Adams, Ansel; Nancy Newhall (text)

The Pageant of History and the Panorama of Today in Northern California. A Photographic Interpretation

San Francisco: American Trust Company, 1954. Paperback. First Edition. SIGNED BY ADAMS and dated May 25th 1980, Carmel on the dedication page. This book was commissioned by the American Trust Company on its one hundredth anniversary. Includes sixty photographs by Ansel Adams printed on high gloss paper. In soft covers bound with clear plastic spiral comb which has broken in several places but continues to hold the pages together. There are a few scuff marks to the covers and minor wear to the edges. This copy is ex-library from the Carmel Valley Manor with an unobtrusive stamp on the dedication page. This is the only library marking. Unpaginated. PHOTO/052611. Very Good.

Beardsley, Aubrey; Jacques-E Blanche, preface; A-H Cornette, translator

Sous La Colline

Paris: H. Floury, Editeur, 1908. Hard Cover. 1 of 1000 copies. First French Edition. Under the Hill was Beardsley’s unfinished erotic novel, based on the legend of Tannhauser. He began writing it in 1894 but had not completed it by the time of his death in 1898. This French translation is bound with translations of four other Beardsley pieces. There are thirteen Beardsley illustrations and two portraits of him including the photographic frontispiece of him at Menton and a portrait by J. Blanche. All are protected by tissue guards. Bound in modern black half calf with marbled paper covered boards. Foxing to frontispiece and last few pages, affecting last illustration. Otherwise in very good condition. 122 pages. LIT/071111. Very Good.

Beerbohm, Max

Original Ink and Watercolor Drawing [Keepsake]

Original Illustrations. An original ink and watercolor drawing by Max Beerbohm, inscribed by him with the title “Keepsake The Twinsicsa Century pressed the brown rose of England between the pages of History.” The work depicts a Victorian woman pressing the flower into a book, with a wall portrait behind her, and is similar to a cartoon in Beerbohm’s 1901 series, The Second Childhood of John Bull (published in 1911). Done on light brown paper, with the woman’s hair painted brown and her dress light blue. Worn a bit along old folds and a small piece is missing from the bottom of her skirt and is colored in. Matted and framed. Drawing is 8 x 12 inches. In the frame the work is 13.5 x 18 inches. Undocumented here, but this is from the collection of the English bookseller Douglas Cleverdon. ORIGINAL/091211. Very Good.

[Beerbohm, Max] George Beaumont, artist

Original Ink Drawing of Max Beerbohm

n.d. Original Illustrations. An original black and white caricature of Max Beerbohm done in ink. Signed and inscribed by the artist, George Beaumont. It is an amusing portrait of the middle-aged Max, seated outdoors under an umbrella. The inscription reads “Mr. Max Beerbohm takes advantage of the English climate and amuses himself with a box of paints.” The signature is “Geo Beaumont.” This may have been drawn in the 1930s or 1940s for a British periodical. Some smudging and browning but in very good condition. Unidentified gift inscription in upper left corner to “Bertram” dated 1960. 9 inches x 13 inches. In matte it measures 16 inches by 20 inches. ORIGINAL/092711. Very Good.

Bellow, Saul

The Victim

New York: Vanguard Press, 1947. Hard Cover. First Edition. Signed by the author on the title page. The author’s second novel. Very good in black cloth boards with blue title to spine. Minor wear to corners and spine ends and very light evidence of a minor dampstain to the rear board. Signed by the previous owner on the front free endpaper, and browning to both gutters; otherwise, a clean copy. In a good light blue dust jacket with white title to spine and front panel. There are several large chips to the top edge of the dust jacket and there are a few small chips to the bottom edge. Browning to the spine panel and subtle dampstaining to rear panel. 294 pages. LIT.052511. Very Good in Good Dust Jacket / Chipped.

