Chicago: Sherwin Beach Press, 1993. Hardcover. Number 58 of 200 copies. This powerful and poignant book, written in 1983, and first published in the Chicago Reader, is the story of people living, or trying to live, on General Assistance, a now-discontinued Illinois program that was the last resort of those who did not qualify for other more ‘generous’ forms of welfare. Each person developed a personal strategy to circumvent the system and get by on the state allotment of $144 a month. Many turned to Marillac House, a settlement house on the West Side of Chicago, for emergency food and clothing. Author Bogira does a remarkable job of getting his subjects to tell their own stories. The book also contains four portraits by photographer Mike Tappin. The pictures reinforce the sense of dignity felt in the subjects’ words. Selected as one of 48 books exhibited in ‘Dressing the Text’ at the Art Museum of Santa Cruz County. Also selected as one of 44 books exhibited in the book design section of Felice Feliciano in Verona, Italy. Designed by Bob McCamant, hand set in Century Expanded by Jennifer Hughes and printed on Johannot paper by Jennifer Hughes and Martha Chiplis. The photographs were printed in duotone lithography by Rohner Printing of Chicago. Bound in grey soft cover paper wrappers. Signed by the designer. In fine condition. 24 pages, 12 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches. PRI/031620. Fine. More

Buenos Aires: Marina Soria, 2011. Unique book. This beautiful work by Marina Soria features the text of an original surrealistic poem written by her in Spanish. This is the English translation:    "Flowers for breakfast in a solemn balcony of sun. Singing bread in hot slices like prayers. Smoking jasmine tea in the mirror of my soul. Expectant spirit in a newborn day."    An accordion book bound in green patterned Indian paper with copper leaf trim. Written using watercolors on Magnani Bianca paper with copper leaf accents. Accompanied by a stiff paper card with the poem in Spanish and English, signed by the artist. The book is held closed with two pale green ribbons. Size: 22 x 36 cm closed; 100 x 36 cm open. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Marina Soria is a seasoned artist and educator with degrees in Fine Arts and Graphic Design. Not content to just immerse herself in learning calligraphy at international conferences, and through courses with renown calligraphers, she studied Eastern principles of Beauty in sumi-e (Japanese painting). She distilled and blended these principles with her rich experience and background in the fine arts, typography and graphic arts, employing unique approaches and techniques. She has also dabbled in the textile arts, creating a metaphor for weaving; letters as stitches and text as if it were a textile. Her works, vibrating with a love for nature and exploding with life and color, can be found in calligraphy collections in museums, universities, and libraries in the U.S., Europe, and South America. Marina has received numerous national and international awards, and has been featured widely in calligraphic arts publications. A prolific artist, experimental calligrapher, book artist, and educator, her goal is to mingle diverse disciplines to challenge the limits of conceptual art and technique. ARTISTSB/072622. Fine. More

Buenos Aires: Marina Soria, 2021. A unique artists' book with text in English by Ruth Corcuera from the book "Teleras, Memoria del Monte Quichua." The text describes the importance of textiles in the Andean region and describes how they were used "to protect, to give warmth, and to sustain life" - much like a mother's womb. Corcuera's text goes on to say that "In time, textile art will be the means to tell us through colours and designs that the world can be read through symbols, as in a written text ... Textiles [were] a major art with many roles, among them to express that where words did not suffice." Marina Soria's calligraphic interpretation is in a style that resembles the flowing of thread arranged in rows of color like in a woven textile. In some places the words are clearly legible, but in others they are are purposefully distorted to create an impression of thread, texture, and weaving. When viewed fully open, each letter appears like a stitch to create the illusion of a sewn tapestry. This homage to Andean textiles, which were traditionally conceived of and created by women, depicts the shape of a womb in negative space with words stretched along the edges. Bound in brick red cloth by the artist with an inlay of antique textile. Includes an attachement of fleece, beads, and found objects. The calligraphy is done in gouache on Rives BFK, 100% cotton paper. This piece can be unfolded and read as a codex or displayed in full on a wall using the cloth tabs bound into an edge of the front cover and accompanying wooden dowel. In fine condition. Size: 110 x 22 cm open; 22 x 25 cm closed Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Marina Soria is a seasoned artist and educator with degrees in Fine Arts and Graphic Design. Not content to just immerse herself in learning calligraphy at international conferences, and through courses with renown calligraphers, she studied Eastern principles of Beauty in sumi-e (Japanese painting). She distilled and blended these principles with her rich experience and background in the fine arts, typography and graphic arts, employing unique approaches and techniques. She has also dabbled in the textile arts, creating a metaphor for weaving; letters as stitches and text as if it were a textile. Her works, vibrating with a love for nature and exploding with life and color, can be found in calligraphy collections in museums, universities, and libraries in the U.S., Europe, and South America. Marina has received numerous national and international awards, and has been featured widely in calligraphic arts publications. A prolific artist, experimental calligrapher, book artist, and educator, her goal is to mingle diverse disciplines to challenge the limits of conceptual art and technique. ARTISTSB/101422. Fine. More

