
TEXAS
[
]
“Exotic Dishes” from
Foreign Lands
(A
Regional Section cites TEXAS). Frost,
Heloise. A world of good eating. A collection of old and new recipes
from many lands. [Newton, MA?]: Phillips Publishers, Inc., © 1951. 8vo. 128
pp.; illus.
$40.00
Click image for enlargement.
Recipes from around the world, “tested in the kitchen of
a New England housewife and published for the enjoyment of many American families.”
This cookbook was illustrated by Ellen A. Nelson, who also contributed the Scandinavian
recipes; each section opens with a full-page, color-printed image of children
in various national costumes, and small illustrations both in color and black-and-white
are scattered throughout. The volume closes with a section of regional American
cookery including Ozark Pudding, Southern Pecan Pie, Creole Calas,
Texas
Gumbo, Alaskan Nuggets (a sort of salmon croquette), Salt
Cod Dinner, and California Orange Bread.
This is an
uncommonly
nice copy, still housed in its original publisher's box, which
features the front cover image reproduced in color.
Not in Brown, Culinary Americana. Publisher's
spiral-bound wrappers, front wrapper color-printed with image of Dutch girls
baking, in publisher's box (as above); one edge of box rubbed and corners
of box bottom reinforced. Front fly-leaf with inked gift inscription and pencilled
date (March 24, 1956). A clean, fresh, virtually unworn copy — and very
uncommon as such. (29584)

The Art of the Printed Book
Duncan, Harry. Doors of perception: essays in book typography.
Austin, TX: W. Thomas Taylor, 1983. 8vo (23.2 cm, 9.2"). [2], 99, [3] pp.
$150.00
Click the images for enlargements.
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), and
signed at the colophon by the author.
Binding as above, in
original 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)
California, New Mexico, & Galveston
Mexico. Secretaría de Hacienda (authored by José Ignacio Esteva). Memoria sobre el estado de la hacienda publica, leida en la Camara de diputados el 13 de enero y en la de Senadores el 16 del mismo, por el ministro respectivo. Mexico: Imprenta del Supremo Gobierno, 1826. Folio (29 cm; 11.25"). [1] f., 82 pp., [2] f., 93 tables (some fold.), [4] tables, p. 83.
$450.00
Click the images for enlargements.
This account of the income and monies received as loans in support of the government of Mexico includes, on pp. 26–27, information on California and its then current situation. The tables contain significant data on mining and transportation; scattered paragraphs on Galveston and New Mexico.
Not in Howes despite the previous year's report being listed. Stitched as issued, lacking the original plain paper wrappers, dust-soiling and some age-toning; title-leaf torn at inner margin and a partial repair sometime done with document tape; corners bumped and last leaf chipped at edges. Good copy. (29969)

New Mexico, Texas, & California
Mexico. Laws, statutes, etc. 18 January 1845. Broadside. Begins: sabed: Que el Congreso general ha decretado y el Ejecutivo sancionado lo siguiente. En el estado actual de la República Mexicana, los Departamentos fronterizos ... Mexico: No publisher/printer, 1845. Small 8vo (21 cm; 8.25"). [1] p.
$350.00
Click the image for an enlargement.
This law promulgated by Interim President Herrera clarifies and defines part 17 of article 134 of the Bases orgánicas (i.e., Santa Anna's constitution of 1843). It declares Chiapas, New Mexico, Texas, and Alta California to be border states: The question being settled was which states were to have their governors appointed by the central government, others being permitted to submit a list of five candidates. Signed in type by Gonzaga Cuevas.
Of course, by 1845 Texas was nine years past its 2 March 1836 Declaration of Independence from Mexico and was on the verge of being admitted to U.S. statehood, although Mexico still failed to recognize the fact. But New Mexico and California were still one year from being wrenched away via the Mexican-American War (i.e., La intervención estadounidense en México, La Guerra de 1846).
Not in Streeter (rev.), Texas. Fold as issued. with the integral blank leaf. Pencil notations of a bookseller, including a price code. Very good. (36688)

TEXAS-SIZE FRAUD!
Taylor, W. Thomas. Texfake: An account of the theft and forgery of early Texas printed documents. Austin: W. Thomas Taylor, 1991. 8vo (26.3 cm; 10.375"). xix, [1 (blank)], 158 pp., 39 plts.
$22.50
Click the images for enlargement.
Masterful account of the history of the plundering of Texas archives in the period from 1950 to 1980 combined with the related story of the fabrication, beginning in the 1960s, of fake copies of important, early, printed Texas historical documents. Taylor names those implicated and tells of how the fakery was slowly discovered.
A must read.
Publisher's quarter cloth, paper sides with a reproduction of the Texas Declaration of Independence; front cover darkened along edges and page-tops darkened also, with endpapers and a good many margins slightly to moderately affected; a good “working” copy. (35356)

Dispatches from the Frontier
Thorpe, Thomas Bangs. Our army on the Rio Grande. Being a short account of the important events transpiring from the time of the removal of the “Army of Occupation” from Corpus Christi, to the surrender of Matamoros; with descriptions of the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, the bombardment of Fort Brown, and the ceremonies of the surrender of Matamoros: with descriptions of the city, etc. etc. Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1846. 8vo (17.7 cm, 7"). [2] ff., ix, [10]–300 pp.; 9 pls.
$450.00
Click the images for enlargements.
Detailed descriptions of travel, battle, and business with Mexico form a captivating narrative in this edition illustrated with
nine full-page wood-engraved plates by Gilbert and Gihon (counting the frontispiece), and
17 engravings in text, including one full-page plan of Matamoros, Fort Brown, and environs.
This copy has the officers'
official reports (pp. 197–300), sometimes lacking.
Howes T-236; Sabin 95665; Basic Texas Books 205. Recently rebound in glazed black moiré cloth, title gilt on leather spine label, edges lightly speckled brown. Ex-library with pressure-stamps on added illustrated title-page and title-page; no other markings. Browning at edges throughout and light cockling from sometime damp on all leaves; brown-liquid spatters not impairing reading on ten or so pages. Only a “good” copy and so priced, this gives a fine glimpse of Mexico at the onset of the
Mexican-American War. (26481)

The Louisiana Purchase PLUS
United States. Dept. of State. Message from the President of the United States, transmitting the correspondence between the United States and the government of Spain, relative to the subjects of controversy between the two nations. Washington: William A. Davis, 1817. 8vo. 77 pp.
$125.00
Click the images for enlargements.
Meaty document dealing with the Louisiana Purchase, U.S. relations with Spain, U.S. boundaries, and the cession of
Florida to the U.S. that would occur in 1819. There is even discussion of the fate of the province of
Texas. [14th Cong., 2d sess. Senate. Doc.] 114.
Shaw & Shoemaker 42663. Removed from a nonce volume. Title-page with edges browned and with War Department stamp; pages with minor offsetting. (34943)
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