In 1941, Knopf published Theodore Roethke's first collection of poetry, Open House, in a hand-numbered edition of 1000 copies. The book was lavishly praised and launched Roethke's brilliant career, which led to a Pulitzer Prize (The Waking, 1954) and two National Book Awards (Words for the Wind, 1959, and The Far Field, 1965). The Theodore Roethke Museum in Saginaw, Michigan, has decided to mark the 75th anniversary of Open House's publication with an "online census" to attempt to track down every surviving hand-numbered copy of Open House, and collate the stories of the various volumes and their collectors. OPEN HOUSE - A Volume of Poetry (Limited Edition) New York: Alfred A. Knopf. Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. 1941. First Edition; First Printing. Hardcover. A very nice copy of this rare Roethke title in a dustjacket with some soiling on the front cover and a small chip at the head of the spine. This is copy # 605 out of the limited edition of only 1,000 books. (Offered by William F. Hale Books) The museum vice-president, Mike Kolleth, told Fine Books & Collections the goal of the project is "to ignite conversation about Roethke's poetry." ABAA-member Jett Whitehead, whose speciality is modern poetry, assisted the museum in launching the project. When asked for comments about the project, Whitehead said: "For several years I've been rewarded with opportunities to work with various organizations regarding book related projects and exhibits. Some of the most fun and rewardin... [more Calling All Theodore Roethke Fans]
Some of the most-expensive books in the world are going on tour. The Folger Shakespeare Library is sending several First Folios to partner institutions around the country -- one in each state -- so people can view the famous books upclose and personal. WIlliam Shakespeare's First Folio is a remarkable thing. Compiled just seven years after the great man died, the Folio (so-called because of how the book was printed — “When two leaves (four pages when printed on both sides) were printed on a sheet so that it could be folded once, collated with other folded sheets and bound, the format of the volume was a folio." — from the ABAA Glossary of Book Terms) was created by two actors who knew Shakespeare and would have had access to original drafts (referred to be the delicious term “foul papers” as they would have presumably been covered in handwritten edits, notes, and all manner of marginalia, rather than pristine, printed texts), transcripts prepared for the actors, or official prompt books from the original productions. If not for this book, those various copies would have likely been scattered and lost, and more of Shakespeare's plays could have been lost to time. For such a famous and influential book, there are few copies left in existence. Perhaps 750 copies were printed in 1623. Only 233 are known to exist today. The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to an unrivaled collection of Shakespeariana, including 82 of the surviving First Folios. Comed... [more First Folio on Tour]
Over the course of a year, the various ABAA bloggers write frequently about the significance of individual books, their rarity, their historical significance, and occasionally their value. However, far more often the significance of a rare book is much more personal and idiosyncratic. For many of us, the thrill of the hunt or the surprise of the find makes books memorable, and book collectors are far more likely to have stories of books unexpectedly found in unlikely places than items of great value. Rebecca Rego Barry's new book, Rare Books Uncovered, is dedicated to the stories of the favorite finds, the books discovered in unlikely places that collectors remember years, even decades later. Barry -- whose day-job is as editor of Fine Books & Collections Magazine -- has interviewed dozens of collectors and booksellers -- including a great many ABAA members -- about their most-memorable finds. The stories are all short essays, and I imagined I might dip into the book from time to time and read it over a week or two. In fact, I read it cover to cover in a single sitting. Barry conveys the enthusiasm of each collector and their excitement about their discoveries is palpable. The pages turn easily, and left me with the urge to trawl through used bookstores and estate sales instantly. While there are many tales of obscure 16th-century manuscripts kept under sofas or found in estate sales, Barry's correspondents also also provide many examples of valuable or rare books being found... [more Rare Books Uncovered: True Tales of Fantastic Finds]
