Sale 219 - Thursday, February 22, 2001

Fine Books & Manuscripts
including the Collection of John Steinbeck formed by Judith and Orval Bronson

Lots 1-58 (Allom to Smollett) *

Lots 59-119 (Steinbeck to Wright)

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Spectacular series of views and depictions of people of Istanbul and the surrounding countryside. One of the plates is not listed. Rubbing to spine and extremities, occasional foxing, but most plates clean and quite striking. (1000/1500)

Tremendously detailed atlas of New Jersey's leading city, with marvelous hand-colored maps showing every block, every park, each railway line, all the streets and roads, the many cemetaries, the rivers, reservoirs, factories, larger businesses, municipal buildings, hospitals, schools, churches, etc. etc. Covers worn, a little soiling within, very good condition. (600/900)

Significant gathering of letters and signatures from important personages, including Sir Joseph Banks, Baron von Alexander Humboldt, Sir John Franklin, Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington), Nevil Maskelyne, Michael Faraday, Sir George Everest, Sir Benjamin Collins Brodie, John Dalton, Henry John Temple Palmerston, Charles Stanhope, William Lamb (2nd Viscount Melbourne), John Playfair, George H. Gordon (4th Earl of Aberdeen), Robert Southey, Baron Georges Leopold C.F.D. Cuvier, John Abernathy, Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, Charles Grey (2nd Earl Grey), and many others. James Hudson was the Librarian of the Royal Society for more than 15 years, and apparently accumulated much autograph material through business correspondence with many of the leading intellectuals of the day. Accompanied by an notebook containing biographical information on many of the persons represented. Very good or better condition. (3000/5000)

Among the signers is Claudette Colbert (clipped, close to the signature in a few places); Frank Sinatra; Buster Crabbe; Alan Hale; Orson Welles; Alan Hale; Maria Montez (clipped, close to the signature in a few places); K.E. Rockey, Maj. Gen., U.S.M.C. (clipped); Edmund Lowe; and others. Wear to the album, but generally very good. (400/700)

Inscribed on the front free, "From the printers, W.E. Rudge, 1926" and also signed by Walter M. Patterson and Douglas H. Smith. Spine a bit worn, endpaper margins darkened from turn-ins, else very good or better, with the bookplate of Nelson and Maude Robinson. (250/350)

Manual of midwifery. Signed by the author on the page preceding the title. Covers worn, joints cracked, old label on front cover partially removed; minor aging to contents, ink name to top of half-title, else very good. (300/500)

Abstract drawings and short verses follow the abstract life of an abstract little girl. The mounts are darkened, but the plates themselves are clean and bright; some wear to the folder. (500/800)

Presentation copy inscribed on the ownership-page, "The author of this book sends lots and lots of love to a dear little girl whose Papa is his very dear friend, Christmas 1915"; the ownership certificate is filled out to Patricia. Soiling to the boards with wear to edges and corners, spine ends worn, front joint cracking and reglued; else about very good. (600/900)

Some shelf wear, fading to spines, else very good. (300/500)

The "most remarkable" work of the 17th century cleric and occultist, according to the D.N.B., a dissertation on the laws of nature, with reference to the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes. First published the preceding year in London. Some cover wear; darkening and mostly marginal staining to contents, else very good. (200/300)

Vols. I & II with spines rubbed, dull, those vols. with repairs to endpaper hinges, some damage to endpapers, library rubberstamp to rear endpaper of Vol. II; else Vols. I & II very good, Vol. III fine. (300/500)

George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, African-American botanist, writes Grady Porter at the Tom Huston Peanut Co. in Columbus, Georgia, inquires about various matters, and discusses the peanut business, "...just how are we going ot pull out of it is a very serios problem. Just think of it, $110.00 per ton for peanuts, phenomenal. My strength is holding up I guess fairly well for a person of my age. The latch string always hangs on the outside for you here." With original mailing envelope. Fine. (1000/1500)

