The Felpham home that William Blake lived in is currently on the market for �650,000 (or approximately $988,000). Blake lived in the charming cottage from 1800-1800 while he worked on several illustration and engraving projects for William Hayley, a popular poet. Blake had run into some financial difficulties at the end of the 18th century and began to rely heavily on patrons for his paintings and drawings. Blake and Hayley made an agreement that Blake would move to Felpham, where Hayley resided, and once there Hayley would hire him for a series of commissions. The arrangement worked for a short time, and Blake enjoyed life on the Sussex coast, writing that Felpham was "the sweetest spot on Earth." However, Hayley and Blake's relationship soured by early 1803. Blake felt that Hayley was more preoccupied with business than Blake's artistic... [more William Blake's Cottage For Sale]

It's been an exciting few days for baseball fans here in NYC with the various All-Star events, which culminate in the big game tonight. (Did you see Céspedes in the Home Run Derby last night?!) It's the ninth time that NY has hosted an All-Star game, the last time was in 2008 at the old Yankee Stadium, but only the second time that the Mets have been hosts. The last time the Mets hosted was in 1964, their inaugural season at Shea. My father and brother are rabid baseball fans (Mets and Yankees, respectivelya house divided). I've always loved watching and attending games, but admittedly have never been very attentive about players, records, and statistics. During the Home Run Derby last night, I got interested in the history of the game and began doing a little research during commercial breaks. Needless to say, I was bombarded by a weal... [more Baseball Fever]

George Washington's personal copy of Acts of Congress is currently on display at Southern Methodist University's DeGolyer Library in Dallas, TX. The leather-bound book was published by the official printer of Congress in 1789, Washington's first year as President of the United States. This copy was custom-printed for Washington and contains his signature and handwritten annotations. Copies of the book were presented to other key politicians of the time, like Thomas Jefferson and John Jay. There are only thirty known copies in existence. The book is on loan from the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, which purchased the book for a whopping $8.7 million ($9.8 million including auction fees) last year at Christie's. The sale price broke the record as the highest for an American book or historical document. The book will be on display for the ... [more Washington's Annotated Copy of 'Acts of Congress' on Display at SMU]

Manuscripts for a previously unknown novel by Pearl Buck were discovered in a storage locker in Texas. The novel, entitled The Eternal Wonder, appears to have been completed just prior to Buck's death in 1973 and is described as "a coming-of-age tale of a young man who ends up on patrol in the Korean demilitarized zone and in his travels finds love and romance." “It's a novel that encompasses some of Buck's common themes: intercultural relationships, travel, China; Asia in general,” said Michael Carlisle, a partner at Inkwell and literary agent who represents the Buck estate. “This is a very, very exciting moment for anybody who loves the oeuvre of Pearl Buck.” The two manuscripts, one handwritten and one typed, were found in a Fort Worth, TX storage locker that was auctioned off. Luckily, the purchaser of the locker realized wha... [more Pearl Buck Manuscript Found in Texas Storage Locker]

The NY Times recently reviewed a new book by Travis McDade, the curator of rare books at the University of Illinois College of Law. Thieves of Book Row: New York's Most Notorious Rare Book Ring and the Man Who Stopped It tells the true story of a rare book crime ring centered around Manhattan's Book Row in the 1920s and 1930s. Sounds like a perfect summer read! Book Row was established as early as 1890 on Fourth Avenue, a short avenue right below Union Square. It ran for six city blocks and had forty-eight bookstores. Sadly, Book Row is no more but one famous bookstore remains: ABAA firm Strand Book Store, which opened in 1927. If you've ever visited this NYC establishment, you know that their famous "18 Miles of Books" slogan is easy to believe. If you haven't been there, make the trip next time you are in the neighborhood. Here's a link... [more New Book on the "Thieves of Book Row"]

