Once Again: the C. H. Booth Book Fair

As certain as is summer, so too is the annual arrival of the Friends of C. H. Booth Book Fair, one of the most eagerly awaited book fairs in New England.  This year’s 5 day event follows the sequence of hours and offers now long established so the sale begins on Saturday July 13 and ends the following Wednesday.  Each day the terms of sale change ending on day 5 with all unsold material given to they with the fastest hands and enough cardboard boxes to stock a private library for free within an hour. 

Here is the official announcement.

The Friends of C H Booth Library are pleased to announce the 2019 edition of our book sale, at the Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades Lane, Newtown, CT. The sale will open Saturday, July 13 and continue through Wednesday July 17. Admission of $5.00 is charged on Saturday only, hours are 9.00-5.00 Saturday and Sunday.  Monday is half price day, 9.00-7.00, Tuesday is $5.00 per bag day, 9.00-7.00, Wednesday all remaining books are free from 9.00-12.00. All days are free admission except Saturday, when tickets will go on sale at 7.00 AM. There will be approximately 120,000 items offered, books, DVDs, puzzles and other media, sorted into over 90 categories, with fiction arranged alphabetically. A separate room will hold Specials and Collectibles; a partial list of each category is available at www.boothbooksale.org. Further information is available at the website, from boothbooksale@yahoo.com, or by calling 203-426-0864 or 203-426-4533.  

This is the Newtown that suffered incalculable loss in December, 2012 when a deranged shooter killed 26 including 20 six and seven year olds at nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School.  In the aftermath the community united in its efforts to limit gun access and has since become a symbol of recovery.

Because of the charitable nature of the Book Fair it is also possible to simply give something to the event to increase the overall total.  Most years the Friends earn roughly $100,000 which is used to foster literacy and underwrite local programs.  The contact for such gifts is Mr. Renjilian and you can reach him via boothbooksale@yahoo.com, or by phone 203.426.4533.

As in past years the C. H. Booth has the volunteer services of John Renjilian, long time professional bookseller, who selects and prices unusual and valuable material that will be laid out in the show’s Rare Book Room.  Often, the gems disappear quickly so coming early on Saturday the 13^th is recommended.

Here is a partial list of what will be on the shelves of the Rare Book Room No. 201.

Adams, Hannah. Abridgement of the History of New England. Boston: Etheridge & Bliss, 1807. Adams is sometimes considered the first American woman professional author. Full leather, slight wear to spine, red leather label a bit dulled. $75.00

Andersen, Hans Christian. Fairy Tales. Chicago: Belford Clarke, 1888. “A New Translation by Mrs. H. B. Paull.” An early American edition, with 12 chromolithograph plates. There is a hand-written index to the plates, giving the facing page number and (in most cases) the pages of the referent story. Rebound, probably in 1933, but the spine label which may have offered details of the collection/circumstances has been worn to illegibility except for the number 1933. Oth-erwise very good. $75.00

[Baseball] Two scrapbooks of newspaper clippings. The first is all or nearly all concerned with the 1947 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers, Jackie Robinson’s rookie year, with approximately 21 double sided leaves. The second is all or nearly all concerned with the 1949 World Series, again between the Yankees and Dodgers, approximately 16 double sided leaves. Brittle scrapbook pages, some loosened, some edge chipping. A unique record. $75.00

[Baseball], see also Spalding A G.

[Churchill family] Macauley, Lord. Critical and historical Essays. London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green, 1864. Two volumes in one. Inscribed to "Randolph Churchill with the best wishes of Elgin [Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin] on his leaving Eton" 1865. Randolph Spencer Churchill (1849-1895) was at Eton Jan 1863 - Jul 1865. He became a prominent Tory politician, holding several

government posts; he was the father of Winston Churchill. Victor Bruce (1849-1917) was at Eton the same dates. He also had a distinguished political career, and was the grandson of the 7th Earl, responsible for bringing the Elgin Marbles to Britain. The binding is not fancy, but may well be a bespoke presentation binding, AEG, gilt dentelles; it was customary to offer such leaving gifts to friends. A monogram bookplate is present; while we can find a "C" we can not make an "RSC" and we suspect it may represent a later owner. Very good. $250.00

[Combe, William] The English Dance of Death. London: Methuen, 1903. Illustrations after Row-landson. Two volumes, together with, The English Dance of Life, same imprint. Bound in match-ing 3⁄4 red leather by John and Edward Bumpus, signed in each volume with last name only. Very good. $125.00

Conrad, Joseph. Two volumes, Typhoon and Lord Jim, both from the Doubleday Page edition of his works, 1922. Each volume is signed by Conrad on the flyleaf. Typhoon is the better (and has the better signature), with wear to the upper front hinge, with some separation; Lord Jim front cover nearly detached. The two volumes, signed, as is: $300.00