Historically significant archive of letters tracing a Union officer's experiences in the Civil War from the end of February, 1862, to the beginning of November, 1863. The earliest letter, February 28th, 1862, finds Thomas in Indianapolis, having only recently left home, "I am to go as the Quartermaster of the 53rd Regiment William Jones goes as Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Hugland assistance Surgeon. This is all of our original officers who have been retained. Our future we know nothing about. We are placed here to guard some 4,000 Rebel prisoners. They are a very hard looking set of men. Scarcely any two are dressed alike and they seem to be very little cultivated, indeed they seem to be more animal than man...." A month later, Thomas is in Savanna, Tennessee (suffering from weather and fatigue, but not bullets), with action on the horizon "this much is certain, our Generals are concentrating a very large force a few miles above this place and its is my opinion it will be but a few days until Gen. Grant will be in a condition to make a forward movement...." The end of April Thomas' regiment moves to Pittsburgh Landing ("we removed our wagons and mules from the Boat after night that night and in doing so drowned 1 man and 3 mules"), then on to a Camp outside Corinth, Tennessee; at La Grange, Tennessee; Memphis; Columbus, Kentucky; Collieville, Tennessee; Memphis again; Grand Gulf, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi ("I must again announce to you that Vicksburg is not taken, but the Siege still goes on... I regard the fall as certain either by storm or by exhaustion we are nearer the time than at any previous time...." And a week later, 19 June, 1863, "there opened up a very heavy cannonading in front & to our left attended with volleys of musketry. The Regt. was at once brought out in line, teams geared up, desks packed, and every preparation made for what ever might take place...."). The letters to George Thomas from his wife Minerva ranging in date from April 7, 1862 to March 23, 1863, offer a poignent glimpse of life at home while the men were off to war. In the letter of February 21, 1863, Minerva writes of seeking, and receiving, aid from neighbors for various farm chores. All of the letters are well written, very neat and legible, and nearly all of them in fine condition, a significant archive of letters relating the experiences of a quartermaster in the Union Army. (1500/2500)

Finely engraved views of two of our nation's cemetaries, with descriptive letterpress. In the first volume, an introductory leaf is misbound; also, inscription on the back of the map dated 1946, and old rubberstamp on the half-title. Some rubbing and wear to the covers, occasional fox marks within, else very good. (300/500)

Hill p.62 - Cook's fateful third voyage, a search for the Northwest Passage, during which he was clubbed and stabbed to death by the once friendly natives of Hawaii. Hill notes that this "octavo edition is not be confused with the second edition which did not appear until 1785. This abridged version is preferred by some readers because, the nautical and technichal parts having been deleted, the work reads more like an adventure." This copy lacks the 2 folding charts, and the half-title in Vol. II (Vol. I issued without half-title). The folding plate is the Death of Cook. The plates have a running heading "Cook's Voyage Octavo Edition"; this has been shaved in some instances. Some wear to the original tree calf; occasional soiling and some staining within, else very good. (400/600)

Signed by Crane and printer/publisher Duncan C. Dallas on the limitation-page. Crane's signature is beneath a facsimile of his handwritten notation that "Mr. Dallas's reroductions of my pen drawings for this work appear to me to be very faithful & successful in prescribing the touch of general character of the originals." Rubbing and soiling to the box, front joint split, ends worn; some of the tissue plates creased or marginally torn under the mats, a few mats with mildew stains, light foxing to limitation leaf, else overall very good. (400/600)

Each of the three frontispieces signed in pencil by Browne. Three volumes from the "sumptuous but ill-fated `Autograph Edition'...edited by Frederic G. Kitton, who died during the course of publication [in 1904]; only fifteen of the projected fifty-six volumes were published" - Gimbel. A little fading to the spines and rubbing to their labels, else bindings very good, internally fine. (200/300)

Each of the three frontispieces signed in pencil by Rainey. Three volumes from the "sumptuous but ill-fated `Autograph Edition'...edited by Frederic G. Kitton, who died during the course of publication [in 1904]; only fifteen of the projected fifty-six volumes were published" - Gimbel. A touch of fading to the spines, slight rubbing to their labels, else bindings near fine, internally fine. (200/300)

