BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS

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Hague & Gill Bibliography — “Observing Eric Gill's Centenary”

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•  First edition: Compiled and with an introduction by James Davis. The text is illustrated with four versions of the printer's devices designed by Gill for Hague & Gill, plus “Pigotts Road.”

•  Publisher's plain paper wrappers. Clean and fresh.  (29721)

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The Art of the Printed Book

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•  First edition: Essays on book design and printing by a famed typographer, book designer, and hand-printer. This is one of 325 copies (300 for sale) printed; the edition was designed by Carol J. Blinn at Warwick Press, printed by Daniel Keleher at Wild Carrot Letterpress, bound by Sarah Creighton and C.J. Blinn in quarter olive Niger goatskin and paste paper–covered sides (paper made by Blinn), andsigned at the colophon by the author.

•  Binding as above, inoriginal terra-cotta paper–covered slipcase; leather very gently sunned, slipcase with lower edge rubbed and each side with a small unobtrusive spot/mark or two to paper, otherwise clean. Informative and attractive. (30560)

“Books Are Communicative Instruments” — ANOTHER COPY/STYLE

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•  First collected edition AS ABOVE: five essays by a man described by the publisher as “the embodiment of what it means to be a literate hand-printer in a world dominated by mindless commercialism.” The volume was designed by Carol J. Blinn at Warwick Press, and printed by Daniel Keleher in monotype Perpetua on Frankfurt Cream paper; it was bound by Sarah Creighton and Blinn using paste paper handmade by the latter.

325 copies were printed (of which 300 were for sale) andsigned by the author at the colophon. The prospectus is laid in.

Binding: Publisher's quarter Niger blue-grey goatskin with cream and blue paste paper–covered boards and leather-tipped corners, spine with gilt-stamped title..

•  Bound as above, spine slightly sunned; without slipcase but with prospectus and offering a particularly pretty variation of the paper used for the covers.  Pages clean and crisp.  (33787)

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              & TYPOGRAPHY,  click here!

W.A.D. 1880 – 1980

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•  Eleven essays on the innovative typographer/artist/author, plus a letter from him to Alfred A. Knopf regarding colors for book cloth. Featuring numerous examples of Dwiggins's designs, lettering, and illustration work, this volume was privately printed for friends of Hermann Püterschein (“Püterschein” being Dwiggins's sarcastic, self-mocking alter ego).

The volume was designed by Vincent Torre; this isone of 500 copies printed.

•  Publisher's gray-green cloth, front cover with black-stamped vignette, spine with black-stamped title. Minimal wear to lower outer cover corners, otherwise a crisp, lovely copy.  (36864)

Overview ofCA Printing History, in Miniature — Satisfying CA Provenance

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•  Dedicated to the Thirtieth Annual Convention of the International Association of Printing House Craftsmen, this small-size keepsake was the first appearance of a work that would later be expanded and become Fahey's authoritative Early Printing in California: From Its Beginning in the Mexican Territory to Statehood. Fahey, a bookbinder and teacher of fine binding as well as a scholar of typography, helped set the text (Linotype Janson) alongside Ralph Scott, while Haywood Hunt designed the title-page and John C. Larsen did the presswork.

Provenance:  Front pastedown with small bookplate of Albert Sperisen (1909–99), librarian of the Book Club of California.

•  Publisher's red cloth, spine with black-stamped title. Offsetting to endpapers. Clean.  (35691)

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NEW JERSEY BOOKS, 1801–1860

Felcone, Joseph J.

•  This second volume of the catalogue of the Felcone library describes the books and pamphlets printed from 1801 through 1860. There are over 1400 bibiographical entries in this volume. The contents, binding, provenance, and historical context of each book or pamphlet is described in rich detail. An indispensable guide for anyone interested in the history of New Jersey.

•  Publisher's red cloth, stamped in gilt on the spine. New.  (21048)

GOOD forBoth Reading & Reference

•  English and Flemish panel-stamped bindings of the 16th century are damned similar in appearance. Fogelmark adds depth to our knowledge of each, and of which are which, picking up where Oldham's work on English blind-panel bindings left off with guesses and hints. We have a copy of this in our reference library, and you should too.

