PRBM: COLLECTIONS

Philadelphia Rare Books & Manuscripts Company - Early Printed Books, Substantive Manuscripts, U.S. and Latin Americana, Mexico & New World Languages, Hispanica, Histories & the History of Ideas, Travels, Cookery, Law, Religion, & Bibles (All Antiquarian)

COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES

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A Full CENTURY of SPANISHPOPULAR THEATER

(A CASE of THEATRICAL'IA). (Spanish Popular Theater Collection, 1828–1927). A collection of 316 plays. Madrid, Barcelona, & elsewhere: Various publishers, 1828–1927. Mostly small 8vo. Bound in 43 volumes.
$8250.00

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sammelbande

One play was expressly written for the actress María Ana de Jesús Guerrero Torija.

Three of the plays are presentation copies from the playwrights.

Evidence of Readership:

A list of the collection is available.

Expanding the Imagination & Bringing Science to the Masses

(A Sci-Fi Treasure Trove). Heinlein, Robert; Urusula LeGuin; Isaac Asimov; Harry Harrison; & many others. Large collection of science fiction & fantasy. Various places: Various publishers, ca. 1952–2000. 12mos. Approx. 500 vols. (some dupes).
$2000.00

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The Sioux Spaceman

And Then the Town Took Off

The collection contains slightly more than 500 books, comprising some 525 titles (i.e., 55 books are Ace Doubles), with a few duplicates.

Cover art ranges from the simple and/or crude to the elaborate and/or lovely; many styles, trends, and fads are represented. with exuberant imagery ranging from classic “bug-eyed monsters” to near-naked ladies to pointy-nosed rockets to multiple, quite variously conceived instances of dinosaurs, orcs, and unicorns.

204 covers identify the artists

A list is available on request.

• Paperbacks in varying condition; some volumes well read, some in very good condition. (34118)

Q CATALOGUES of a Great Era

Bernard Quaritch, booksellers, London. We have on hand nearly 40 classic Quaritch catalogues, primarily from the '30s and '40s with some a good deal earlier and a few a bit later. Please ask for an e-mail list, or:

Click here for a database including
not in PRB&M's illustrated catalogues . . .
AUTHOR keyword, e.g. = QUARITCH . . .

Calderon & Pseudo-Calderon inOne Thick Volume

Calderon de la Barca, Pedro. Sammelband with 19 of his comedias sueltas. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia: Various publishers, ca. 1750–95. Small 4tos. (see below).
$3100.00

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1) [drop title] Comedia famosa. El monstruo de los jardines. [colophon: Barcelona: por Francisco Suria y Burgada], no date [1760–70]. [18] ff. “Num. 39" in upper right corner of first page.

2) [drop title] Comedia famosa. Apolo y Climene. [colophon: Valencia: En la imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1767]. 42 pp. “N. 121" in upper left corner of page 1. Colophon pasted over with a slip: “Se hallara esta con un surtido de Comedias antiguas y modernas, Tragedias y Saynetes en la Libreria de Gonzalez, calle de Atocha, frente de la Casa de los Gremios.”

4) [drop-title] Los tres mayores prodigios. Comedia famosa. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [24] ff. No sequence number on first page.

5) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. El laurel de Apolo. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [16] ff. “Num. 157" in upper right corner of first page.

7) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. Ni amor se libra de amor. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [24] ff. No sequence number on first page.

8) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. Auristela y Lisidante. [colophon: Barcelona: por Francisco Suria y Burgada], no date [1760–70]. [18] ff. “Num. 73" in upper right corner of first page.

9) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. Fineza contra fineza. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [24] ff. No sequence number on first page. Comprised of pp. 449 through 496 of vol. 2 of the 1760 Apontes edition of Comedias del célebre poetia [sic] español, don Pedro Calderón de la Barca.

10) [drop-title] La gran comedia. Los tres afectos de amor, piedad, desmayo, y valor. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1761]. 49 pp. No sequence number on first page. Comprised of pp. 1 through 49 of vol. 5 of the 1760 Apontes edition of Comedias del célebre poetia [sic] español, don Pedro Calderón de la Barca.

11) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. El hijo del Sol Faeton. [colophon: Barcelona: por Francisco Suria y Burgada], no date [1760–70]. [20] ff. “Num. 43" in upper right corner of first page.

12) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. Eco, y Narcisco. [colophon: Valencia: En la imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1767]. 36 pp. “N. 117" in upper left corner of page 1.

13) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. Darlo todo, y no dar nada. [colophon: Barcelona: por Francisco Suria y Burgada], no date [1760–70]. [20] ff. “Num. 80" in upper right corner of first page.

14) [drop-title] Comedia bvrlesca. Cefalo, y Pocris. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [16] ff. No sequence number on first page. (pseudo-Vera Tassis, IX, 9).

15) [drop-title] La gran comedia. Zelos avn del ayre matan. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1683–1715]. 38 pp. No sequence number on first page. This pp. 259–296 of Vera Tassis, II, 7.

16) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. De la estatua de Prometeo. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [18] ff. Num. 194" in upper right corner of first page. Lower margin closely trimmed with loss of some signature markings.

17) [drop-title] El mayor encanto amor, comedia famosa. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. 48 pp. No sequence number on page 1. (pseudo-Vera Tassis, II, 2).

18) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. Amado, y aborrecido. No place: no printer/publisher, no date [Spain, ca. 1750]. [18] ff. “Num. 314" in upper right corner of first page.

19) [drop-title] Comedia famosa. El golfo de la Sirenas. Egloga piscatoria. [colophon: Barcelona: por Francisco Suria y Burgada], no date [1760–70]. [12] ff. “Num. 47" in upper right corner of first page. Some words in English translation in margins, 19th-century hand.

• Unless otherwise stated, all reference numbers are to Riechenberger, Bibliographisches Handbuch der Calderon-Forschung. 1) 1476; 2) 388; 3) 2622; 4) 1852; 5) 2579; 6) 997 (Pseudo-VeraTassis 3); 7) 1502 (Pseudo-VeraTassis 3); 8) 467; 9) 1023; 10) 1871; 11) 1174; 12) 896; 13) 736; 14) 603; 15) 613; 16) 972; 17) 1352; 18) 319; 19) 2564. 20th-century quarter brown calf with marbled paper sides; spine titled in gilt “Comedias famosas.” Condition of sueltas and plays greatly variable from clean to browned and waterstained; some few closely trimmed with actual texts never touched. Item 4: lacks first gathering (i.e., the “loa”). Item 7: last leaf tattered with small loss of perhaps ten words. A handy and informative collection. (35212)

KRAUS CATALOGUES . . .

H.P. Kraus, booksellers, New York. We have about 50 of these, at this writing, from the '70s through the '90s and with a few earlier. You can CLICK HERE for a list.

LEC Memorabilia — An Evocative Small Archive

Limited Editions Club. Ephemera, 29 items. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1971–95. Various.
$350.00

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livres d'artistes

The 29 letters, catalogues, and offprints gathered here are:

Folded holiday card with Robert M. Hutchins quotation with decorative capital in green, yellow, and red; unsigned, undated.

Folded holiday card with Jeremy Collier quotation. 1973. Unsigned.

Folded New Year's greetings card with Frans Masereel wood engraving, printed on sheer paper and mounted over red and yellow background to “tint” the engraving. 1985.

Typed letter: “At this time, you may not be aware of the recent change in management of The Limited Editions Club, now a part of CRM Publishing . . .” 1971. Signed by Walter Rohrer.

Typed letter: “Continuing progress has taken place since you rejoined The Club or became a member for the first time . . .” 1979. Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed letter: “I am genuinely gratified by the favorable response of so many members to our latest publication, the tales by Nobel Prizewinner I.B. Singer and the water colors of Raphael Soyer.” Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed letter: “Now that you have received your Motherwell-Paz book, you can appreciate our efforts to revive the Club.” 1988. Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed letter: “It has been an exciting experience raising the quality of our books.” With list of books in series 48, 49, and 50. 1988. Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed letter: “We would like to thank you for your patience during a time when there have been production delays . . .” Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed letter: “'The most impressive book since the Kelmscott Chaucer!'” — referencing Balthus's Sight and Touch. 1995. Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed letter: “A tax and gift-giving opportunity . . .” Signed by Sidney Shiff.