With original signed check from Dickens mounted on the front flyleaf of Volume I, Part I, for two pounds, 11 shillings, made out to W. Curtis, 4 May 1864. Each of the three frontispieces signed in pencil by Furniss. The complete Pickwick Papers from the ill-fated Autograph Edition edited by Frederic G. Kitton. This is one of the "extended" copies, the original three volumes expanded to six with the addition of many more illustations from a host of nineteenth century illustrators. Some fading to the spines, light stains to a few of their labels, else bindings very good, internally fine. (700/1000)

Moderate shelf wear, else very good. (200/300)

Fine, bright condition, with just a little rubbing to spine ends. (200/300)

Light foxing to endpapers and page edges; near fine and bright. (200/300)

Though not fully translated, the writings seem to be a rather significant gathering of historical and often semi-apologetic materials having to do with the conduct of the war. Some are records of interrogation, relating to the war crimes trials, background information, etc. In one interview, printed in English, Heinrich Gersch, Internee 4494, testifies: "In the course of my To-day's interrogation I have been requested to put down my statements in writing. In compliance with this request I beg to state the following: ... At first I shall give a description of events as from April 20th 1945 up to May 11th 1945, when the Reichsmarschall was taken prisoner. Because of the trend of the military situation the transfer of the Headquarters form Berlin to Berchtesgaden had been ordered by the OKW and this transfer had been taking place sinced the beginning of April. The Führer alone had changed plans and remained with a skeleton-staff in Berlin. The Reichsmarschall had arrived in BERCHTESGADEN already before the 20th of April 1945; with him were parts of his General Staff. The Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe, General of the Airforce Koller, stayed in Berlin as a personal representative of the Reichsmarschall.... On the 21st of 22nd April, the Führer had a nervous breakdown. General Koller...told me a few days later, that there and then the Führer considered himself and the army lost; he turned to the gentlemen around him with the words, `Only Göring can help here!' By this he meant that it was time to enter into negotiations with the Allies...." Present also in the fascinating and important grouping is an essay on German Development, 1918-1933; a diagram of the organization of the Hitler Youth ("Hitler-Jugend"); a lecture on "The Responsibility for Germany's Future" (in English) by Pastor Martin Niemoeller; Regulations for the Seventh Army Internment Camp at Ludwigsburg; ["Legal Regulations For the Supply and Provision of the Victims of the War and Political Persecution as well as for the Survivors"] (in German); a number of autobiographical essays of persons being held in the camps, in German; an essay by Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, "Mein Verhältnis zum Hitlerismus," (My Love-affair with Hitlerism); and may more. An historically significant compilation, important to the study of Nazism and the de-Nazification of post-war Germany. (800/1200).

This is the second volume of the series "Secrets concernant les Arts et Metiers," a treatise on dying and tinting. Minor foxing/soiling to prelims., else very good or better, scarce. (600/900)

Graff 1195; Howes E10; Rader 264 - The life of an ardent abolitionist, who traveled extensively in his quest to free slaves and to find a haven for them once they were free; he made three journeys to Texas in the 1830's, and published a pamphlet in 1836, The War in Texas, which presented arguments against the annexation of Texas. He died in 1839, but not before recruiting William Lloyd Garrison to the cause. This copy lacks the mezzotint frontispiece, but does have the hand-colored map with Texas shown as an independent country (the map has a few short tears). Spine worn, joints cracked and reglued; foxing to contents, else good to very good. (300/500)

Bartlett & Campo - Signed by Everson in colophon. This is one of the low-numbered copies presented to assistants on the project. Fine condition. (7000/1000)

Darkening to spine and cover edges, rubbing to edges, corners showing, fraying to spine ends; else very good. (400/600)

Second in Faulkner's three-book chronicle of the Snopes family. Jacket worn at spine ends, corners nicked, 1/2" tear to lower front joint, pencil notes regarding the book on the inside [i.e. verso] of the jacket; residue from removed bookplate, else very good in like jacket. (200/300)

Published two years after the first edition, with the same collation and plates. An amusing series of sketches on the London low-life, e.g. debtors' prisons, imposters, penny theatres, lunatic asylums, etc. Light bumps to extremities; plates darkened and with offset from the text, repair to one text leaf, else very good. (200/300)