•  New, in publisher's gilt-stamped green cloth.  (24991)

For the Shelley Fan, a Revelation & a Fine “Read” . . .

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•  Vol. I: “Shelley's own books pamphlets & broadsides posthumous separate issues and posthumous books wholly or mainly by him.” Reprint of the 1886 first edition.

•  Publisher's green cloth, spine with black-stamped title; minor wear to corners and spine extremities. Pages clean and crisp.  (26152)

For LITERATURE,  click here.

Classic Spanish Bibliography — Inscribed by an Editor
*&* Presented to an Important Author

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•  First edition of this important bibliographical reference work: Gallardo's extensive notes on numerous rare and significant Spanish books and manuscripts, many of which were described herein for the first time. The notes were edited and compiled in vols. I and II by Remón Zarco del Valle and J. Sancho Rayon, and in vols. III and IV by Marcelino Menendez y Pelayo. Altogether, this four-volume set offers an impressive mass of detailed information, incorporating valuable literary fragments by and biographies of some of the greatest names in Spanish literature as well as some of the most obscure.

Provenance:  This copy from the library of author and diplomat Don Juan Valera y Alcalá Galiano; vol. I with a presentation inscription addressed to him on the half-title, with the bookplate of his son Luis Valera on the front pastedown of each volume. The inscription to Valera waswritten by one of the work's editors, Remón Zarco del Valle.

•  Palau 97065.   Contemporary brown morocco and marbled paper–covered sides, spines with gilt-stamped title and volume number, vols. III and IV matching I and II very closely but not quite identical; joints, edges, and extremities rubbed, spines of III and IV lightly sunned. Vol. I with inscription and all vols. with bookplate as above. One leaf of vol. I with paper flaw, noticeable but not touching text; six leaves of vol. II each with tear at inner margin repaired some time ago, not touching text. Vols. I and II: pages slightly age-toned with occasional faint spots, almost entirely clean. Vols. III and IV: somewhat more pronounced age-toning, scattered mild spotting. Overall a clean, solid set with an interesting provenance.  (29360)

One of theMust-Reads

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•  A standard reference work and overview of bibliography that is especially useful for the information it gives on 19th- and 20th-century book production, an area not well covered by other similar works.

•  New in shrink wrap — as discernable in our image!   Paperback edition.  (30403)

The Lyf of Seynt Katerine

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•  First edition, printed for the members of the Roxburghe Club: a 15th-century prose rendition of one of the most popular virgin martyr legends, transcribed from the original manuscript and extensively annotated. The title-page is printed in black and red, and the main text — which preserves the spelling and special characters of the Middle English — is preceded by a color-printed facsimile of the first leaf of the illuminated manuscript. The volume closes with a reissue of the Early English Text Society's printing of Einenkel's edition of an Early Middle English verse rendition of the saint's life, given in Latin and Middle English.

•  NSTC 0458171.   Later full navy morocco, spine with gilt-stamped title; spine gently sunned. Top edges gilt. Two pages with small spots of faint staining, overall gentle age-toning. A nice example of the Roxburghe Club'simpeccable publication standards.  (33492)

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This appears in the GENERAL
       MISCELLANY — click here.

Classic — Invaluable

•  Marvelously inclusive and detailed encyclopedia of book, printing, and binding terms. A classic, and Donald Farren's introduction is a welcome addition.

•  Publisher's cloth, dust jacket, and contents as new.  (6107)

Ars Typographica

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•  The final number (vol. I, #4) of Goudy's distinguished periodical, published 16 years after the first number, and the intervention of McMurtrie's periodical of the same title. A total of 514 copies were printed.