New York: Béatrice Coron, 2019. Number 2 of 3 copies. Poet Mick Stern and book artist Béatrice Coron have collaborated on a number of books over the past several years. This recent work has a short poem on the five senses written by Stern. Coron had created six panels in hand-cut Tyvek that skillfully represent each of the five senses through the depiction of a woman focusing on one of the senses, and then a final panel that celebrates the complexity of humans. In fine condition. Measures 7 inches x 36 inches when extended. Mick Stern is an artist and writer living in New York City. Stern received a PhD in English Renaissance Literature from New York University. He has taught English at Rutgers and other colleges. For more than twenty years, he taught screenwriting at NYU’s film school. A book review said about him: "Mick Stern's poems are clever, deep and humorous, real treat to read." French born Béatrice Coron is a renowned artist whose work includes book arts, fine art, and public art. Her work can be found in major museum collections, libraries, as well as private collections. Her books are fascinating creations made through cutting images in paper or Tyvek. Christina Favretto, Head of Special Collections at the University of Miami describes her work in Coron's "artfragments" portfolio: "There is a palpable joy in the work of Béatrice Coron, the kind of joy we felt as children in unwrapping a particularly enticing holiday gift. But...for Béatrice the gift is a sheet of Tyvek...or paper, and the stories to be unearthed and unleashed within and through the medium." Coron describes her book work: "For the last 20 years, I have been exploring visual storytelling in artist books, paper cutting and public art. Collecting memories from individuals and communities, I stage narrative allegories in silhouette to create a dialogue with the viewer in playful fantasies. These visual chronicles record archetypal stories that transcend time and space. I have been fascinated by the relation of people to their space and the sense of belonging. Using papercutting where everything is cut from a single piece of Tyvek, the profusion of individual stories makes a coherent whole world." [From her website]. ARTISTSB/082520. Fine. More

New York: Harper and Brothers, 1896. Hardcover. Includes Book II of Twain's "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc" on pages 135, 288, 432, 585, and 655 and an article about Twain by Joseph H. Twichell on page 817. Bound in three quarter red leather over red marbled paper covered boards with gilt title to spine. Minor rubbing to spine ends, edges of boards, and raised bands on spine. Marbled endpapers. Archival tape repairs to edges of a few pages. Smudge marks to edges of a few pages, but clean overall. 976 pages. PER/052319. Very Good. More

