Paperback
Telephone Directory, It's a Small World
Austin, TX: Amistad Press, 1978. (64) pp. Approximately 1 1/4 x 1". Stiff paper boards with paper label on cover and spine, fine condition. (Bradbury, Amistad Press 23)
Created to look like a phonebook, this little gem has both "white pages", (which contain the contact information for real collectors, miniature makers and dealers active at the time of publication in both the US and Canada) and "yellow pages", (which contain advertisements for everything miniature book related). This is the bigger edition and is listed first in Bradbury. The revised edition is smaller.
The Duel
(Nebraska): Corenne Placek, 1978. (10) pp. 1 3/8 x 1 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of unknown copies, this being #61. Printed paper wrappers, illustrated, in fine condition. (Bradbury, Corenne Placek, 2)
Corenne Placek was the sister of Wayne Placek who was a well-known collector of miniature books. Corenne published only 2 miniature books. This one is an offset reduction of a book printed and illustrated by her in 1927. Eugene Field, Sr. (1850 - 1895) was an American writer who was best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays. This poem of his is about a dog and cat having a duel under the watchful eye of the Chinese plate and the old Dutch clock.
The Hound of Heaven
London: A.R. Mowbray & Co. Ltd., 1963. Softcover, later printing. Pictorial green stiff wrap is bright, minor edge wear and corner bumping, some tanning, beautifully illustrated by Jean Young, very good condition.
The "Hound of Heaven" is a 182-line poem written by English poet Francis Thompson (1859-1907). The poem became famous and was the source of much of Thompson's posthumous reputation. The poem was first published in Thompson's first volume of poems in 1893. (From John Thompson's biography of Francis Thompson). It was included in the Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse (1917). It was also an influence on J. R. R. Tolkien, who read it a few years before it was published in 1917.
The Jewel of Arwen
Baltimore: T-K Graphics, [1974]. 5 1/2 x 8 1/4". 39 pp. Light blue stock paper with black pictorial cover, illustrated by Jean Brill, cover is slightly sun faded at the top,$2.00 original price on front cover, very tiny stain to back cover, very good condition.
Marion Zimmer Bradley was always a huge Tolkien fan and has published some short stories using those characters. This booklet attempts to shed more light on the history and virtue of the jewel of Arwen through study of the Red Book of Westmarch and other sources, with notes and commentary by Bradley.
The Lion Tamers
Seal Harbor, ME: [High Loft], 1980. [11] pp. Approximately 5 x 7 1/4". LIMITED EDITION of 20 copies, this being #20. Gray stiff paper covers with printed design on front cover, set and bound by hand on the press of August Heckscher, with Tom Coleman's asistance (from the colophon), woodcut illustration, minor corner creasing and small indentation mark on cover, in near fine conditon.
Karen MacDonald (1961 - ) earned her BA in studio art from Wesleyan University with a focus on typography and printmaking. She began her career in high school by working as a letterpress printer and compositor at The Printing Office at High Loft, working alongside August Heckscher II and Tom Coleman.This book tells a sweet tale of two childhood friends in rural Maine. Worldcat shows no library holdings (as of 1/20).
The Musical Fantasies of L. Frank Baum
Lake Worth, FL: Ford Press, 1969. 2 1/2 x 2". 184 pp. LIMITED EDITION of 750 copies (according to Bradbury), this being #113. Black cloth over boards, gilt title on cover, gilt author descriptions on rear cover but slightly blurry, signed by the author on the colophon, illustrated, in near fine condition. (Bradbury, Ford Press 3)
L. Frank Baum (1856 - 1919) was an American author, mainly known for his Wizard of Oz books. Turns out that Baum also had a lively theatrical career as well. This little book tells all about those productions and includes reproductions of posters, stagebills, etc. Also included is a complete checklist of all of Baum's works. A wonderful book for any Baum collector.
The Philadelphia Bird Food Company's Book of Cage Birds. Their diseases and the proper remedies for treating them; with instructions for breeding and keeping them in constant health and song.
Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Bird Food Company, 1912. 120 pp. Approximately 4 1/2 x 6". Illustrated colorful wraps with some creatsing and tears, color frontispiece, black and white illustrations throughout, in very good condition.
Full of the usual advertisements disguised as information, this little book also has great information on bird diet, diseases of cage birds, how to set up an indoor or outdoor aviary, trapping birds, stuffing birds (for those birds that people have become paricularly attached to), plus more descriptions of various breeds and how to care for them.
The Plum Plum Pickers
Sunnyvale, CA: Ventura Press, 1969. 202 pp. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8 1/4". Illustrated pictorial with minor wear, signed/inscribed by the author "To Paul Sandstrom - a serious and imaginative artist. Ray Barrio. June 26/69." Slightly soiled first trade edition paperback, otherwise in very good condition.
A fictional novel describing the family of Manuel and Lupe Gutierrez, Mexican immigrants and their children, describing the horrendous conditions of prune pickers along the Monterey Peninsula and Santa Clara county in the late 60's.
The Second Magenta Frog
Vancouver, BC: Talonbooks, 1972. First Edition, limited print run of 4,000 copies. Illustrated stiff paper wrap with some browning to edges and spine, some foxing to inside front/back covers, minor edgewear, numerous illustrations, pictures, newsclips and short stories throughout, on newsprint paper, unmarked, in very good plus condition.
Great collection of the early works of Arnold Saba (now Katherine Collins), best known for the Neil the Horse comics and stories. From the front cover, this book contains, "Stories, Poems, Pictures, Songs, Comics, Jokes, Games, Tricks, Puzzles, Enigmas, Conundrums, Surprises, Marvels, Magic, Deceptions, Illusion, Disillusion, Fear, Horror, Despair, Death, Truth, Lies, Changes, Cycles, Love, Life." Only a few other copies on the market.
The Tragic Story of Es-Kim-In-Zin
New Mexico: The New Mexico Historical Review, 1928. Paperback, 6 x 9"; Some cracking and peeling of spine, sun fading to 1/2 of the front cover, minor markings, 52 pp.
An all too familiar tale for this time period, this is the story of Es-Kim-In-Zin, Chief of the Pinal and Aravaipa Apaches who lived from 1828 - 1894. His name meant "Men stand in line for him" and he was a man of character and leadership who was betrayed time and again by the US Goverment, Mexican citizens and anit-apache American citizens. This story was written by John P. Clum, a Government Indian agent for the San Carlos Apache Reservation, who got to know Es-Kim-In-Zin well.