Date of publication inked at the foot of the title; very good in modern binding. (200/300)

With rubberstamp on verso, "David B. Hampton, 509 Madison Ave, New York, N.Y." Wear to corners, image fine. (1000/1500)

Presentation copy inscribed and signed by the editor/publisher on front free endpaper, "Donald, Dean and David, If you will look at the pictures often enough you will catch on and soon be a good magician. That's the way I started when fifteen years old. Carl W. Jones, Christmas 1939." The imprint reads "privately printed for professional and amateur magicians." The foreword warns that, although the secrets of magic are not sworn secrets, it is the "promiscuous distribution of these secrets through the public press that works the harm." Hence the scarce distribution of this book. Spine faded with some rubbing; hinge cracked before title-page, else very good. (300/500)

Wear to the spines, Vol. I front joint expertly repaired; ink names of James Smith to top of title-pages, dated 1807 in Vol. II, very good or better condition, a nice little set. (200/300)

Field 761; Howes I81; Sabin 35130; Wagner-Camp 61:2 - "This lengthy history of John Jacob Astor's venture into the fur trade on the Pacific Coast is based in part on a revised transcript of the journal of Robert Stuart and the Journals of Wilson Price Hunt and Ramsay Crooks, which were for a time in the possession of Astor..." - W.C. This English edition was issued without a map. Just a little rubbing to extremities; near fine to fine, a handsome set. (300/500)

Ingenious and very unusual series of works revealing in painstaking detail the architectural plans and construction of the most famous Japanese tea houses, each portfolio containing pop-up plans which fit together with tiny taps, and have the architectural and measurement details drawn on them. The tea houses were often large, even palatial structures. The surrounding gardens, with their various rock formations, stepping stones, waterfalls and streams, are drawn on the folding bases of the pop-ups. There are loose roofs which set on top of the constructed tea houses, and other striking and breathtaking details. Tiny cupboards are shown, as are closets, anterooms, sleeping quarters, and all of the myriad features of the charming traditional teahouses. Ten of the portfolios have separate envelopes of half tone photographs of the buildings, inside and out; there are 50 folding plans in all, including 4 in the Index Volume, which is the same format as the others; the regular volumes are numbered 1-12, with no Vol. 8, left out by Japanese tradition, much as highrise buildings are built with no 13th floor. The sets were issued to subscribers only over a period of time, in a small limitation, and the present set, which is complete, was compiled by the original and only owner who now offers it, an architect who was living in Japan during the years the set was published. Some of the boxes with a little wear, some minor discoloration to the insides of the portfolios and to the covers of the text volumes, still in near fine to fine condition, a rare and marvelous creation, of great interest to scholars of Japanese architecture as well as to those who appreciate unusual and inventive methods of book creation. (10,000/15,000))

Cowan p.326; Howes K68; Kurutz 371a; Wagner-Camp 200:3 - Popular edition of the second volume of Kelly's two-volume An Excursion to California over the Prairie, Rocky Mountains, and Great Sierra Nevada. With a Stroll Through the Diggings and Ranches of that Country, published in 1851; reprinted as Vol. IV of "The Bookcase" series (Volume I of the Kelly was the first in the series). Kelly's wanderings took him to the major districts of the Northern Mines, including the Trinity Mountains, and quicksilver mines near San Jose. Kurutz notes that he "observed the Indians; remnants of the Spanish and Mexican pueblos, ranchos and missions; and the bustling and frenetic life of San Francisco." Rubbing to the boards, corners worn, spine ends chipped; foxing to the endpapers and a few stray fox marks within, hinge cracked at front endpapers, else very good. (250/350)

Presentation copy inscribed to the author's son on the copyright/ limitation page, "To our beloved faithful son Stewart who never forgets us and of whom we are proud... Josephine Hancock Logan." This is the author's first book of poetry. A little shelf wear to the slipcase; near fine. (200/300)

Fine with 1/4" tear at left edge. (300/500)

One of the most significant of the volumes in the series Mayhew wrote on the underside of London life. Front cover detached along with prelims., spine worn, faded, reglued; internally very good. (200/300)

