Rare Book Monthly Articles - November - 2021 Issue

Fire Claims Another Bookshop

Fire Claims Another Bookshop

New Street, Wem, Shrewsbury SY4 5JX, in the United Kingdom.  A fire tore through a building in Shrewsbury at Wem Industrial Estate overnight on 7 October, closing roads and cutting power to the town.  Fire has long been a hazard for the old and rare book trade and a bookshop, Cosmo Books, was located there.   The alarm was raised about 12.30am, the firefighters arriving to find flames shooting from the roof.  It started in an adjoining unit to Cosmo Books but spread along the roof space. The fire burned through ceiling panels and onto Mr. Downie's huge collection of books, built up over 2...

“The Extraordinary History of the Every Day”- Langdon Manor Books Finds Its Niche

“The Extraordinary History of the Every Day”- Langdon Manor Books Finds Its Niche

I first became aware of Houston based dealer Adam Schachter back in 2012 when he was a practicing bankruptcy attorney moonlighting as a book scout. Since then he’s transitioned from law to the anti...

Being on Top of the Market

Being on Top of the Market

Book valuation is never a certain number when you look on a listing site because what determines market value is when a  willing buyer makes an offer and the seller agrees.  Book listing sites offe...

One of America's Best-Selling Authors Has Turned 100 Years Old

One of America's Best-Selling Authors Has Turned 100 Years Old

This year we are celebrating the 100th birthday of one of America's most popular authors. Her first book has sold over 75 million copies, but she has written about 250 in total. We don't have count...

Maria Sibylla Merian, A Rare Species Of Woman

Maria Sibylla Merian, A Rare Species Of Woman

  The Bilbiothèque Nationale de France, or French National Library (BNF) ran a series of portraits of “singular women” on their website last March. It featured the extraordinary Maria Sibylla Meri...

Library Overdue Book Fines Becoming a Thing of the Past

Library Overdue Book Fines Becoming a Thing of the Past

There has been a movement over the past few years to eliminate late fees for overdue books in libraries. San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle and Columbus are amo...

Old Books and Old Collectors shout Harrah!!

Old Books and Old Collectors shout Harrah!!

Book fairs have been the early and consistent victims of COVID and it’s time to say The Empire Strikes Back!  In-person buying and selling in the collectible paper field has long been a vital compo...

Do you believe in Magic Again?

Do you believe in Magic Again?

Do you believe in Magic?   If you are of a certain age you will remember when book auctions were mostly books but now-a-days we are living in the world of collectable paper and collectibles gener...

From Books to Toilet Paper

From Books to Toilet Paper

There is an old joke about what you can do with old books you don't need, or never were worth reading in the first place. You can put them in the bathroom where the pages can be put to appropriate ...

Welcome Back to NYPL:  The library is Here for You!

Welcome Back to NYPL: The library is Here for You!

NYPL has recently opened a new, first-ever permanent exhibit called The Polonsky Exhibition of the New York Public Library's Treasures, featuring some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 mi...

The Mittler Collection of Texana and early American History to be sold at Hindman on Nov. 9th

The Mittler Collection of Texana and early American History to be sold at Hindman on Nov. 9th

Brant Mittler, a medical doctor, lawyer and collector now 75, has long appreciated the intersection of early American government, Texas history, and the difficulties and struggles discovering and s...

Boston Book Fair goes virtual November 18-20

Boston Book Fair goes virtual November 18-20

The ABAA invites bibliophiles everywhere to join the hunt for rare books and all manner of fine works on paper at the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America’s Virtual Book Fair: Boston Edi...

The 19th Century Rare Book and Photograph Shop Celebrates its 37th Anniversary with Special Catalogue

The 19th Century Rare Book and Photograph Shop Celebrates its 37th Anniversary with Special Catalogue

The 19th Century Rare Book and Photograph Shop, has just issued its Catalogue 190, Magnificent Books and Manuscripts, celebrating its 37th year in business. The business was established in 1984 by ...

Portland's Rose City Book and Paper Fair Returns Live on December 10

Portland's Rose City Book and Paper Fair Returns Live on December 10

The Portland, Oregon, area has faced a tough year. Record heat brought temperatures as high as 116 this summer, their hottest temperature ever recorded. Droughts led to fires, then followed by torr...

American Arts and Crafts Museum Opens in St. Petersburg

American Arts and Crafts Museum Opens in St. Petersburg

A museum dedicated to the American Arts and Crafts movement recently opened in St. Petersburg, Florida. Founded by local philanthropist Rudy Ciccarello, it is an impressive structure, “a work of ar...

Four New Catalogues Reviewed This Month

Four New Catalogues Reviewed This Month

This month we are reviewing seven new bookseller catalogues. Whitmore Rare Books features a collection of great and important books. The 19th Century Rare Book and Photograph Shop created a collect...

Rare Book Monthly

  • High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Ellis Smith Prints unsigned. 20” by 16”.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: United typothetae of America presidents. Pictures of 37 UTA presidents 46th annual convention United typothetae of America Cincinnati 1932.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec signed Paper Impressionism Art Prints. MayMilton 9 1/2” by 13” Reine de Joie 9 1/2” by 13”.
    High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Aberle’ Ballet editions. 108th triumph, American season spring and summer 1944.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Puss ‘n Boots. 1994 Charles Perrult All four are signed by Andreas Deja
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Specimen book of type faces. Job composition department, Philadelphia gazette publishing company .
    High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: An exhibit of printed books, Bridwell library.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur Court By Mark Twain 1889.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 1963 Philadelphia Eagles official program.
    High Bids Win
    Rare Books, Catalogs, Magazines
    and Machine Manuals
    December 24 to January 9
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: 8 - Esquire the magazine for men 1954.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: The American printer, July 1910.
    High Bids Win, Dec. 24 – Jan. 9: Leaves of grass 1855 by Walt Whitman.
  • Sotheby's
    Fine Books, Manuscripts & More
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: William Shakespeare.
    The Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare, 1960. 7,210 USD
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens.
    A Christmas Carol, First Edition, 1843. 17,500 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Golding.
    Lord of the Flies, First Edition, 1954. 5,400 USD
    Sotheby's
    Fine Books, Manuscripts & More
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Lewis Carroll.
    Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, Inscribed First Edition, 1872. 25,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: J.R.R. Tolkien.
    The Hobbit, First Edition, 1937. 12,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: John Milton.
    Paradise Lost, 1759. 5,400 USD

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