"The Grolier Club Collects II" is an exhibition of books, manuscripts and works on paper drawn from the international membership of the Grolier Club, on show at The Grolier Club in New York City from December 9 through February 6, 2016. Terry Belanger, Founding Director of the Rare Books School, gave this poetic address at the opening of the exhibition, on which occasion he was also invested as the Poet Laureate of The Grolier Club. (Note: For each item Belanger cites, the lender's name can be found to the left, including quite a few ABAA members.) Proem Collecting isn't shopping. Discipline Is key: lack it and you're flying blind. What subjects are you interested in? Whatever they are, they need to be defined, The titles rare, perhaps one of a kind, Or printed skillfully, with illustrations, Or nicely bound in calf, and gilt, or signed: For what's the point of sprawling aggregations Of books that could be picked up cheap by one's relations? 1 Rare books can cost the earth – unless they don't: Taste, not cash, is crucial for cohesion. Want it? A modest checkbook balance won't Rule out an acquisition you believe in. Must-have books are never out of season; You're not required to be a millionaire. Collecting's rationalization over reason: Purchasing what you think's passing fair Resulting in a book to treasure and to share. 2 Jean Grolier was a royal tax inspector, Treasurer-General to the King of France, Celebrated as a book collector: A man of means, well-suited to enhance ... [more A Sentimental Library: Grolier Collects II]
Randall House Rare Books is pleased and proud to have successfully completed negotiations for the sale of two unpublished Charlotte Brontë manuscripts to the Brontë Society in England. The discovery of the manuscripts is called “extraordinary” by Brontë expert Dr. Juliet Barker who went on to say "It's so unusual to get unpublished manuscripts in this day and age. To find an unpublished one like this - that we had no knowledge of its existence - is extraordinary." Dr. Barker wrote the seminal history of the Brontë Family. She has further stated that there is no question about the authenticity of the material. The manuscripts and other autograph material are in a book that belonged to Charlotte's mother, Maria, titled “The Remains of Henry Kirke White” by Robert Southey. The boat carrying Maria's belongings, including this book, prior to her marriage to Patrick Brontë, suffered a shipwreck but were recovered. On an inside page in the book there is a Latin inscription, in Patrick Brontë's handwriting “the book of my dearest wife and it was saved from the waves. So then it will always be preserved.” The manuscripts consist of a short story fragment and a poem. The short story is set in 1833 and written in the pseudonym of “Lord Charles Wellesley” one of Charlotte's favourite male alter egos. The writing is, according to Dr. Barker “a satirical take on life in Haworth .” The poem is set in the fantasy world created by the Brontë children, including her ... [more Unpublished Brontë Manuscripts Brought to Light]
The ABAA has recently approved several new members, all of whom have successfully proven themselves to be, in the words of the ABAA Guarantee, "established, knowledgeable, and of excellent reputation." These new members were sponsored by existing members, and have undergone a rigorous screening process. We welcome the newest members of the ABAA. Full Members Charles Bartman of Charles G. Bartman, Bookseller, Louisville, KY Michael Fagan of Michael Fagan Fine Art & Rare Books, Newton, MA James Gray of James Gray Bookseller, Princeton, MA Heather O'Donnell of Honey & Wax Booksellers, Brooklyn, NY --Heather O'Donnell got her start in rare books in the stacks of the Beinecke Library, where she was a curatorial assistant during her grad school years at Yale. After three years in the Princeton Society of Fellows, she left academia to pursue the rare book trade full-time, working in the New York gallery of Bauman Rare Books. In the fall of 2011, Heather launched Honey & Wax Booksellers in Brooklyn, specializing in literature and the lively arts. She is a graduate of the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar and Rare Book School, a member of the Grolier Club, and the founder of the annual Brooklyn Holiday Book Fair, now in its fourth year. Marco Panella of Auger Down Books, Brattleboro, VT --Marco Panella is a bookseller based in southern Vermont. He specializes in music, scholarly non-fiction and books on the arts. A longtime bibliophile, he studied history and photography at Brown Univ... [more New Members]
The annual National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest aims to encourage young collectors to become accomplished bibliophiles. This year's winners have built up fascinating collections on topics as diverse as formalist Russian composers, women in the Spanish Civil War, and 20th Century Southern Literature. We asked the four winners to tell us more about their collections... 