[Black Sun Press] Carroll, Lewis; Marie Laurencin, illustrator

Alice in Wonderland

Paris: The Black Sun Press, 1930. Soft Cover. Number 64 of 370 copies of the edition for European collectors. There were also 420 copies printed for the American market. This is a beautiful production from The Black Sun Press, founded by American expatriates, the poet Harry Crosby and his wife Caresse, issued the year after Harry’s notorious suicide at the age of 31. The press was continued under the supervision of Caresse until the 1950s. The book is a fine representation of the quality of the books done by the press. There are six lovely signed lithographic illustrations by the noted French artist, Marie Laurencin. The book is a softbound oblong quarto with title and author in red to front cover and spine. Small discolorations at top of front cover and bottom of spine, and light signs of handling; otherwise in very good plus condition. Interior pages are clean and bright, as are the illustrations, which are protected by tissue guards. The chemise in which the book came is in pieces, with the boards and spine present but detached. The slipcase is in very good condition, with the pink leather backing and cream paper boards showing only the slightest signs of handling. 114 pages. PRI/081111. Very Good.

Brewer, Frances J. ; Jean-Baptiste Oudrey, illustrator; Jean de la Fontaine

The Fables of Jean De La Fontaine: A Monograph

Los Angeles: Dawson's Book Shop, 1964. Paperback. 1 of 125 copies. With a leaf from the 1775-1779 Memorial Edition of the Fables Choisies, illustrated by Jean-Baptiste Oudrey and printed in Paris by Charles-Antoine Jombert. Brewer provides an interesting history of De La Fontaine’s life and work, along with a description of the beautiful memorial edition of his Fables, published a little more than fifty years after his death. It was published in four folio volumes with 275 outstanding engravings of Oudrey’s illustrations. This copy contains a one page engraving from “Le Loup et le Renard,” and pages 57-58 from the fable’s text. Printed at the Platin Press in Los Angeles. Folio volume bound in grey paper wraps, in a blue-grey marbled slipcase. Book is in near fine condition with light browning to engraving and text leaf. The slipcase shows some signs of wear but is in very good plus condition. 7 pages plus original leaves. PRI/081111. Very Good.

[Cheloniidae Press] Browne, Sir Thomas; Alan James Robinson (illustrator and printer); Jan van Dorsten (introduction)

Pseudodoxia Epidemica: Of Unicornes Hornes

Cheloniidae Press, 1984. Hard Cover. This is the artists' proof X from an edition of 60 copies of the Deluxe Edition with extra suite of prints. There were 225 copies in the standard edition. Signed by the artist on the colophon, beneath each print within the book, and on each print included with the extra suite of prints. Includes fifteen wood engravings and one etching by Alan James Robinson, a master printer and artist who established the Cheloniidae Press, later called The Press of the Sea Turtle. The text used for this edition was first published in 1650, “corrected and much enlarged by the author.” English author Sir Thomas Browne (1605 - 1682) was fascinated with the natural world. In this text he describes a variety of horned animals and ponders the varying medicinal value of their horns. His text has been beautifully printed and illustrated by Robinson with unicorns, horned beetles, a walrus, a narwhal, and more. The book is bound in white paper covered boards with vellum spine titled in gilt. Two of the illustrations are printed in blue ink along with one opening initial; the remaining illustrations and text are printed in black. This deluxe edition is issued with 15 loose plates, which include all of the wood engravings and the one etching printed in the book plus one additional image of a unicorn. Each is signed and numbered by the artist. The extra suite of plates is contained in a cloth portfolio which matches the box. The book and portfolio are housed in an off-white cloth covered clamshell box with vellum spine title in gold. The emblem of the Cheloniidae Press, a sea turtle, is also stamped in gold along with the date at the foot of the spine on the box. The box shows light wear along the edges and corners and there are a few light smudge marks to panels. The prospectus featuring signed unicorn illustration is included. The book and portfolio are In fine condition and the box is in near fine condition. Unpaginated. [60 pages]. Fine in Near Fine Box.

Davidson, John

Baptist Lake

London: Ward and Downey Limiited, 1894. Hard Cover. First Edition. An exceptionally nice copy of this rather scarce work. John Davidson (1857-1909) was a Scottish poet and dramatist who also wrote a few novels, of which this is one. It is thought that he drowned himself because of depression and hopelessness. His body was found a few months later. Baptist Lake is the the protagonist, and the book follows his life after he returns to his childhood home of Pilgrimstow as a young man. Bound in smooth black cloth with gilt title to front board and spine, and is in near fine condition. Original patterned endpapers. The interior pages are clean, just showing the slightest aging to the margins. There is a very slight separation of a middle gathering, caused by the book being laid open flat. 351 pages. LIT/081309. Near Fine.