Two Illinois State University math professors recently authenticated that two math-notebook pages belonged to Abraham Lincoln. The pages were found in the archives of Harvard's Houghton Library and were part of a math workbook, called a ciphering book, that Lincoln worked on in his youth. The ciphering book is the oldest known Lincoln manuscript. Nerida Ellerton and Ken Clements, the professors who made the discovery, believe these pages indicate that Lincoln had more formal education than scholars previously believed. Lincoln was thought to have completed only three to nine months of school, but the professors think he went to school for up to two years. "He made very few errors, and he always knew what he was trying to do," Clements added. "We've studied thousands of these cyphering books. You don't always get the feeling that 'this guy... [more Lincoln Math Workbook Indicates Additional Education]

Russ Davidson, the former University of New Mexico Libraries' Latin American/Iberian curator donated $25,000 and pledged an additional $225,000 to the University Libraries to establish an endowment fund in honor of his longtime friend, Howard L. Karno. Howard was a preeminent Latin American bookseller and member of the ABAA who passed away last year. "I have long wanted to create an endowment that would help the University Libraries continue to deepen and strengthen a part of its holdings that for years have been recognized as exceptional, and to some degree unique, by students and scholars in the U.S. and across the hemisphere," Davidson said. The Howard L. Karno Endowment for Latin American Pictorial Collections will finance the acquisition of rare and specialized Latin American visual resources, including prints, posters, photographs, ... [more Howard L. Karno Endowment Fund Established at the University of New Mexico]

The ABAA is pleased to announce the 2013 recipients of the Edwin Glaser Scholarships to the Colorado Antiquarian Booksellers' Seminar: Rebecca Bott (Botolphston Books), Lawrence Hammar (Blue Jacket Books), and Zachary Stacy (Books-O-Rama). Congratulations! Rebecca Bott offered an extensive background in antiquarian books and manuscripts. She worked as a student assistant at her university's rare book and manuscript library, earned an MLIS degree and has catalogued texts and manuscripts for private collectors and institutions. Presently living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she recently established Botolphston Books, with stock in early printed material. She noted in her essay: "my discussions with booksellers have confirmed that an appreciation for, or even a deep knowledge of books is not enough to make one a good bookseller. The antiquari... [more ABAA Woodburn Fund Awards Scholarships to the Colorado Antiquarian Booksellers' Seminar]

Paper marbling is a centuries old art of aqueous design that is transferred to paper or fabric. There are several methods of marbling, but the basic process uses a shallow tray of water or viscous mucilage, known as size or sizing. Ink or paint colors are carefully applied to the surface of the water or sizing with an ink brush (chemicals are used to help keep the colors floating). The artist then uses various apparatuses such as brushes, rakes, combs, and styluses to create designs. Once the artist is satisfied with the design, a piece of paper is laid on the surface and voilà, the colorful design is transferred to the surface of the paper. Watching the process of paper marbling is mesmerizing, as is illustrated in the video below. Seyit Uygur is a Turkish ebru artist (ebru is the Turkish name for paper marbling). Seyit UYGUR { Ebru Art... [more Mesmerizing Paper Marbling]

The following items were recently stolen from Wentworth & Leggett Rare Books. If you have any information on these items, please contact Barbara Wentworth at 919-688-5311 or 919-479-1938. 1. Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures London 1913 limited edition signed by Arthur Rackham http://www.wentworthleggettbooks.com/Pages/Item/Illustrated.aspx index 73 of 90 to 76 of 90 2. 6 vol set of Fox Hunting stories by R.S. Surtees Handsome half leather embosed Original cover and spine tipped in the back of each volume Illustrations by John Leech and Phiz http://www.wentworthleggettbooks.com/Pages/Item/Illustrated.aspx index 38 of 90 to 41 of 90 3. The Viscera of the Human Body Edited by Jones Quain M.D. and W. J. Erasmus Wilson Full leather cover medical atlas Folio Hand colored plates London 1840 http://www.wentworthleggettbooks.com/Pages/Item/Pri... [more Books Stolen in North Carolina]