1st prize: Alexander P. Ioffreda (Harvard University) Formalists! Musical Scores of Repressed Soviet Composers ABAA: Could you give us a brief description of your collection? Alex Ioffreda: My collection explores the conflict between musical expression and state ideology in the Soviet Union through rare period sheet music and associated ephemera. Thematically and historically, it centers on the Zhdanovshchina, the traumatic 1948 campaign to repress “formalists” and instill the doctrine of Socialist Realism into music. The story is told through 70 items dating 1931-1971: 59 musical scores – nearly all first editions – representing 9 composers, and 11 articles of ephemera. ABAA: What first interested you in Soviet-era Russian composers? Alex Ioffreda: I discovered Soviet composers concurrently with my foray into Russian literature and history at age 13. I was captivated by the emotional depth of their music, which both encapsulates the Soviet experience and transcends it. I connected with their music further as I performed it in concert as a classical flutist, researched its history in an academic co... [more Interviews with the 2015 NCBCC Winners]
By Jeff Weber, with contributions by Merle Bobzien, Ryan Parks, Paul Naiditch. With deep appreciation to Elizabeth Krown Spellman. Franklin Victor Spellman was born August 15, 1945 in Stamford, Connecticut, moving to the Bronx, New York, at 8 years. He is named in honor of Franklin Roosevelt and his middle name was in celebration of V-J day. Although Jewish, he was born in a Catholic hospital where the nuns prevailed upon his mother to give him a middle name of Victor. He was not a fan of Roosevelt, but Franklin did love his name. He has an older brother Douglas Spellman, and a younger sister, Jill Polan. Frank married Elizabeth, née Krown, March 15, 1969, the Ides of March, they were married close to 47 years. Frank got his start in bookselling at Pageant Book Co., NYC, at 13 years of age, working on weekends, holidays, and summer vacation. As a child he loved science fiction, fantasy and horror literature. He wrote and produced with some schoolmates stories in these same fields. He even corresponded with the founder of Arkham House, August Derleth (1909-1971). He fostered friendships with several well-known writers in the genres of science fiction and fantasy literature. He started collecting Lord Dunsany (something he continued collecting throughout his life), took his Bachelor's degree in History and English Literature at City College of New York, then continued at CUNY and earned his Master's degree in English Literature. In 1970 Frank moved to Los Angeles, matriculatin... [more Franklin Victor Spellman (1945-2015)]
This item is still missing as of 5/31/2019. Missing from Boston Book Fair. Please contact Josh Mann if you are offered this item. The Dharma Bums Kerouac, Jack Hard Cover. New York: The Viking Press, 1958. 1st Edition. Fine / Dust Jacket Included. First edition, first printing. Publisher's black cloth, lettered in metallic green and silver; in the original dust jacket designed by Bill English, with an illustration of two mountain climbers to the front panel, portrait photograph of Kerouac by Keith Jennison to the rear panel. A fine copy, with a hint of wear to the spine ends, some light toning to the front endpapers, otherwise bright and fresh pages; unclipped dust jacket, with a hint of wear to the extremities, minor rubbing to the hinges, bright and clean panels with much less rubbing than usual. An excellent copy and very scarce in this condition. Joshua R. Mann B & B Rare Books, Ltd. Office: (646) 652-6766 Mobile: (917) 673-3439 jmann@bbrarebooks.com [more Missing from the Boston Book Fair: The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac]
The 2015 Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair takes place at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA, over the weekend of November 13-15. Many ABAA members will be exhibiting. Here is a brief selection of the special items they're planning on bringing to Boston. Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius a.d.480-525 Small folio 11 ¼ x 7 inches. First illustrated edition. In this copy many of the seventy eight woodcuts have very nice original color, it is bound in full blind stamped calf over wooden boards. It is also rubicated throughout. (Offered by James Gray Bookseller) Cicarelli's rare treatise on the truffle, Opuscule sur les Truffes (1813). Ciccarelli believed he had identified the seed of the truffle and lays out a method for its propagation. Ciccarelli, Alfonso; . Opuscule sur les Truffes, trad. libre du Latin, d'Alphonse Ciccarellus, auteur du XVIe siècle ; avec des annotations sur le texte, et un préambule historique par Mr. P.-J. Amoreux. Montpellier: J.-G. Tournel,1813. Octavo, 180 pages. Pages uncut. Some light wear to wrapper edges, other wise very good. Rare. 9OCLC locates eight copies only, none in the US; not in Volbracht, Myko Libri) (Offered by Rabelais Fine Books on Food and Drink) LELAND, Charles F. (attributed to). ''F.A.T.'': HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT OF WEEKLY HUMOR PERIODICAL WITH COLOR DRAWINGS. A total of 6 issues, 12 pages each, bound with original wrappers in cloth (4-1/2" x 7"). Handwritten in ink throughout, with many watercolor drawin... [more Featured Items: Boston Book Fair]