Typed cover letter (unsigned) to accompany Metamorphosis Monthly Letter. 1984.

The Quarterly Report. [1984].

The Limited Editions Club Letter: The Black Swan. Series 52, volume 2. Number 559. February 1991. 12 pp.

An Advance Listing of the Fine Books Now in Process of Manufacture for the Members of The Limited Editions Club of which Twelve will be Distributed in the Club's Thirty-Fifth Series 1966–1967. 8 pp.

A Special Offering of Books & Prints from Previous Series. [1981]. 12 pp.; a few pencilled marks.

Christmas, 1982 LEC catalogue of books and prints. 8 pp., envelope & order form laid in.

LEC prospectus for the 41st series (1973–74). 16 pp.

LEC prospectus for the 42nd series (1974–75). 16 pp.

LEC prospectus for the 43rd series (1975–76). 16 pp.

LEC prospectus for the 44th series (1976–77). 16 pp.

LEC prospectus for the 45th series (1979–80). 16 pp.

LEC prospectus for the 47th series (1983). 8 pp.; form laid in.

Typed list: Remaining Books for the Forty-Fifth Series. [1981]. 1 f., creased.

Typed list: Available Inventory (series 42–47 plus portfolios). [1984]. [12] pp., stapled, with order form and envelope.

Typed list, with prices: Series Forty-Five, Forty-Six, Forty-Seven. Inked checkmarks.

Ardizzone, Edward. The Illustrated Illustrator: A series of excerpts from the letters written by Edward Ardizzone, commenting in words and sketches upon his progress on the illustrations for “The Newcomes.” [1954?] [4] pp.

Eichenberg, Fritz. A Salute to the Limited Editions Club: 50 Years of Fine Bookmaking. Offprint from the 22 August 1980 issue of Publishers Weekly. [4] pp.

Eichenberg, Fritz. Introduction: Beyond Illustration. [4] pp. Undated.

• Publisher's printed wrappers, varying; several letters addressed to the same collector. Some items creased, some age-toned, some quite fresh. OFFERED AS A COLLECTION ONLY. (30413)

For LIMITED EDITIONS CLUB books, click here.

MAGGS CATS — Great Gatherings

Maggs Bros., booksellers, London. We have perhaps 30 of these, primarily from the '30s and '40s with some earlier and a few later. Please ask for an e-mail list.

For our BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS, click here.

A Series of Medieval LEAVES

(Medieval Manuscript Leaves). A selection

eminently suitable for use in the teaching and practicing of paleography.
ALL INDIVIDUALLY PRICED

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simply lovely

For an illustrated list of the full gathering, with prices, click here.

Comely Shelf of Poetry Published by the“Elzevirs of Britain”
THE FOULIS PRESS

Milton, John; Alexander Pope; & Others. Collection of English poets published by the Foulis Press. Glasgow: Robert & Andrew Foulis, 1769–74. Sm. 12mo (12.5 cm, 4.875"). 34 vols. [pagination below].
$6300.00

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• In Western culture, the production of small, easily portable printed books of important or popular texts dates from the late 15th century and saw its first important and influential printer willing to dedicate his press to such productions with Aldus Manutius' issuing his series of standard texts in the early 16th century. In the 17th century the Elzevir family came to dominate that market. While the Foulis brothers and their press did not dominate the same way, in the 18th century, they did devote a goodly portion of their time to producing small, scholarly, handsome pocket editions of mostly British poets and essayists.

As a center of 18th-century learning, Glasgow was a happy fit for a printing house dedicated to quality productions made with exceptional type. Robert (1707–76) and Andrew (1712–75) Foulis, two leaders in the renaissance of British printing, are often referred to as the “Elzevirs of Britain.” They created hundreds of texts on a variety of topics and in several languages. Among their notable “firsts” were the first Greek text published in Glasgow and the first work of the English Divines published in Gaelic.