Rockport, ME: Two Ponds Press, 2020. Number 29 of 60 copies. Copies number 1 to 20 are the deluxe edition. This beautifully conceived and executed limited edition private press work explores in parallel two critical contemporary issues: the impact of climate change and the status of the increasing number of refugees in our world. Nansen’s Pastport is an artistic re-invention of Norwegian polar explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen’s refugee passport for post-Great War Europe.  The book, designed and conceived by artist Anneli Skaar, is re-imagined as a climate refugee passport for humanity, using Nansen’s own words in a contemporary context, inviting consideration on how to meet the pressing issues of current and future climate migration with wisdom from the past. Skaar writes: "The Pastport's design is based on the United States passport, arguably one of the most recognizable and coveted identity documents in the world. On its pages the U.S. passport features a number of iconic American landscapes and quotations by well-known citizens.... Nansen's Pastport also features landscapes and quotations. The quotations...are taken directly from Nansen's 1922 Nobel Lecture, 'The Suffering People of Europe.' Although Nansen's words reference the issues facing the displaced citizens of post-war Europe, the excerpts feel equally relevant and inspirational even today."  The Pastport is bound from blue North Atlantic salmon leather sourced from Iceland. On its cover is the image of an Arctic tern, the animal the migrates the farthest, making a 50,000 mile trip back and forth from the poles every year. The blue cloth covered box housing the Pastport is constructed to feel like an atlas, its dominant size symbolically enforcing geography's significance to the passport within. On the inside cover of the box is a mounted copperplate etching by Skaar. Named Carta Borealis (Northern Map), it emulates the perspective of an Arctic map; its center is the star of the North Pole. The outer case measures 19 x 13 inches. Nansen’s Pastport is 5 x 3.5 inches, 32 pages, identical to a standard passport. Letterpress printing by Art Larson at Horton Tank Graphics and bound and boxed by Amy Borezo. The Pastports cyanotypes processing by Sal Taylor Kydd and the map was printed from the copper plate by Wingate Studio. Accompanied by a softcover illustrated catalog by Anneli Skaar that describes the book, with an introduction by Steven R. Koltai. In fine condition. PRI/111021. More

Spain: 1650. A leaf from a Medieval Antiphonal or Choir Missal, Spain, circa 1650, in Latin on extremely heavy vellum. Text is in a Spanish rounded gothic hand (Rotunda). Music is on a stave formed of five lines. There are six lines of music and verse. Verso: six lines of music and verse. Framed. #2537. Near Fine. More

London: Vale Press, 1902. Hardcover. 1 of 300 copies. According to the Vale Press Bibliography, this was the first book printed in Rickett's third typeface, the King's fount (Watry, 168). Bound in the original cream linen-backed blue paper covered boards with paper title label to front board. Wear to corners of boards including chips to paper and minor bumping. Offsetting from binding glue to endpapers, else clean. Designed by Charles Ricketts in the King's Fount and printed in black and red inks on paper with the 'VP' watermark under the supervision of Ricketts at the Ballantyne Press. 27 pages. Size: 7.5 x 11.5 inches. PRI/010523. Very Good. More

London: Printed for G. Bedel and T. Collins, 1654. Hardcover. The second part is titled: Scrinia Sacra; Secrets of Empire, in Letters of illustrious persons. A Supplement of the Cabala. in which business of the same quality and grandeur is contained: with many famous passages of the late reigns of K. Henry 8, Q. Elizabeth, K. James, adn K. Charls. The name Cabala comes from the last initials of ministers to Charles II. In modern brown buckram binding with red leather title label and black leather year label to spine. The cloth is split along both hinges; however, the boards remain attached. The top three inches of the spine cloth including a portion of the title label has been reattached; however, the split is still visible. Minor rubbing and soiling to binding. Clean interior overall with occasional spots of foxing, soiling, and smudge marks. Several pages have large areas of penned lines and dots over the text; however, text remains legible. Pagination: [16], 347, [21]; [12], 355 (i.e. 255), [9]. Lacks ads after the second volume. Each volume has a separate index following the work. MON/072022. Very Good. More

London: Smith, Elder, 1888. Hardcover. 8vo. FIRST EDITION. SIGNED LETTER. Includes a one and a half page handwritten and signed letter by Ward to her publisher. Also features the bookplate of accomplished Danish actor, Jean Hersholt (1886 - 1956), which is pasted down to the front end page of Volume I. Hersholt, perhaps best known for his role as Shirley Temple’s grandfather in Heidi (1937), appeared in over one hundred films, directed several films, won a Golden Globe Award, and was nominated for an Academy Award. He was also an eminent collector of books by Hans Christian Andersen and translated many of Andersen’s fairy tales into English. These were later published in six volumes and are still considered to be one of the best English translations. Born in Australia, British author Mary Augusta Ward (1851 - 1920) published under her married name, Mrs. Humphry Ward. She was passionate about improving education for the poor, and supported opening Oxford University to women. She helped form the Association for the Education of Women in 1878; however, she was also an anti-suffragette and served as the founding president of the Women's National Anti-Suffragette League in the early 1900s. A very good triple decker set in the original blue cloth with gilt titles to spines and black titles to front boards. There is a small closed tear along the exterior front joint of Volumes I.and II All volumes have minor wear and a few chips to the book cloth along the corners, edges, and hinges. Bumping to corners, minor rubbing to boards, and wear to joints. The interiors remain very clean overall. There are floral patterned end pages in first two volumes and variant chocolate colored end pages in Volume III. The set is housed in an attractive dark green half-morocco slipcase with maroon and gilt leather labels to spine. There are a few minor scuff marks to the case and a closed tear to the hinge of the tri-fold sleeve which fits within. Volume I has 371 pages; Volume II has 374 pages plus ads; Volume III has 411 pages. LIT/031908. Very good. More

