London Almanack for 1829
(40)pp. Engravings across first three sets of facing pages, the middle four providing a view of the New Hall at Christ's Hospital. In addition to the expected calendrical information, this almanac also provides a table of British rulers' reigns through Queen Victoria, lists of the royal family, members of the cabinet, Lord Mayors, and the current sheriffs, an accounting of currency divisions, and a list of the year's bank holidays. Bound in full red leather with black leather onlays, elaborately tooled in gilt. Housed in a matching slipcase. Trace overall rubbing, else fine. A.e.g. (2 1/4 by 1 5/16; 58x33mm).- $633
- $633
Exhibition poster for Frasconi’s edition of Let America Be America Again
Hughes, Langston Folded poster, advertising an exhibition of the book at The Richard & Dolly Maass Gallery at SUNY Purchase, with gallery phone number and reception time. Frasconi produced Hughes's text in an edition of five, for which he created thirty-two woodcuts. Here two, including one as portrait of Hughes, serve as bold illustrations. Text at foot in a rustic type set in red ink. Minimal bumps to corners, else fine. (17 3/4 by 22 3/4 in.; 451x578 mm).- $575
- $575
Cancelleresca Bastarda Displayed in a Series of Maxims and Mottos. With Alphabets and Ornaments
16mo. (14)ff. Of a stated edition of 100 copies, this is the printer's copy, indicated as such at the colophon, where Baskin has inscribed the volume to, presumably, Dorothy, for whom he executed a bookplate in 1959. After acquiring several Jan van Krimpen fonts in three sizes, modeled on chancery script, Baskin designed this book. It contains eleven mottos, each decoratively printed with different sizes of type in subtle variations of color. One page uses seven colors. One of two books by Baskin devoted entirely to typography. Crease along spine, else fine in marbled boards with printed label. Prospectus laid in. (Brook, 42A).- $1,380
- $1,380
Gorey Stories: Books & Drawings by Edward Gorey
Poster advertising the titular exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, on display from October 26, 1984 to March 17, 1985. Illustrated in four compartments showing three companions and a dog in a rotating array of positions "while sitting around after tea." Fine. Framed. (Frame measures 17 1/4 by 8 3/4 in.) Together with the exhibition catalog, bifold with additional sheet laid in providing a curatorial statement. Signed by Gorey. This with minor bumping to corners, motes of soiling, else very good. (Toledano, p. 169).- $518
- $518
Prospectus poster for Frasconi’s edition of Let America Be America Again
Hughes, Langston Folded poster, serving as prospectus for the book, which Frasconi produced in an edition of five and for which he created thirty-two woodcuts; here, two, including one as portrait of Hughes, serve as bold illustrations. This with Post-It inscription from Frasconi. Explanatory text at foot in a rustic type set in red ink. Minimal bumps to corners, else fine. (17 3/4 by 22 3/4 in.; 451x578 mm).- $575
- $575
Fábulas de Esopo: Diorama Plegable
Set of twelve bifold dioramas. Each entry in the set opens to reveal a three-dimensional scene drawn from Aesop's fables (or, in the case of the first two issuanaces, from the Nativity). Ediciones Barsal apparently held a patent for the design, which was at once portable and innovative, a combination that permitted the serialization of the dioramas and made them consummately collectable. At the exterior panels of each diorama are, on one side, an abridged text of the fable and a summation of its moral, and on the other, a list of all the titles in the series. There were eighteen published - present in this set are numbers 3, 5, 6, and 9 through18 - and nine more expected ("proximos a publicarse"). It is uncertain if these final issuances were ever realized; the publisher is evasive in the historical record, and even these present dioramas are altogether scarce, with only one showing an entry in OCLC. Each diorama held in a printed envelope; that for no. 3 is plain, while all others have a dynamic graphic as title. Light edgewear overall and some rubbing, envelopes mildly sunned and rubbed, else a near fine set and a fascinating example of children's material and print culture just after the Spanish Civil War.- $1,553
- $1,553
Our Pic-Nic in the Old Woods
Aunt Laura (Frances Elizabeth Barrow) 64pp. A short story authored by popular children's writer Frances Elizabeth Barrow under the nom de plume Aunt Laura, noted by Bradbury as "high spots in any miniature book collection." Bound in green cloth with elaborate gilt-stamping to cover and spine. A.e.g. Light rubbing to spine and some gilt oxidation, else fine. (Bradbury, pp. 184-185; Welsh 4310). (2 1/8 by 1 1/2; 53 by 39mm).- $173
- $173
A Song and a Diary for A.
Elliott, Richard Octavo. (60)pp. From an edition of twenty-six copies, this is an apparently out of series copy, unsigned and unnumbered at the colophon. Cover design by Gorey, in the manner of a flat image to be cut out and folded into a cuboid. Printed mimeograph. A rare contribution by Gorey to the storied publishing project at St. Mark's. Staple-bound. Toned overall, as expected, trace soiling and edgewear, else near fine. (Toledano D-Elliott).- $230
- $230
This Summer, Relax!
Square octavo triptych brochure. An advertising giveaway from Bantam, sent to booksellers to entice them with "the opportunity to profit from crime." The brochure's use of colorful Gorey images of a trepidatious summer garden party is paired with nods to Masterpiece Mystery! In addition to new publications, Bantam offers various marketing materials, including a floor display, a lineup of print advertisements, and complimentary bookmarks. Housed in pocket at rightmost panel are a "Map of Mystery," charting book settings and author homes in the United States; a display kit order form; and an entry form to participate in Bantam's window display contest. Mild bumping to corners, faint soiling to rear center panel, else near fine.- $115
- $115
Promethus Desmotes [Prometheus Unbound]
Aeschylus 16mo. 39pp. From an unspecified limitation, but certainly a small edition due to the complexity of printing Greek drama in the original language and the tipped-in card inside the front cover that attests the book as a presentation copy in honor of the Christmas holiday. Inscribed at the front flyleaf by Victor Scholderer, the designer of the New Hellenic Greek type in which the book is printed, to "H. M." Aeschylus' play would become the basis for Percy Bysshe Shelley's later four-act effort. Bound in full blue cloth over boards showing some sunning to spine, and mild bumping to corners, yet internally wonderfully crisp and overall near fine. Laid in is a TLs from the Classical translator Walter Shewring to Stanley Scott, politely declining the latter's offer of the present copy. The envelope to the letter is included, though clipped to only show Scott's address and the postmark. Scott's ownership stickers appear at the inside of the rear board.- $978
- $978