France and covers guilds, class differences, moral lessons and battle information. The story is exciting, with villians, suspense and last minute rescues that either boys or girls would like.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight water stains on bottom edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edges dyed blue, in fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 1 - printed by the Zeese-Wilkinson Company but in a beige slipcase instead of a blue slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughtout and also on the endpapers.
The Red Pony
New York: Viking Press, 1945. 131 pp. Approximately 6 3/4 x 9 3/4". Cardboard slip case with paste-down label, slight crack on top edge, otherwise is in near fine condition; Grey/green cloth over boards with laid down color vignette on front cover, illustrated endpapers, all edged dyed blue, slight foxing to book and label, otherwise in near fine condition. (Goldstone and Payne A9c, variant 2 - printed by Rogers-Kellopgg-Stillson in a tan slipcase.)
This is the first illustrated edition of 4 stories that were partially published in magazines in 1933 - 1936. The main character of each story is Jody Tiflin, a boy living on his father's ranch in California. Eleven beautiful watercolor illustrations by Wesley Dennis are throughout and also on the endpapers.
The Red Velvet Mansion
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1981. (28) pp. Approximately 3/4 x 7/8". LIMITED EDITION of 195 copies. Red cloth over boards, printed dust jacket, red-toned photographs, original packaging, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 36)
An interesting little book about a real doll house constructed by the author and her husband with various details of its interior and contents.