Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1872. This is a Very Good (Minus) copy of the First Edition. Green cloth binding, ruled on the covers, with gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 215 pages, no publisher adverts in the rear but two illustrated ones in the front. This copy is bumped and rubbed at the margins, particularly so at the foot and crown of the spine. Both front and rear gutters have cracked, although they are holding. Size: 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. Later Printing.. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. View More...
Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1872. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the First Edition, the first in the series of "Scrap-Bags." Green cloth binding, decoratively ruled on the covers; Gilt titling and decorations on the spine. Clean text; 215 pages, with a two-page ad in the rear. Two illustrations appear prior to the Title Page. Table of Contents lists 14 stories; a list of Alcott's "Recent New Works" precedes it. Neat contemporary signature (1872) on the FFEP. Very slightly cocked. Mild rub at the margins, a bit heavier at the head and foot of the spine. A solid copy that presents well.. First... View More...
Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1906. Originally published in 1872. This is a Very Good (Minus) copy of a Reprint Edition from after Little, Brown took over from Roberts as the publisher (copyright now from 1899). Red decorative cloth binding - the blindstamping taken from earlier illustrations of Alcott's works. Gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 215 pages, very bright and fresh, with two pages of publisher adverts in the rear. Previous-owner stamp on the FFEP. The corners are mildly bumped; there is an area of light discoloration on the bottom of the front cover, indicating presenc... View More...
Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1888. Contains eleven stories in addition to the famous "My Girls." First published in 1877; this is a Very good copy of an early Later Printing. Brick red cloth binding with stamped ruling; titling and decorations in gilt on the spine. Clean text; two frontis engravings, 229 pages, with two pages of adverts in the rear. The front also has a Roberts advert with another charming engraving opposite. Contemporary bookplate with signature on the FFEP; with another signature on the following page. Bumps and rubbing to the margins. A solid copy that can be read for enjoymen... View More...
Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1873. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition. Orange cloth binding, decoritively stamped on the frnt cover; titling and decorations in gilt on the spine. Clean text; two pages of ads and two illustrations precede the Title Page. 226 pages, with a six-page advert in the rear. Mildly bumped; slight lean; mild soiling to covers; head of spine rubbed. There are four tiny black dots, of a mysterious nature, on the rar cover. A solid copy that presents nicely.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. First Edition. View More...
Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1871. "Little Men" is the second volume in Alcott's Little Women Trilogy, following the first by three years. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition. Not common in collectable condition. Green cloth binding, ruled on the front cover, with a circled title in gilt; gilt lettering on the spine. Clean text; 376 pages, with four pages of publisher's adverts in the front (includes the ad for Harriet Stowe's book that is "Nearly Ready," indicating the first printing). Black and white illustrations. Mildly cocked, with bumped corners, and a crease at the top of the fro... View More...
Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1906. Originally published in 1876. This is a Very Good copy of a Reprint Edition, from after Little, Brown took over from Roberts Brothers (copyright now 1904). Green cloth binding, stamped and filled in black on the front cover; the spine has decorations and lettering in black and gilt. Clean text; 375 pages, with 2 pages of publisher's adverts in the rear. Illustrated. Corners are bumped; previous-owner stamp on the FFEP. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Reprint.. Decorative Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket. View More...
Philadelphia: Carey & Lea, 1831. Published anonymously as "By the Author of 'The Spy'." Two small volumes with paper-covered boards and leather spine and tips; ruled in gilt on the spine, with gilt titling and "Cooper's Novels." Originally published in 1825, these are designated as the Fifth Edition. Uncommon in the early trade editions. Clean text; 276 pages and 273 pages. While the text is bright and clear, it has a moderate bit of foxing throughout. Faint contemporary signatures on the FFEP of both volumes. The corners are bumped and the margins are rubbed; still, rather attractive if not p... View More...
New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1918. A gifted archaeologist of the Native American peoples, Bandelier (1840-1914) is well-represented by academic monographs; Quercus believes that this is the only fiction he wrote. Despite his fame, this title is uncommon. First published in 1890; this is a Very Good (Minus) copy of the fourth printing. Brick red decorative cloth binding in black and yellow, representing the canyons of the Rio Grande. Clean text; xvii, 490 pages; frontis portrait of Bandelier. seventeen other illustrations. The Introduction is by Charles F. Lummis (1859-1928), the founder o... View More...
London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1822. Barton (1784-1849) has been called "the Quaker Poet," although Quercus speculates that there have been many of the Friends who also wrote poetry. He was against the death penalty and slavery, and rather popular in his day. His works are now uncommon, and with only a few institutional holdings. This is a Very Good copy of the Third Edition. Marbled boards, quarter-bound in polished calf, the spine tooled with bands and panels, really an attractive little book. The text is clean, bright, and supple; 245 pages, very readable, unfoxed. Minor wear to the tip... View More...