Important study of the lower echelons of London society. Blindstamps of the Worcester County Law Library to the title-pages, slight evidence of removed spine labels. A bit of fading to the spines, minor extremity wear, a few nicks to the joints of the extra volume, else very good. (300/500)

Views include Niagara Falls, New York Bay, Hudson River near Newburgh, Bremen, Saratoga Lake, Cape Horn, A Masked Ball at the Paris Opera House, Wall Street in New York, Desert-Rock Lighthouse in Maine, the White House in Washington, Straits of Gibraltar, Peking ("Peckin") in China, etc. Joints cracked or cracking, occasional darkening to the text but not affecting plates with are quite clean, else very good or better. (600/900)

Minor soiling to frontis. & added title, ink scrawls on the back of the frontis., 2" repaired tear to title; else very good. (300/500)

Interesting observations of an eastern ruler touring the modernized capitals of Europe. The translator was an imporant Orientalist who had earlier served as official translator at the court of the Ottoman Empire. Spine darkened with some creasing and wear, recased; marginal tear to pp.1-2 which is repaired with tape, else very good. (400/600)

All in near fine to fine condition. (300/500)

Captivating piece of Americana, the program for the classic county fair of the nineteenth century, with the various by-laws and rules, listings of the prizes to be awarded (for "Best Bull," "Best Stallion," "Best cut tapestry work, with pillow," etc.). In addition, there are numerous advertisements, for clothing, furniture, grain, dentists, and many more. Just a bit of darkening to the paper, else fine. (300/500)

Large, detailed map featuring the rail lines which held the Keystone State together. Some short tears at the creases, else very good. (200/300)

Fascinating and revealing manuscript sermons of a fire-and-brimstone preacher in the town of Arcata, six miles northeast of Eureka in northern California. Founded as by the Union Company as Union Town in 1850, the name was changed to its present Arcata in 1860. The neatly written manuscript sermons are of course filled with references to the scriptures, and rail against strong drink and other evils and temptations, as well as treating of such subjects as "Politics and the Pulpit," "Should Christians belong to Secret Societies," Profane Swearing, which "has become so common, and I might say almost universal among men...that we have ceased to regard it as an evil...." On the endpapers and flyleaves are glued newspaper clippings relating to alcohol consumption and other evils. Spine worn, the strip partially missing, other wear; contents generally very good, a captivating glimpse into the fight to save, or at least pacify, the souls of man and women on the rough frontier of backwoods California in the 1860's. (1000/1500)

Some light mildew marks to top margins; near fine, a tall and large copy, in modern binding. (400/700)

Russell's characteristic, and classic, sketch of a cattle skull. Accompanied by a snapshot photograph of him, which is stained and laid on backing paper. Very good condition. (1500/2000)

Wing S31A - The best-known work of Christopher Saint-German (or Saint Germain), c.1460-1540, a legal writer and "controversialist"; first published in Latin in 1523, the Two Dialogues became the standard handbook for legal students, and was not superseded until Blackstone. Ownership inscription of Mauritius Wheeler, 1673, to front flyleaf, old ink inscription in Greek to top of title-page. Near fine in modern binding. (200/300)

The first ten volumes of an attractive set of Scott's works. Near fine to fine. (300/500)

55. Selden, John. Titles of Honor. [38], 391, [43] pp. a-d⁴, A-Iii⁴, Kkk₁ (lacks A₃, apparently a blank). (sm. 4to) 7x5 1/4, period calf, holographed paper spine label (perhaps later). First Edition. London: By William Stansby for Iohn Holme, 1614.

STC 22177 - The first publication of John Selden, the son of a Sussex yeoman who achieved renown as a lawyer and legal scholar. Wear to covers, bowed by solid; wear to bottom edges, some staining within, mostly marginal worming to later pages, good to very good. (300/500)

Howes S365 - The detailed map is in clean and fine condition, the volume wiht wear to spine and edges. (200/300)

Both in very good condition. (300/500)

Rubbing to the boards and spine ends, also to the spine itself of Vol. I; some light foxing within, else very good, an attractive set, with the bookplates of Phillips Sherwood Davies. (200/300)

Lots 59-119 (Steinbeck to Wright)

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