These uniformly bound poetry imprints date from the later years of the brothers' press before Robert's son took over the family business, which lasted until 1800. Their small format meant they could travel easily in the owner's pocket for enjoyment away from his library: while in a coffee house, tavern, or travelling. The collection in hand offers 14 authors represented in 21 different texts, 6 of which are the first or only appearance of the work from the Foulis Press, and includes the following:

translator

translator.

translator

A full list with pagination and illustration information as well as ESTC and Gaskell numbers is available on request.

• All volumes uniformly bound in 18th-century polished calf, spines with raised bands, gilt ruling, and gilt lettering on leather labels; a beautiful “long shelf of short books” with spines slightly faded, slightest rubbing, occasional instances of a bit of leather lost to old worm along a joint or an abrasion to a spine or cover; all edges speckled red. Offsetting from turn-ins onto endpapers, pencil annotations in one volume, touch of ink at foremargin of three leaves of another; signatures trimmed closely on third volume of Virgil, first volume of Milton's Paradise Lost “bookmarked” with two paper scraps bearing manuscript annotations, skeleton frontispiece of Young's “Night Thoughts” with an inch-long internal, closed tear to background with no loss, and the maps to Pope's Iliad and Dryden's Virgil in excellent condition. A handsomely bound, sturdy, and appealing representative collection of the Foulis Press. (35997)

The Monte di Pietà in the Papal States

(Papal Bulls / Monte di Pietà). A small collection of 13 papal bulls and related papal publications mainly concerning Monte di Pietà and notaries in Bologna and Cesena. Bologna & Rome: various printers, 1525–96 (and possibly later). 4to (ca. 20 cm, 7.75"). Mostly [4]ff. but length varies to up to 16 pp.
[SOLD]

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Dating to the 1460s, Monte di Pietà were very important institutions of Franciscan inspiration: They sought to counteract the usury of money-lenders, which had ruined many a poor family, by providing insteadan alternative form of loan without interest. Two of the publications here are different issues of Innocent VIII’s bull of 1488 confirming the official status of the Monte di Pietà in Cesena, previously established by the city’s inhabitants; two others, dated 1506, are similar to the above, but concern the Monte di Pietà in Bologna, approved by Julius II. There follow eight more, dating from 1580 to 1596, concerning the payment of notaries for various tasks, the interactions between the Monte di Pietà and the criminal court of the Torrone, in Bologna, the use of money from the Monte di Pietà for other purposes, and the orders and oaths of the Torrone.

These are printed in roman type, with eight having variously sized title-page woodcuts of five papal coats of arms, executed and supported in seven different ways; several are quite large and handsome. One additional bull has on its title-pagea very large woodcut of Christ being aided down from the Cross by angels, and all thirteen have interesting woodcut initials.

• Stitched or unbound, preserved in a modern folding cloth case. Light age-toning or minor browning variously as usual; one papal letter waterstained and another item with final blank partly torn away. Three issue have old inked underlinings, and one an old line of docketing in ink; all bear later archival annotations in pencil . A nice little collection of papal publications inviting several kinds of interrogation. (41313)

Eight Comedias sueltas byAntonio de Solis

Solis [y Ribadeneyra], Antonio de. Sammelband of 9 plays. [Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid: Various publishers, 1763–98]. 4to (21.1 cm, 8.3"). Various paginations.
$1200.00

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Historia de la conquista de México, población y progresos de la América septentrional, conocida por el nombre de Nueva España