•  Cary 216.   Printed grey wrappers; a few small tears, covers and top edge soot-stained with a majority of top and side margins and a few whole pages affected, some worse than others. A “survivor” copy priced accordingly.  (36763)

One of theSpecial Copies

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•  No. 188 out of 200 special numbered copies (out of a total edition of 650) containing “an extra page of supplementary information identifying the work to which Mr. Goudy has assigned those serial numbers which are missing from the chronological table.”

•  Publisher's quarter grey cloth over black paper–covered sides, front cover with black- and red-printed paper label, lightest rubbing; top and fore edges soot-darkened with intrusion staining endpapers and outer margins. Without the glassine dust wrapper. Despite its status as a “survivor,” and so priced, an elegant book still.  (36908)

The BCP Bibliography

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•  Absolute must for any library or collector of Anglican/Episcopalian materials. This definitive bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer gives collations by signatures and pagination; STC, Wing, and ESTC numbers; and locations of the especially rare editions.

Covering not just the BCP in English, but all translations as well.

•  Publisher's cloth with dust jacket. New.  (36755)

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“My First 25 Years . . . ”

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•  First installment of the autobiography of one of the least-known but highly influential figures in the fields of popular culture, non-formal education, and liberal causes of the second 25 years of the 20th century.

Born Emanuel Julius in Philadelphia in 1889 of Jewish immigrants, he adopted his first wife's name (Haldeman) as part of his own. His career began as a newspaperman but his biggest impact on society came as a publisher of“Little Blue Books” and “Big Blue Books” from his home in Girard, KS. Published in cheap format at cheap prices (five cents for many years), the books included classics of literature (e.g., “Rubáiyat of Omar Khayyam,” “The Ballad of Reading Gaol”), socialist tracts, self-education books (e.g., “Chemistry Self-Taught,” “Italian Self-Taught,” “Sociology Self-Taught”), works of philosophy and and religion, and solicited pieces by Will Durant, Clarence Darrow, Margaret Sanger, and others.

“Within [his first] ten years [as a publisher] Haldeman-Julius had sold 150 million copies of 1,500 different titles; at his death in 1951, he had sold 500 million copies” (ODAB).

This first installment of his memoirs is full of reminiscences of people he knew, worked with, and aided: Carl Sandburg, Oscar Ameringer, Jack Johnson (the boxer), Jack London, Clarence Darrow, and others. All. yes indeed, before his 26th birthday.

In the series: Big blue book no. B-788.

•  Publisher's wrappers (stapled), as issued. Fine.  (35445)

“My Second 25 Years . . . ”

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•  Second installment of the autobiography of one of the least-known but highly influential figures in the fields of popular culture, non-formal education, and liberal causes of the second 25 years of the 20th century.

Born Emanuel Julius in Philadelphia in 1889 of Jewish immigrants, he adopted his first wife's name (Haldeman) as part of his own. His career began as a newspaperman but his biggest impact on society came as a publisher of“Little Blue Books” and “Big Blue Books” from his home in Girard, KS. Published in cheap format at cheap prices (five cents for many years), the books included classics of literature (e.g., “Rubáiyat of Omar Khayyam,” “The Ballad of Reading Gaol”), socialist tracts, self-education books (e.g., “Chemistry Self-Taught,” “Italian Self-Taught,” “Sociology Self-Taught”), works of philosophy and and religion, and solicited pieces by Will Durant, Clarence Darrow, Margaret Sanger, and others.

“Within [his first] ten years [as a publisher] Haldeman-Julius had sold 150 million copies of 1,500 different titles; at his death in 1951, he had sold 500 million copies” (ODAB).

This second installment of the memoirs is replete with bibliographical information on the publication dates and print runs of the Big and Little Blue Books and personal information about authors Haldeman-Julius knew and worked with.

In the series: Big blue book no. B-814.

•  Publisher's wrappers (stapled), as issued. Fine.  (35446)

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  GENERAL READING,  click here.

Harvard Library Catalogue Signed byPresident Quincy

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•  First of the 19th-century catalogues of Harvard's holdings, hereuncut and unopened in four volumes, including the Catalogue of the Maps and Charts, which was published shortly after the three main volumes.