Baltimore: J. Murphy, 1846. Hardcover. Uncommon. Includes 12 issues from 1846 with articles on Native Americans, Lord Baltimore and the Maryland Charter, "Oriental Churches", Brazil, Maryland history, Festivals among the Jews, John P. Kennedy, as well as poetry, music, literature reviews, and foreign and domestic intelligence. Ex-library from St. Joseph's Seminary with gilt stamp to spine, sticker to spine. and library markings to endpapers. In a modern binding of black buckram over black leatherette covered boards with gilt title to spine. Occasional foxing throughout, which is heaviest on engravings and tissue guards. Occasional pencil markings, a few pen markings, and occasional soiling, but clean overall. Fold-out illustration of the sixth provincial council is torn and lacks the bottom portion. The other four full page engravings: Mt. St. Mary's College (MD) and St. Joseph's Sisterhood and Academy (MD), Pius 9th, and Gregorio XVI, are both present; although, both are foxed. 692 pages; however, pages 389 - 409 are missing; however nothing is called for on these pages within the contents and most issues end with a literary review section, which this issue ends with - so perhaps these pages never existed. REL/061820. Very Good. More

DC: Windhorse Press, 2011. Paperback. Number 7 of 12 copies. Signed by the artist. Text is in Russian and English. This book is based on recollections from the artist's childhood about her relationship with her grandmother. After years of knowing her, she is perplexed to learn that she speaks another language, has not always lived in Russia, and has a very different personal history than once assumed. She works through this revelation and ultimately forms a deeper bond and understanding with her grandmother. The text is printed in English with Russian entwined as the narrator gradually embraces her grandmother's revelation. The book is bound in red paper wrappers with black title and illustration printed on front cover. The binding is handsewn using red and grey threads. It is printed using stone lithography for the images and lithographic pronto-plates for the text. Printed at the Corcoran Print Shop on Canson Velin Arches paper. Housed in a red cloth covered clamshell box with inset illustration to front panel. Folio. Unpaginated. [16 pages.] Born in Moscow, Tatiana has been interested in books and bookmaking since her childhood. She holds degrees from the Moscow University of Printing, the University of Maryland, and the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Her work is in collections nationwide and she has recently won an award for traditional illustration. She currently resides in Takoma Park, Maryland with her family. Fine. More

London: William Heinemann, 1892. Townsend, F.H. Hardcover. Includes 44 illustrations by F.H. Townsend. PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed on a tipped-in sheet of notepaper from the Hotel Bellevue, Boston. The inscription reads “With I. Zangwill’s Compliments please send 2 proofs here at once.” Jewish author and political activist Israel Zangwill (1864 - 1926) was passionate about campaigning for the oppressed. Many of his works address women’s suffrage, pacifism, Zionism, and Jewish emancipation. He was a strong believer in assimilation and is credited with coining the term “melting pot” to describe the fusion of various cultures and ethnicities. Bookplate of book collector W.K. Bixby to front end page. Very good in original orange cloth boards with illustration of birds and flowers to front board. The front board is creased and slightly bowed with darkening to spine and edges of boards. The interior is browned along the margins. The front hinge is cracked. Later protective blue cloth dust jacket with maroon leather title label to spine (not pictured). The jacket is frayed along the top edge and there is a short closed tear along the front joint. This is an attractive copy of Zangwill’s rare second solo book. 326 pages plus 16 pages of ads. LIT/050109. Very good. More