He is known to have written only ten plays: Eight are present here.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. El doctor Carlino. [colophon: Barcelona: En la oficina de Pablo Nadal, 1798]. 4to (21.1 cm, 8.3"). 32 pp. “Num. 60" in the upper left corner of the first page.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. Un bobo hace ciento. [colophon: Valencia: en la Imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1763]. 32 pp. “N.60" in upper left corner of the first page and “Pag. I” in upper right.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. Las Amazonas de escitia. [colophon: Valencia, en la Imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1764]. 32 pp. “N.68" in upper left corner of the first page and “Pag. I” in upper right.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. Amparar al enemigo. [colophon: Valencia, en la Imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1765]. 32 pp. “N.85" in upper left corner of the first page and “Pag. I” in upper right.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. El alcazar del secreto. [colophon: Valencia, en la Imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1765]. 32 pp. “N.86" in upper left corner of first page, and “Pag. I” in upper right.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. Erudice y Orfeo. [colophon: Valencia, en la Imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1765]. 32 pp. “N. 89" in upper left corner of first page, and “Pag. I” in upper right.

[drop-title] Comedia. El amor al uso. [colophon: Madrid: en la Libreria de Quiroga, 1799]. 32 pp. “I” in upper right corner of first page.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. El mayor triunfo de Julio César, y batalla de Farsalia. [colophon: Valencia, en la Imprenta de la Viuda de Joseph de Orga, 1770]. 36 pp. “N.162" in uppper left corner of first page and “Pag. I” in upper right.

The Spanish National Library attributes this title to Francisco de Alsedo Herrera, not Solis.

[drop-title] Comedia famosa. La gitanilla de Madrid. [colophon: Valencia, en la Imprenta de Joseph, y Thomàs de Orga, 1780]. 32 pp. “N.232" in upper left corner of first page and “Pag. I” in upper right.

Binding: Full dark caramel calf single-ruled in gilt around blind-ruled border, gilt board edges and blind-patterned turn-ins, spine gilt extra with two black spine labels lettered in gilt. Marbled endpapers and brown speckled edges, green ribbon place holder.

Provenance: 19th-century bookplate of Robert Henry Clive on rear pastedown.

• On the comedias sueltas, see: Bergman & Szmuk, Comedias Sueltas; McKnight & Jones, Catalogue of Comedias Sueltas; Sullivan & Bershas, Comedias Sueltas. Bound as above; extremities rubbed with loss to gilt on board edges, joints starting but volume strong, boards with a few stains and scratches. Sticker on front free endpaper. Gentle age-toning and occasional cases of foxing, most noticeable in El amor al uso, otherwiseclean and crisp. (30950)

A 30-Item One-Author Sampling ofBodoni “Job Printing”

Turchi, Adeodati. Collection of Bodoni editions of 30 works by Turchi. [Parma: Dalla Stamperia Reale], 1788–96. 12mo & 8vo. In 3 vols.
$2500.00

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Sermons, pastoral letters, and homilies are among the types of job printing that have provided necessary cash flow for all presses throughout time. And because of their ephemeral and narrow-interest nature combined with their short print runs, they tend to be among the scarcest productions of the Bodoni Press.

VOLUME 1: Epostola. 21 Septembris 1788 (Sallander No. 46); Indulto. 18 February 1789 (Sallander No. 51); Lettera pastorale. No date. (Brooks 1348); Omelia recitata al popolo. 1789, (Sallander No. 54); Indulto. 1790. (Sallander No. 55);Omelia. Recitata nel giorno di Pentecoste, 1790 (Sallander No. 56); Omelia. Recitata nel giorno dell' Assunzione di Maria Vergine. 1790 (Sallander No. 57); Omelia. Recitata al popolo nel giorno si San Bernardo. 1790 (Sallander No. 58); Indulto pubblicato. 1791 (Sallander No. 59); Omelia. Recitata nel giorno di Pentecoste, 1791 (Brooks 432); Omelia. Recitata nel giorni di Tutti li Santi. 1791 (Brooks 433); Omelia. Recitata nel giorno di San Bernardo, 1791 (Sallander No. 61); Indulto. Per la Quaresima. 1792 (Sallander No. 65).

VOLUME 2:

second copy

VOLUME 3:

second copy

All volumes are clean, sound, and attractive.

Click here for a database including
not in PRB&M's illustrated catalogues . . .
keyword, e.g. = COMEDIAS SUELTAS!

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