Americana and the American West from Clark Rare Books
The latest catalogue from Clark Rare Books.
By Michael Stillman
Recently released was Catalog 933 of Americana, The West, and General from Clark Rare Books. This is a catalogue of just over 250 items overwhelmingly of Western Americana. There are some exceptions, such as books about journeys to Vinland or Columbus' visit to the New World, which would definitely be better described as Eastern Americana, but still, this is mostly a catalogue for aficionados of the Old West. So, without further ado, let's take a look inside.
Some visionaries do not have that great vision in their youth. Item 218 is An Oration. July 4th, 1804, given by recent law school graduate Junius Smith before the Society of Cincinnati in Hartford, Connecticut. Smith would one day foresee steam-powered ships crossing the ocean, replacing the old sailing ships. He outfitted the first such Atlantic crossing by a ship powered only by steam in 1838. He was not able to successfully commercialize this venture and moved on to other things, but he still had a notable career. However, returning to 1804, he was not so visionary then. His speech that day was an oration against the Louisiana Purchase, one of the greatest real estate buys ever. Priced at $75.
Item 85 is an 1866 second edition of Albert D. Richardson's take of imprisonment behind Confederate lines, The Secret Service, The Field, The Dungeon, and the Escape. Richardson was a reporter for the New York Tribune, who did not receive journalistic immunity when captured attempting to pass through Confederate lines near Vicksburg. He was hoping to reach General Grant. Richardson endured 20 months under terrible conditions before he and two others managed an unlikely escape. His terrible ordeal was made even worse by the news that his wife and daughter died while he was in prison. $45.
And now, as Paul Harvey would say, for the rest of the story. After returning home, the widowed Richardson fell in love with Abby Sage McFarland, an actress then married to Daniel McFarland. Depending on whom you believe, McFarland was either an abusive husband, or a devoted, wronged one. Whichever, he responded by attempting to kill Richardson. That 1867 attempt did not restore him to his wife's good graces. She proceeded to divorce the man. McFarland was not forgiving. Two years later, he again made an attempt on Richardson's life, this time in the Tribune's office. The second time was a charm, at least for McFarland. However, Richardson lingered for a week, and on his deathbed, he and Abby were wed, with Tribune editor Horace Greeley ("Go West, young man") in attendance and famed preacher Henry Ward Beecher officiating. Two years later, the almost instantaneous widow published this tribute to her husband: Garnered Sheaves from the Writings of Albert D. Richardson collected and arranged by his wife... Abby returned to the stage, and wrote many books, but though she lived another 30 years, she never remarried. As for Daniel McFarland, the public was sympathetic to his position as aggrieved husband. At his trial, the jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity, but despite his "insanity," he was awarded custody of his and Abby's 12-year-old son. Mrs. Richardson's tribute to her husband, published in 1871, is item 39. $50.
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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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.