Davidson, John; E.J. Ellis, illustrator

The Great Men: and a Practical Novelist

London: Ward & Downey, 1891. Hard Cover. Scarce First Edition. Includes four illustrations by E.J. Ellis. John Davidson (1857-1909) was a Scottish poet, playwright, and novelist. His chief talent was as a poet, and his work influenced early Modernists such as T.S. Eliot and Wallace Stevens. Bound in original red cloth with attractive embossed floral design on front and back covers. Gilt author and title to spine. Slight bumping to corners and spine ends but in very good condition. Interior is clean and bright with typical offsetting to free endpapers. 283 pages. LIT/050611. Very Good.

Dolben, Digby Mackworth; Robert Bridges, editor

The Poems of Digby Mackworth Dolben: Edited with a Memoir by Robert Bridges

London: Oxford University Press, 1911. Hard Cover. First Edition. Inscribed by Bridges: “sent to the Times for review RB.” The rare prospectus (with a manuscript note by Bridges) and errata leaflets are inserted. This was Digby Mackworth Dolben’s only book, published posthumously, as unfortunately, Dolben (1848-1867) was drowned at the age of nineteen. Robert Bridges was Dolben’s cousin. Bound in original linen backed grey boards. The spine label is browned and a bit worn, and the cloth on the spine is also browned, as are the top edges of the boards. Offsetting to endpapers, otherwise very clean interior. Very good condition. 129 pages. POE/050611. Very Good.

Douglas, James

Manuscript Letters and Documents

London: 1917-1928. Manuscript material. A small collection of letters to James Douglas including typed and handwritten items on his family genealogy, a letter from his son with a condolence letter from his son’s commanding officer, an original photograph, and a leaf bearing the signature of William Randolph Hearst. James Douglas (1867-1940) was a British newspaper editor, critic, and author. He was known as a moralist and was in favor of censorship. As the editor of the Sunday Express in the 1920s, he launched a campaign against Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness, writing “ I would rather give a healthy boy or a healthy girl a phial of prussic acid than this book.” He also negatively reviewed Joyce’s Ulysses. This collection comprises an eclectic assortment of items. Douglas was apparently interested in his family’s genealogy, and there are typewritten summaries of his research as well as two letters written to him from clergymen in response to inquiries about his family sent to their parish. There are two typewritten articles by Douglas, one a nostalgic memoir of his childhood Christmases, and the other a piece on meeting Mussolini. Included also is an original photo of Douglas, and, for undetermined reasons, a leaf bearing William Randolph Hearst’s autograph on stationery from the Savoy Hotel in London. Most poignant are two letters from World War I. One is from Douglas’s son, Brian, a member of the RAF, written in 1917 from the WWI front in France. It is a four-page, sweet and chatty letter to “My dearest Pater,” inquiring about his sister’s health, saying how he enjoys flying, talking about a recent article on an incident written about in the Daily Mail about a Hun aerodome bombing, and requesting new pajamas (silk Tartan) and more good books. He signs it “Ever your loving Brian.” The other is a two-page letter to Douglas from his son’s commander, Frank Russell, following the death of Brian in early 1918. In it he conveys the return of Brian’s watch, and thanks Douglas for his kind expression of thanks over the telephone. All items are in very good condition. ALS/062111. Very Good.

[Dufy, Raoul] Stephane Mallarme

Madrigaux

Paris: Editions de la Sirene, 1920. Hard Cover. First Edition. Number 277 of 1000 copies. This book is considered to be among the best of the French livres d’artiste. Includes 25 lithographic illustrations by Raoul Dufy in pochoir coloring on Lafuma de Voiron paper. It has been expertly rebound in marbled paper boards with the original dark blue front cover laid on. In near fine condition except for a dog-eared free endpaper that has started to tear. Pages unopened. Unpaginated. ARTISTSBOOKS/033011. Near Fine.