Provenance:  Inscribed to a Philadelphia social club “from the President & Fellows of Harvard University,” signed by Josiah Quincy.

•  American Imprints 1772 & 7465; Sabin 30729 (vols. 1–3) & 30730 (maps).   Publisher's quarter cloth and tan paper–covered sides, spines with printed paper labels; worn and soiled/stained but sound, with spines sunned and front lower outer corner of vol. I chipped. Ex–social club library: 19th-century bookplates, endpapers with call number, rubber-stamp on title-pages and a few others, no other markings. Front free endpaper of vol. I with inked inscription as above.  (26904)

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This book also appears in the GENERAL
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The Famous Heredia Catalogue — withAuction Prices

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•  First edition:  Auction catalogue of the extensive, impressive library of bibliophile Ricardo Heredia y Livermore, Conde de Benahavís (1831–96). Heredia built “perhaps the greatest collection of Spanish books ever formed” (as noted by an old cataloguing slip laid into this set), incorporating the former Salvá y Mallén collection; this catalogue serves as an important reference work for a wide swathe of Spanish literature, theology, belles-lettres, etc.

The listings are augmented in the first three volumes by numerous in-text reproductions of illustrations and title-pages from the books. This copy includesauction prices neatly inked alongside every book.

•  Contemporary treed sheep, spines with gilt-stamped leather title and volume labels and gilt-ruled bands; sides showing minor rubbing, edges, joints, and extremities moreso. All hinges (inside) cracked or tender, some endpapers with pencilled notations. Vol. I: Two pages with light offsetting from now-absent item, one leaf with lower outer corner torn away. Vol. IV with bookplate of Alvaro de Fontagud y Aguilera. Pages gently age-toned, most noticeably in vol. IV, with occasional light smudges; each volume with last page browned.  (29161)

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        FINANCE / ECONOMICS,  click here.

THE HILL COLLECTION

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•  Second edition, revised and enlarged. Combines the original three volumes (pub. 1974–83) into a single volume and incorporates additions made to the collection since 1983. The Hill collection, a gift to the Univerisity of California from Kenneth and Dorothy Hill, “remains the most extensive gathering of books that document early voyages of exploration and discovery in the Pacific (p. ix).”

With a wonderful biography of this great collector by his son (and distinguished bookseller) Jonathan Hill. The standard work!

•  Publisher's blue cloth, gilt lettering on spine; front cover very gently scuffed — a nice copy.  (36767)

For PACIFICA,  click here.
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  “EXOTIC” PLACES,  click here.

The Collector asAuthor & Publisher

•  First edition.

•  Publisher's quarter cloth. Very good condition.  (6597)

(Hofer, Philip). The Philip Hofer collection in the Houghton library: A catalogue of an exhibition of the Philip Hofer bequest. Cambridge: Harvard College Library, 1988. Folio. [6], vii–xiv, [1], 218 pp.; 100 illus.
$35.00

•  First edition. Illustrated exhibition catalogue.

•  Paperback. Handsome calligraphed covers. Very good copy.  (5224)

All theDETAILS of a Printer's Life

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•  Charming, very personal account of Hopkins's printing career, from his early days as a proofreader to his time with De Vinne and his subsequent independent success with his own Marion Press. The recollections are illustrated with four plates, showing the De Vinne building, an old hand press, the first Marion press, and a portrait of the author. This isone of 315 copies printed (of which 250 were for sale) at the Timothy Press; the colophon of this copy is unnumbered.

•  Publisher's green and cream marbled paper–covered sides with green cloth shelfback, spine with gilt-stamped title; minimal wear to spine extremities, otherwise a lovely, clean copy.  (36843)

One Daring! Title . . .

The whole world

•  Catalogue 128. Only a few illustrations, but 1175 items.

•  Original wrappers. Some staining and sun discoloration on the cover.  (14322)

The LIST

•  First edition. A humorous dialogue about the press, accompanied by a trade list of its publications.

•  Sewn plain wrappers with pictorial cutout overlay. Fine.  (24123)

TO Part III

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