Almagre's latest catalogue is focused on Mexico and the American Southwest.
By Michael Stillman
Almagre Books of Bloomington, Indiana, recently published its “List 58A,” or more specifically, “New Mexico, Texas, and the Southwest, Mexico and Latin America.” This is a wonderful catalogue of rare books primarily pertaining to the lands along the U.S.-Mexican border, including many about the disputes that arose along that changing borderline in the 19th century. If you collect what Mary Austin called in her famous 1903 book “the land of little rain,” this catalogue is for you. And yes, there is a copy of Ms. Austin’s book available in this catalogue (a 1906 printing). It’s item 36 and is priced at $90.
Item 333 is a contemporary account of the Mexican War. It’s John Jenkins’ History of the War Between the United States and Mexico, from the Commencement of Hostilities to the Ratification of the Treaty of Peace. Originally published in 1849, this is a second printing from 1850. Surprisingly, it was printed in Auburn, New York. This is a well-regarded early history of the war. The book also contains an appendix on gold discoveries in California. $90.
General Zachary Taylor would make a name for himself in the Mexican War, enough of one to propel him all the way to the presidency. This was not his first battle. He had been a fighter as far back as the War of 1812, and spent many years on the frontier fighting Indians. And yet, this old soldier, in his 1849 inaugural address would proclaim, “it eminently becomes a government like our own… to exhaust every resort of honorable diplomacy before appealing to arms.” In 1846, two years prior to his presidential run, a book was published about “Old Rough and Ready” called Life and Public Service of Gen. Z. Taylor… This book is offered as item 336. $125.
You may associate railroads with travel and transportation, but how many people think of fine cuisine in association with railroads? Well, think again. Here’s Our Dining Car Recipes: Southern Pacific, published by that railroad in 1940. The recipes were prepared by Chef Paul Reiss, whom they described as the “internationally famous supervising chef of the Southern Pacific Commissary Department.” Evidently railroad food must have greatly surpassed the quality of what was to come later: airline food. All aboard for “Chicken Gumbo Southern Pacific” and “California Prune Fritters.” Item 155. $75.
Speaking of railroads, Mexico had its own Casey Jones. His name was Jesus Garcia. When Engineer Garcia spotted a train loaded with dynamite on fire, he alertly drove it out of the Mexican mining town of Nacozari. Garcia saved many lives, but sadly, not his own. The brave engineer’s story is told in Djed Borquez’s El Heroe de Nacozari, published in 1926. Item 545. $60.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: APRES DE MANNEVILLETTE Le Neptune Oriental
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSAS Eaux fortes de la Sicile et quelques vues d’Espagne
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: CASSINI DE THURY Carte générale et particulière de la France.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: JOUY; GARNERAY Vues des côtes de France dans l'Océan et dans la Méditerranée
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LA PÉROUSE Voyage autour du monde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISIERE Voyage dans les Mers de l’Inde
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: LICENT Hoang Ho, Pai Ho, Loan Ho, Leao Ho. Itinéraires suivis dans le bassin du golfe du Pei Tcheuly
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: FRENCH SCHOOL FROM THE 19th CENTURY Panorama d’Athènes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PEETERS Description des principales villes, havres et isles du golfe de Venise
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: PÉRON; FREYCINET Voyage de découverte aux terres australes
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: STACKELBERG La Grèce : vues pittoresques et topographiques.
Gros & Delettrez, 7 November: VALENTINER Atlas des Sonnensystems.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). The Thirteen Problems, first edition, The Crime Club, 1932. £15,000 to £20,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Dumb Witness, first edition, 1937. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Cards on the Table, first edition, The Crime Club, 1936. £2,000 to £3,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Carr (John Dickson)], "Carter Dickson" and John Rhode. Drop to his Death, first edition, Heinemann, [1939]. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Berkeley (Anthony). Jumping Jenny, first edition, Hodder and Stoughton, 1933. £800 to £1,200.
Forum Auctions Online Sale: The Detective Fiction Collection of John Cooper Ending 7th November, 2024
Forum, Nov. 7: Marsh (Ngaio). Overture to Death, first edition, The Crime Club, 1939. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: [Day-Lewis (Cecil)] "Nicholas Blake". The Beast Must Die, first edition, 1938. £750 to £1,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Brand (Christianna). Green for Danger, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, John Lane the Bodley Head, 1945. £600 to £800.
Forum, Nov. 7: Christie (Agatha). Murder is Easy, first edition, signed by the author, 1939. £3,000 to £4,000.
Forum, Nov. 7: Sayers (Dorothy L.) Lord Peter Views the Body, first edition, Gollancz, 1928. £6,000 to £8,000.
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RareBookBuyer.com Specialized in Purchasing Institutional Collections & Deacccessioned Books
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Sotheby's Fine Books, Manuscripts & More Available for Immediate Purchase
Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 11,135 USD
Sotheby’s: Edgar Allan Poe. The Raven and Other Poems, 1845. 33,000 USD
Sotheby’s: Leo Tolstoy, Clara Bow. War and Peace, 1886. 22,500 USD
Sotheby’s: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1902. 7,500 USD
Sotheby’s: F. Scott Fitzgerald. This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, and Others, 1920-1941. 24,180 USD
Freeman’s | Hindman Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana November 14
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: LEROUX, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. FIRST AM. ED, FIRST ISSUE IN THE VERY RARE DUST JACKET. 1911. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD, John. A Monograph of the Trochilidae...Humming-Birds. L., [1849-] 1861. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: A COMPLETE RUN of Limited Editions Club publications, v.p. [mostly New York], 1929-2010. $50,000 – 60,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: ORWELL, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Lon., 1949. FIRST EDITION IN A VERY FINE DUST JACKET. $6,000 – 8,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: GOULD. A Monograph of the Ramphastidae...Toucans. L., [1852-] 54. SECOND ED. $35,000 – 45,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14:The Federalist. NY, 1788. FIRST EDITION, THICK PAPER COPY. $60,000 – 80,000.
Freeman’s | Hindman, Nov. 14: SELBY. Plates to Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology. Edin., [1833-] 34. $20,000 – 30,000.