[Cookery] Two hand compiled recipe books. The first has a foundation as a friendship album, circa 1828, together with approximately 7 pp of manuscript recipes of about the same date. The unused pages of the album have been pasted over with newspaper clipped recipes, largely from a Manchester, NH, paper; we have found three internal dates in the clippings, two from 1866, one from 1862. One clipped recipe offers an unsweetened apple pie, “This makes a good Hard Times Pie.” Perhaps the most important clip is the back of one, advertising Mary Olive A Hunt, MD; “Miss Dr. Hunt attends to General Practice, but her specialties are OBSTETRICS and the DISEASES OF WOMEN”, notice of an early woman MD. The second volume is entirely handwrit-ten, probably last quarter of the 19th century. Occasional loosely inserted

clippings suggest the Boston Globe, from 1935. The covers are separated, some page loose. The two: $50.00

Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. First edition, probable 2nd issue. Title page in blue and red, half title in blue, Roman numerals with Staves in Table of Con-tents. Numbers spelled out in chapter headings. Rebound in full leather by Root & Son, with original cloth covers bound in rear: "D" in Dickens is unbroken, 14-15 mm between wreath and blind stamped border decoration, with blind stamping quite pressed. With the bookplate of Ganson Goodyear Depew, Trinity Pawling 1912, Yale 1919, Yale Law 1922. Depew helped organize a Yale unit during WWI, and served as a naval aviator. He was from a wealthy family and formed a notable book collection in his short life (1895-1924), leaving some books to the Eliza-bethan Club at Yale, and dispersing others to friends. There are memorial funds in his name at both Yale and Trinity Pawling. Gilt stamped holly leaves in four spine panels, red leather title and author labels. Very good. Together with The Cricket on the Hearth, L: Bradbury and Evans for the author, 1846, ad for a New Edition of Oliver Twist, to be published 1 January. Same binding, with original convers bound in rear, Depew's bookplate. Both covers separated. To-gether with a facsimile of A Christmas Carol, Boston: Atlantic Monthly, nd (c1920), intro by A Edward Newton, very good. Together: $3,200.00

[Edzard, Dietz] D Edzard. NY: Bittner, 1948. Intro by Gerd Muehsam. Owner’s inscription, Mi-chael Merryman. Sketch on fly signed D Edzard. There are a number of extras, a double sided sketch on white cardboard; a photograph of a seated woman beneath a painting, labeled on the back “Descendant of Olaf / Painting by Frances Merryman / [sketch] / Birth of Bruce’s Photo-graphic Career / taken by Bruce Begg 1974”; a double portrait sketch initialed F F M; portrait sketch on a MoMA October 1972 calendar signed Edna; portrait sketch on the caption page for the last illustration; drawing of a hand on the rear ep with several annotations, probably per-taining to newspaper clippings

from the Bridgeport Post, 29 Dec 1958, relating to palmistry. Slightly shaken, some soiling to front cover. The lot: $450.00

Fletcher, Horace. [Collected works] Four volumes of this prolific author of nutrition and health books. All are published by Stokes, all are rebound in matching 3⁄4 leather, gilt spine decoration, the green dye faded to an even brown on the spines, all are inscribed warmly to Dr E[dward] S[anford] Gaylord, a prominent dentist in New Haven, and a former president of the National Dental Association. Fletcher devoted his life to promoting health through nutrition and proper eating habits, particularly thorough chewing, which earned him the sobriquet The Great Masti- cator. The books are: The New Glutton or Epicure (1906), The A.B-Z of Our Own Nutrition (1906) (inscribed “He taketh a film from the eyes by removing a film from the teeth and allows health to reign supreme July 1907”), The New Menticulture or the A-B-C of True Living (1906, and That Last Waif of Social Quarantine (1903); there are also two postcards from Fletcher to Gaylord, one describing a dental issue. A unique collection of a once important figure in Ameri-can popular medicine. All in very good condition. The lot: $150.00

[French law] Les Cinq Codes de l’Empire Francais. Paris: Le Prieur & Bellis fils, 1812. 708 pp, preceded by a four-page publisher’s catalog. Full leather, gilt spine with minor chipping, edge and corner wear. Lacking the portrait of Napoleon. $150.00

[Golf] Kennedy, Patrick. Golf Club Trademarks. South Burlington, VT: Thistle Books, 1984. Stated first edition. Soft covers. With an inserted card signed Many Thanks - Pat Kennedy. Fine. $100.