Cincinnati/New York: Cranston & Curts/Hunt & Eaton, 1893. An historical novel set in the coalfields during the era of the Mollie Maguires. Bishop based his work on contemporary reports and was not a fan of this secret labor organization; in his Preface he calls them a "midnight, dark-lantern, murderous-minded fraternity." This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition; an uncommon title. Variant green cloth binding (also seen in brown), decoratively stamped in black on the front cover, with titling in gilt; gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; 320 pages, with four pages of publisher's adverts... View More...
Cincinnati/New York: Cranston & Curts/Hunt & Eaton, 1893. An historical novel set in the coalfields during the era of the Mollie Maguires. Bishop based his work on contemporary reports and was not a fan of this secret labor organization; in his Preface he calls them a "midnight, dark-lantern, murderous-minded fraternity." This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition; an uncommon title. Variant brown cloth binding, decoratively stamped in black on the front cover, with titling in gilt; gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; 320 pages, with four pages of publisher's adverts in the rear. Frontis... View More...
New York: W.A. Townsend & Co., 1860. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition. Maroon publisher's cloth binding (now mostly faded to brown) with decorative stamping; titled in gilt on both front and back. Clean text; 32 pages; all page ends are gilt. Lovely illustrations by John A. Nums on every page. Contemporary (1861) signature on the second free endpaper. Rub to the margins; the very tips of the spine have fray. Despite the forementioned sun fade, the gilt remains bright. A solid copy.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. Illus. by John A. Nums. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. ... View More...
Burlington, Iowa: Burlington Publishing Company, 1877. This collection is the first book from Robert James Burdette (1844-1914), identified on the Title Page as "The Humorist of the Burlington "Hawk Eye." His humorous sketches became popular throuout America, leading to a successful career as a lecturer. This is a Very Good copy of the First Edition. Brick red decorative cloth binding, stamped in black and gilt on the front cover; gilt titling on the spine. Clean text; 328 pages. Over 60 sketches included. Delightful black and white frontis illustration, and eleven others, by R.W. Wallis. Bump... View More...
San Francisco: Wm. Doxey, 1896. "The Lark" was a literary, artistic, and humorous journal, comprising some 25 issues, that was published in San Francisco from 1895 to 1897. The editors were Bruce Porter (1865-1953) and Gelett Burgess (1866-1951), artists and critics who led a group calling themselves "Les Jeunes." This is a Very Good (Plus) to Near Fine copy of Issue #17; Bruce Porter is not listed as an editor in this issue, but as a contributor, along with three others. Quercus notes that by this time the price of "The Lark" had doubled to ten cents. This copy has a second paper jacket with ... View More...
London: Walter Scott, Limited, 1895. Moncure Conway (1832-1907) was an American Abolitionist who later resided in England. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of a Later Printing.. While there is no publication date in the First Edition, it is acknowledged to be 1890; this version is dated five years later than that. Dark blue cloth binding with gilt titling on the spine. Part of the "Great Writers" series edited by Robertson and Marzials. Clean text (a few pages with pencil underlining); 228 pages, followed by a 13-page bibliography by John P. Anderson; fourteen pages of publisher's adverts after... View More...
New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1881. The final book of Cooper's "Littlepage Manuscripts" trilogy, first published in America in 1846. This is a Very Good (Plus) to Near Fine copy of a later printing. Not common. Brick red cloth binding, with fancy decorations in black and gilt. Titling on the spine in gilt; hand holding a dagger on the front cover. Clean text; xvii, 536 pages, with a four-page catalog in the rear. Decorative endpapers. Very mild bumping, spine slightly darkened. A very handsome Victorian edition that can easily be read and enjoyed today.. Later Printing. Decorative Cloth. ... View More...
London: William Heinemann, 1896. Stephen Crane (1871-1900) is now recognized as one of the finest and most influential American writers. Readers rightly may mourn his early death. Initially rejected by publishers, Crane's iconic tale was first published as a serial. Realizing its popularity, the First Edition was issued by Appleton in 1895.This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the First English Edition, from a year later. Dark green cloth binding, beveled at the edges; with light blue titling on the spine and the front cover; noted on the rear cover as "The Pioneer Series," a later printing from... View More...
New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1899. The ironic "War is Kind" is Stephen Crane's second collection of poetry. Always in poor health, a year later he would be dead at a tragically young 28. Crane went through a period of ill-regard, but now is recognized as an innovative master within American literature. This is a Very Good copy. Rare. Brown paper-covered boards; front cover and within are illustrations and head-pieces by the famed Art Nouveau illustrator Will Bradley (1868-1962), whose work is often favorably compared to Aubrey Beardsley. Cleran text; 96 pages . Printed on gray paper ... View More...
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1891. The author's second book, a collection of ten stories. This is a Very Good (Plus) copy of the First Edition. Green cloth binding with gilt titling on the spine. Decorative titling in gilt on the front cover. Clean text; 286 pages, with a 12-page catalog in the rear. Contemporary (1892) previous-owner signature on the front paste-down. Spine a bit darkened; slight lean; and some soiling around the margins. Still, a solid copy that presents very well. In an archival plastic protector.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾"... View More...
