Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - May - 2007 Issue
Books About Books, Bibliography from Oak Knoll
A collection of Beardsley drawings.
If you have ever come across any Hemingway letters, you will probably know that his writing talents weren't limited to books. The letters are much more revealing, even if the structure is not quite as refined. The writer tends to express his views, which are often somewhat outrageous, more freely in his personal letters. Carlos Baker put together a collection of almost 600 of his letters for Scribner's, which was published in 1981: Ernest Hemingway, Selected Letters, 1917-1961. This copy is signed by the editor. Item 166. $125.
Next we have an inside look at the publishing world. Item 134 consists of two 1908 letters from publisher Frank Nelson Doubleday to his corporate treasurer Samuel Everitt. His firm was known as Doubleday, Page and Co. at the time. After two decades at Scribner's, Doubleday struck out on his own (or in partnership) and developed one of the nation's largest publishing houses. In these letters, Doubleday talks about the difficult economy of the time and its impact on publishing, and works about to be published. Sports fans may want to note that Doubleday was related to, though not descended from, purported baseball inventor Abner Doubleday, and his grandson, Nelson, owned the New York Mets franchise for many years. $75.
Aubrey Beardsley was a prolific artist and illustrator of the late 19th century, with a penchant for the grotesque. It is fortunate that he was quite active, as he only lived to be twenty-five. Item 14 is Fifty Drawings by Aubrey Beardsley Selected from the Collection of Mr. H.S. Nichols, published in 1920. It states that some drawings were previously unpublished. This is from a limited edition of 500 copies and is signed by Mr. Nichols. $300.
The website for Oak Knoll Books is www.oakknoll.com, and their telephone number is 302-328-7232.