_____. Thomas, George C. Golf Architecture in America – Its Strategy and Construction. Far Hills, NJ: USGA, 1990. Facsimile of the 1927 edition. #19 of 1500 copies. Very good with very good slipcase. $100.00 (Two of a large number of golf books this year)

Hemingway, Ernest. A Movable Feast. NY: Scribner, nd (1964). A-3.64[H] code on copyright page, unclipped $4.95 price on jacket. Previous owner’s name on front fly, otherwise very good in good jacket. $40.00

Hochschild, Harold. Township 34. A History With Digressions of an Adirondack Township in Hamilton County in the State of New York. NY: the author, 1952. #448 of 600 copies. With the folding map inside rear cover, and the 24-page Addendum to Chapter 13 following page 170. Four-line inscription by the author, dated 9 January 1975. Fine, with little or no wear, corners and edges as new, unusual in oversize books. $600.00

Isikawa, Tairo (1766-1817). Shuchin gajo (alternately, Shuchin gacho; Collection of Precious Pictures). 1803? Volumes 1 and 2 of 3, 80 woodblock prints, many colored. Collated with the Smithsonian copy. Ex library, with the bookplate reflecting the prior collection of American sculptor John Angel, apparently only one additional accession number stamping. Occasional marginal worm trails, all images very good; side sewn binding threads loosening but solid. $800.00

Koons, Nell. Mangroves. Miami Beach, 1933. 15 halftone photos tipped in, largely of nude adult women, a few of children and flowers. Front foredge corners bumped as usual, small 1⁄2” X 1” water stain on lower spine edge of both wrappers, not affecting contents. $150.00

Larson, Jens Fredrick, and Archie MacInnes Palmer. Architectural Planning of the American College. NY: McGraw Hill, 1933. Spine slightly dulled, very good. $75.00

Lavoisne, M. [A Complete Genealogical, Historical, Chronological, and Geographical Atlas; being a general guide to Ancient and Modern History. enlarged by the addition of several new maps of American History and Geography.] Philadelphia: Carey, 1821. Third edition. 23

double page, 10 single page, hand colored maps, plus a host of charts, tables, chronologies, etc., all hand col-ored. The highlight is the Melish map of the United States showing the American west. Lacking title page and end pages, covers worn, binding weak. Maps and other plates appear to be in good condition, with minor dings and tears, but certainly framable. $1000.00

[Maori imprint] Himene mo te Karakia ki te Atua. Auckland: Brett Printing and Publishing for Upton & Co, 1900. Stated sixth edition, first published 1883, a total of 17,000 copies in the first five editions, 10,000 in the sixth, each edition with additional hymns. Hymn book, 188 hymns, 156 p. Inscriptions on ffep, Moronai Watene, Kiri, Kiri, Branch, 17 Dec 1905; same on two rear ep, with date of 14 Jan 1906. Very good. Together with a second copy, lacking title and first leaf. $125.00

My Country’s Flag of Stars Songster. NY: Harding, nd (1896). 8 leaves, plus two songs printed verso rear wrapper. A campaign piece, various copyright dates, the latest 1896; the booklet is as much an anti- Cleveland booklet as pro-McKinley, as far as we can tell there is no mention of the latter’s name, though Grover does appear. Cleveland eventually declined to run, there is no mention of the eventual Democratic nominee, William Jennings Bryan, and we suspect the booklet is early in the year when no candidates were definite. Paper wraps, pictorial front wrap, stapled binding, slight fraying to spine but very good. $200.00

Rhoads, W M, designer. Poker, Smoke and Other Things. Chicago: Reilly & Britton, nd (c1907). “Fun by Percy Hammond and George C Wharton Abetted in Pictures, by Albert Olson[.] Rules of Poker by the Banker Recipes by Many Friends Toasts from Everywhere Mixed Drinks by the Bar-Fan”. Pictorial cover. Very good. $35.00

Spalding, A G. America’s National Game. NY: American Sports publishing, 1911. Rear gutter cracked, spine slightly dulled. Undated gift inscription ffep. $250.00

Spring, Gardiner. Memoir of Samuel John Mills. Boston: Perkins & Marvin, 1829. 2nd edition. Half leather, marbled boards. Front cover loosened but holding, some wear to covers and back-strip. $40.00 Trumbull, Benjamin. Twelve Discourses. Hartford: Hudson Goodwin, 1799. 305, including 12 pp subscription list. Corners bumped, backstrip worn and lacking most of label, but complete and solid. $100.00

Warren, Robert Penn. Audubon. NY: Random, nd (1969). First edition, number 294 of 300 cop-ies, signed by Warren. Fine, in good jacket, slipcase with slight wear. $60.00

Wilkes, Maurice V, David Wheeler and Stanley Gill. The Preparation of Programs for an Elec-tronic Digital Computer. Cambridge, MA: Addison Wesley, 1951. An earlier bookseller's in-serted catalog description offers this as "[t]he first textbook on computer programing." With the stamp pf Dr Frank M Verzuh, a computer pioneer who worked at MIT; a second stamp is by Statistical Services, dated in manuscript 21 September 1951. Some notations in the text, spine sticker "51", very good. $600.00